Direct Auto vs. Progressive: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Direct Auto offers slightly cheaper rates than Progressive
• Direct Auto offers more affordable prices for policyholders who live in suburban areas
• Progressive tends to be a much more affordable option for drivers who have a speeding ticket on their driving record

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Direct Auto or Progressive: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed it down to Direct Auto or Progressive for your next policy, but between the two, which company has less expensive rates for auto insurance?

As you can see, Progressive is around $10 more a month than Direct Auto when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

However, that doesn't mean Direct Auto will necessarily be more affordable than Progressive for every single driver. Auto insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like how good your credit score is, where you live, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, and all sorts of other factors, so premiums will vary quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Direct Auto or Progressive is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each carrier broken down by lots of different rate factors.

Direct Auto vs. Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Direct Auto and Progressive only compete against each other in one states, with Direct Auto offering cheaper rates to the average driver in all of them. Mississippi has the most noticable difference, where Direct Auto premiums are $58 less expensive than insurance rates at Progressive.

There's a lot more that goes into your car insurance bill than just your home state. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

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Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance premiums of any other group of drivers. The reason is that teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 20% less per month by choosing Direct Auto over Progressive.

That being said, both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Direct Auto policyholders drop about $200 and Progressive's prices decrease over $300 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll generally enjoy the cheapest insurance rates you'll ever see. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for auto insurance.

So, which company offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Direct Auto gets the slight edge here, with average prices coming in at around $124 per month compared to Progressive's $131.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance rates tend to be more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married drivers. This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something quite a few insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Direct Auto rates coming in at about 10% less than Progressive's. But for married couples, that advantage is much less clear - Progressive has the edge when it comes to average prices , but the difference is only $7.

Direct Auto or Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim, which means they'll normally end up paying more for car insurance than women.

With Direct Auto, men typically pay around $4 a month more than women, but with Progressive, the difference is closer to $5 per month.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Direct Auto offers the lowest average premiums for both men and women. On average, women save about $10 a month and men save about $11 with Direct Auto compared to the average Progressive policyholder.

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Direct Auto vs. Progressive: Compare State Minimum vs. Full Coverage Rates

*State minimum value indicates liability-only policies at each state's minimum bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) limits

**Full coverage indicates state minimum BI/PD limits with collision and comprehensive coverages added to policy.

For most people, insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are multiple different coverages that account for a range of different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Direct Auto has the edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $96. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Direct Auto again has the edge, with policies averaging around $244 per month to Progressive's $250.

Is Direct Auto or Progressive Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their auto insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

You'll probably end up paying more with speeding tickets and accidents on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the cheapest prices to drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Direct Auto for their insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Progressive policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 17%.

If you have gotten a ticket, Progressive tends to offer the best premiums at about 1% cheaper, while Direct Auto has the edge for drivers with a clean record.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will raise rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Progressive raising by around 30%. Direct Auto has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay nearly 25% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, the less expensive premiums come from Direct Auto, with average prices coming in at $190 compared to Progressive's $214.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly car insurance bill -- generally a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. Progressive drivers usually see a 16% increase in their auto insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Direct Auto will normally climb premiums by about 13%.

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How does Credit Score Impact Direct Auto and Progressive Rates?

Did you know many car insurance carriers take your credit score into account when determining prices? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it will come into play for several drivers.

Auto insurance carriers argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with more affordable premiums.

So, which company offers the best rates for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

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Is Direct Auto or Progressive Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on how much insurance companies will charge for coverage. Usually, the more milage you put on your vehicle, the more you can expect to pay for car insurance.

In this case, neither Direct Auto or Progressive report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Direct Auto comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car yearly, with average rates of $170 a month for both.

Direct Auto or Progressive: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can have a big impact on your monthly auto insurance payment. Typically, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers since there are a lot more vehicles on the roads where they live.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Direct Auto normally comes out as the less expensive option for drivers in rural and suburban areas, while Progressive wins in urban areas.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $116 a month with Direct Auto and $154 with Progressive. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about $168 with Direct Auto compared to Progressive's $179 monthly. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Progressive's average prices are around $207 while Direct Auto offers premiums about $226.

Direct Auto vs. Progressive Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as possible.

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be difficult to find all the ones you're eligible for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Direct Auto and Progressive so that you can see which carrier offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Progressive blows Direct Auto away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 34 different discounts to Direct Auto's 19.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Progressive also offers discounts for advanced safety feature, agency transfer, continuous insurance, and more.

On the other hand, Direct Auto has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like bike policy discounts, life policy discounts, new vehicle discounts, and more.

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Final Thoughts: Is Direct Auto or Progressive Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your insurance prices. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which company is the right one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Direct Auto might be best for you if....

• You haven't received any speeding tickets or been in an accident in the last few years.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower rates.

Progressive might be best for you if...

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.
• You are purchasing your auto insurance with a spouse.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Direct Auto and Progressive and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Direct Auto and Progressive. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

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Direct Auto vs. Progressive FAQs

Is Direct Auto or Progressive cheaper?

Direct Auto is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $170 per month with Direct Auto and $180 for Progressive. But that doesn't mean Direct Auto will be the lowest company for everyone, since there are many different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Direct Auto or Progressive?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for every policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, Progressive is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit, while Direct Auto offers cheaper rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Direct Auto and Progressive offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use many different factors when calculating the premiums they charge. Things like where you park your car, where your home is, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Direct Auto and Progressive calculate prices differently, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different carriers.

How do I know if Direct Auto or Progressive is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Direct Auto or Progressive at all, but another you hadn't even thought of!

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Methodology

All of the data referenced in this article has been gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. We analyzed more than 2.5 million rows of carrier-reported data to calculate the average rates referenced above. All rates are based on an insurance profile of a single-vehicle policy for a driver that owns a 2016 Honda Accord. For more information on how we calculate rates, please reference our data methodology.