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

Quick Facts

• In general, Progressive offers more affordable premiums than Penn National
• Penn National offers more affordable rates for drivers who have a speeding ticket on their driving record
• Progressive has less expensive premiums for single people who will be the only person on the car insurance policy

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Penn National or Progressive: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering large savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Penn National or Progressive for your next policy, but between the two, which one will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, Progressive is around $38 a month cheaper than Penn National.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Progressive will be the more affordable option for each driver. Auto insurance carriers vary their rates depending on things like where you live, how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, how old you are, and a variety of other factors, so prices could vary drastically from person to person.

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

Penn National vs. Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Penn National and Progressive compete against each other in five states, with Progressive offering cheaper rates to the average driver in all of them. Maryland has the most noticable difference, where Progressive prices are $126 less expensive than car insurance premiums at Penn National.

But there's more to calculating insurance prices than just where you live. Read on to learn more.

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Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- normally pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 5% less per month by choosing Progressive over Penn National.

That being said, both companies will drop rates by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for Penn National policyholders decrease almost 60% and Progressive's premiums reduce nearly 70% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age usually enjoy some of the most affordable insurance rates you'll ever find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally reduces their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise premiums.

When looking at Penn National and Progressive specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Progressive gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $32 more affordable than the national average for Penn National.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance rates than married couples. That's typically because married drivers tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Progressive rates coming in at about 10% less than Penn National's. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - Progressive has the edge when it comes to average prices.

Penn National or Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into a collision or get pulled over for speeding. That means when it comes to auto insurance men will usually end up paying a little more.

Usually, women see premiums around 2% a month less with Penn National, and about 3% less with Progressive.

Looking at overall affordability, Progressive offers the cheapest average rates for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $37 per month and women save around $37 with Progressive compared to the average Penn National policyholder.

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Penn National 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.

It's no secret that insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different coverages and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

Even so, the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which normally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Progressive has the edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $111. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Progressive again has the edge, with policies averaging about $250 a month to Penn National's $292.

Is Penn National or Progressive Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance companies offering great rates for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and at-fault accidents lead to higher premiums, but which carrier -- Penn National or Progressive -- has the most affordable prices for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Penn National for their car insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up around 22% after getting a speeding ticket. Progressive policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 17%.

However, Penn National is generally the cheaper option for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records -- their rates are around 7% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 1% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Penn National can expect to see around an $67 -- or about 33% -- rise in their auto insurance premiums. Drivers who use Progressive for their insurance will see a monthly bill around $65 (or 30%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their car insurance company.

At the end of the day, Penn National offers the lowest rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average prices coming in at $206 compared to Progressive's $214.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or speeding ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. For example, Penn National increases average premiums by more than $200 per month -- that's nearly a 60% increase.

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How does Credit Score Impact Penn National and Progressive Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance carriers take your credit score into account when determining prices? This isn't true for everyone (for example, Massachusetts and Hawaii are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect a lot of drivers out there.

Car insurance companies argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time every month, which raises the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

So, which carrier offers the best rates for policyholders 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 Penn National 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 how much auto insurance carriers will charge for coverage. Normally, those who drive less will end up with more affordable prices since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

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

Penn National or Progressive: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can play a sizable role in how much you pay for car insurance. Usually, those who live in urban areas will pay more than drivers in rural areas since there are a lot more vehicles on the roads where they live.

Progressive boasts the most affordable average rates for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about $11 with Progressive compared to Penn National. People who live in suburban areas pay around $33 less with Progressive compared to Penn National. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Progressive's average prices are about $68 less than Penn National Insurance.

Penn National 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 utilizing as many auto insurance discounts as possible.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Penn National and Progressive so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

Progressive knocks Penn National out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 18 more discounts than Penn National.

Both companies offer a lot of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, distant student discounts, and group discounts -- but Progressive also offers discounts for advanced safety feature, agency transfer, continuous insurance, and more.

On the other hand, Penn National has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like added pip option discounts, driver training discounts, and pennid discounts.

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Final Thoughts: Is Penn National or Progressive Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the variables car insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which carrier is the right company for you and your specific profile and needs?

Progressive might be best for you if....

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- undefined only offers policies to residents.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You have a short commute.

Penn National might be best for you if...

• You haven't received any speeding tickets or been in a collision in the last few years.
• You've received a ticket for speeding recently and don't want to see your rates rise.
• You have an at-fault collision on your record.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Penn National 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 Penn National 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 insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

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Penn National vs. Progressive FAQs

Is Penn National or Progressive cheaper?

Progressive is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $180 per month with Progressive and $218 for Penn National. But that doesn't mean Progressive will be the cheapest company for each policyholder, since there are lots of different factors that are considered when it comes to your car insurance payment.

Who is better, Penn National or Progressive?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile. For example, Progressive is more affordable for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while Penn National offers cheaper premiums for drivers with an at-fault accident on their record.

Why do Penn National and Progressive offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use quite a few different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Factors such as your driving record, where you live, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Penn National and Progressive calculate rates using different variables, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different companies.

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

The only way to find the car insurance carrier 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 make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Penn National 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.