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

Quick Facts

• In general, Progressive offers cheaper prices than Farmers
• Progressive offers more discounts than Farmers Insurance
• Progressive has less expensive premiums for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record

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Farmers vs. Progressive: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering large discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might be considering Farmers or Progressive for your next policy, but which company will offer you more affordable prices?

As you can see, Progressive is about $23 per month cheaper than Farmers when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

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

Wanting to know if Farmers or Progressive is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Farmers or Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farmers and Progressive compete against each other in 22 states, with Progressive offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. If you live in, undefined is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at the overall average premiums, but Progressive is the cheaper option in most of the others.

But there's more to car insurance than just the state you live in. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how auto insurance companies calculate your rates. Keep reading to find out more.

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Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance prices of any other group of drivers. That's typically because young, inexperienced 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 premiums, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Progressive for their car insurance pay more than $80 less than those who use Farmers.

That being said, both carriers will lower prices once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Farmers policyholders reduce nearly $400 and Progressive's rates 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 auto insurance prices you'll ever see. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly premiums for insurance.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Farmers and Progressive? Progressive gets the slight edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older almost 10% more affordable than the national average for Farmers.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance rates tend to be more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married policyholders. This usually boils down to married couples having more than one car on their policy -- something a lot of car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, the two carriers are comparable for those who are single, with premiums only differing around $24 a month, on average. The advantage for married drivers is more obvious, where drivers who use Progressive save about $20 per month.

Farmers vs. Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, they run a larger risk of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, men normally pay more for insurance than women.

Normally, men see rates around $7 a month higher with Farmers, while with Progressive, the difference is closer to $5 per month.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, Progressive offers the cheapest average premiums for both men and women, with average rates 12% less for men and 11% cheaper for women.

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Farmers or 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.

Car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are many different coverages that account for a range of different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

Even so, the most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Progressive usually offers less expensive premiums of $111 compared to Farmers's $126. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Progressive again has the edge, with policies about $30 a month more affordable than Farmers, on average.

Is Farmers or Progressive Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Farmers policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $44 per month if they get a ticket, while Progressive normally raises premiums around $31 a month, on average.

But Progressive has cheaper prices for drivers in both categories, offering premiums that are 8% and 13% less expensive, respectively, compared to Farmers Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Farmers drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates climb by just under 30%, while those who have insurance through Progressive will see about a 30% increase.

Overall, Progressive offers the lowest prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with monthly rates averaging $214 compared to Farmers Insurance's $224.

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 auto insurance bill -- usually a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. On average, Farmers will increase your prices around 27% after a DUI, while Progressive's average premiums rise by over 15%.

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How does Credit Score Impact Farmers and Progressive Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can come into play when carriers determine your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (Hawaii, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it might come into play for quite a few policyholders.

The reasoning car insurance companies use is that drivers with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so typically, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with cheaper rates.

Looking specifically at Farmers and Progressive, which one has the best prices for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

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

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in your monthly premiums. Generally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive prices since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Farmers or Progressive report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, Progressive comes out as the cheapest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car annually, with average premiums of $180 per month for both.

Farmers vs. Progressive: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can have a sizable impact on your monthly insurance cost. Usually, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Progressive normally comes out as the lowest option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Progressive offers prices about $207 per month compared to Farmers's $251. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay around $179 a month for Progressive and $189 for Farmers. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the most affordable rates from both companies, with average monthly premiums coming in at $154 and $170 for Progressive and Farmers respectively.

Farmers vs. Progressive Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many car insurance discounts as you can.

The hard part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible for, since it can feel sometimes like every carrier has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Farmers and Progressive offer their customers so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Progressive knocks Farmers out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering six more discounts than Farmers.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Progressive also offers advanced safety feature discounts, agency transfer discounts, continuous insurance discounts, and more that Farmers does not.

On the flip side, Farmers has a couple unique discounts of its own -- alternative fuel discounts, discounts for getting driver training, ESC discounts, and more.

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Final Thoughts: Is Farmers or Progressive Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the factors auto insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each company offers. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the right one for you and your specific needs?

Progressive might be best for you if....

• You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance company.
• Your credit score is high.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles each year.

Farmers might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Farmers and Progressive and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your car insurance.

But, at the end of the day, there's only one way to know for sure that you're getting the best possible deal on auto insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple carriers, not just Farmers and Progressive. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

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Farmers vs. Progressive FAQs

Is Farmers or Progressive cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Progressive is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $180 per month compared to $203 for Farmers. That being said, Progressive won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for every policyholder, since there are a bunch of different variables that come into play when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, Farmers or Progressive?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for each driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Farmers and Progressive offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at lots of different factors when calculating the premiums they charge policyholders. Variables such as age, gender, your driving record, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Farmers and Progressive calculate prices using different factors, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company 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 make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Farmers or Progressive at all!

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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.