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

Quick Facts

• In general, Pemco offers significantly cheaper premiums than Progressive
• Pemco offers more affordable rates for policyholders who have a clean driving record, free of accidents, tickets, or DUIs
• Progressive offers more discounts than PEMCO Insurance

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

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

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Pemco or Progressive for your next policy, but between the two, which one has less expensive prices for auto insurance?

As you can see, Progressive is quite a bit more expensive than Pemco, with rates averaging $180 per month compared to just $107 with Pemco when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

Even so, that doesn't mean Pemco will necessarily be more affordable than Progressive for every driver. After all, auto insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your age, your driving record, your credit score, or even where you call home (among other things), so premiums will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both Pemco and Progressive by a variety of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Pemco or Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

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But there's more to calculating auto insurance premiums than just where you live. Read on to find out more.

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Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for insurance than any other group of drivers out there on the road. It's normally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Pemco for their car insurance pay nearly $250 less than those who use Progressive.

However, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. Progressive offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Pemco still has the lowest prices at $95 per month.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Pemco and Progressive? Pemco gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older more than 30% cheaper than the national average for Progressive.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single drivers tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance premiums than married policyholders. That's because policies for married drivers typically cover more than one car, which many companies will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Pemco is the clear winner for single policyholders, with rates about $98 a month more affordable than Progressive, on average. For married couples, the advantage is clear again - Pemco has the edge when it comes to average prices.

Pemco vs. Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get tickets and get into accidents. That means when it comes to insurance men will normally end up paying a little more.

Men typically pay around $4 per month more than women with Pemco, while with Progressive, the difference is closer to $5 a month.

Looking at overall affordability, Pemco comes out as the cheapest option for both genders, with average premiums 40% less for men and 41% cheaper for women.

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Pemco 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 isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are a range of different coverages that account for several 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.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which generally refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Pemco usually offers significantly less expensive rates of $62 compared to Progressive's $111. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Pemco again has the edge, with policies about $100 per month cheaper than Progressive, on average.

Is Pemco or Progressive Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

Tickets and collisions will most likely raise your premiums, but is Pemco or Progressive less expensive for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Pemco policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $16 a month if they get a ticket, while Progressive normally raises rates around $31 per month, on average.

That being said, Pemco is usually the more affordable option for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket. Drivers with a clean record can save about $64 a month and drivers with a ticket can save around $79 per month with PEMCO Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Progressive climbing by $65. Pemco has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay over $25 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, Pemco offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly prices averaging $111 compared to Progressive's $214.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple speeding ticket or even an accident. On average, Pemco will climb your premiums about 35% after a DUI, while Progressive's average rates rise by over 15%.

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How does Credit Score Impact Pemco and Progressive Rates?

Did you know that many car insurance companies take into account your credit score when calculating prices? This isn't always the case (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for lots of drivers.

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 less expensive premiums.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

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Is Pemco 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 auto insurance bill. Generally, those who drive less will end up with more affordable prices since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Progressive charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Pemco, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles every year paying around $6 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, Pemco is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

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

Where you park your vehicle can have a substantial impact on your monthly car insurance cost. Typically, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas because there are a lot more cars on the road in those areas, which increases the chances of an accident.

Pemco tends to offer the cheapest premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable prices from both companies, but Pemco comes out on top with average premiums about $88 monthly. Pemco also has less expensive average prices for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 44% and 34% a month respective difference when compared to Progressive drivers in similar areas.

Pemco vs. Progressive Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new auto insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible. That's where insurance discounts comes into play.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to find all the ones you're eligible for or to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

In the section below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Pemco and Progressive offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Progressive blows Pemco away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 22 more discounts than Pemco.

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

On the flip side, Pemco has a couple unique discounts of its own -- employee discounts and low mileage discounts.

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Final Thoughts: Is Pemco or Progressive Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your car insurance rates. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which insurance company is the best carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Pemco might be best for you if....

• You have a clean record.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You've started working from home and don't have much of a commute.

Progressive might be best for you if...

• You're thinking about moving to another state -- undefined only offers policies in.
• You're looking for discounts -- Progressive has the most.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Pemco and Progressive and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple companies, not just Pemco and Progressive. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

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Pemco vs. Progressive FAQs

Is Pemco or Progressive cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Pemco is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $107 per month compared to $180 for Progressive. But Pemco won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for every policyholder, since there are multiple different variables that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance payment.

Who is better, Pemco or Progressive?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for each driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Pemco and Progressive offer me different rates?

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

How do I know if Pemco 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 a handful of carriers 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 ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Pemco 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.