American Family vs. American Select: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, American Family offers cheaper rates than American Select
• American Family offers more affordable prices for policyholders who live in suburban areas
• American Select has less expensive rates for policyholders who haven't received any speeding tickets or been in an accident in the last few years

American Family vs. American Select: 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 sizable discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to American Family or American Select for your next policy, but between the two, which one has cheaper premiums for insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, American Family is about $30 per month more affordable than American Select.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean American Family will be the less expensive option for every driver. Car insurance carriers use a variety of complex algorithms to calculate prices, so depending on how good your credit score is or how clean your driving record is (among a wide array of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

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

American Family or American Select: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

American Family and American Select only compete against each other in two states, with American Family offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all of them. Ohio has the most noticable difference, where American Family prices are over 30% cheaper than auto insurance rates at American Select.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance bill than just where you call home. Continue reading to learn more about how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- normally pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. It's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance premiums. As you can see above, teens who use American Family save $0 a month compared to those who use American Select.

That being said, both companies will lower prices by the time drivers turn 25. American Select offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, American Family still has the cheapest premiums at $121 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between American Family and American Select? American Family gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older more than 20% less expensive than the national average for American Select.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

When it comes to relationship status, American Family is the clear winner for single drivers, with premiums around $25 per month cheaper than American Select, on average. For married couples, the advantage is clear again - American Family has the edge when it comes to average rates.

American Family vs. American Select: 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 insurance men will usually end up paying a little more.

Women normally pay about 3% a month less than men with American Family, while with American Select, the difference is closer to 1% per month.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, American Family comes out as the most affordable option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $28 a month and women save around $32 with American Family compared to the average American Select policyholder.

American Family or American Select: 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 many 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 that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside liability coverage).

In this case, American Select offers the lowest average prices for state minimum limits for liability insurance, while American Family has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $6 with American Select Insurance Company, while full coverage comes out to be about $65 more affordable with American Family Insurance.

Is American Family or American Select 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.

Tickets and accidents will most likely raise your premiums, but is American Family or American Select less expensive for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

American Family policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $29 per month if they get a ticket, while American Select usually raises prices around $32 a month, on average.

If you have a clean record, American Select tends to offer the best premiums at about 1% cheaper, while American Family has the edge for drivers with a speeding ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with American Select raising by over $40. American Family has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay $20 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, American Family offers the cheapest premiums for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly rates averaging $138 compared to American Select Insurance Company's $158.

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 ticket or even an accident. For example, American Select increases average prices by just under $150 per month -- that's just under a 55% increase.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable rates, American Family tends to be the much less expensive option with average premiums of $158 a month compared to $258 from American Select.

How does Credit Score Impact American Family and American Select Rates?

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

Auto insurance carriers argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time each month, which decreases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

Looking at American Family and American Select specifically, which carrier has the best prices for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with American Family. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save 7% compared to American Select, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $13 or 10% more affordable every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

American Family typically offers lower premiums than American Select when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $28 a month less with American Family compared to American Select, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around $72 per month.

Is American Family or American Select Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

Did you know that the amount of time you spend in your car have a considerable impact on your monthly rates? Generally, the more miles you drive, the more you can expect to pay for insurance.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much American Select charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for American Family, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles yearly paying about $5 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, American Family is the less expensive option for drivers in both categories.

American Family vs. American Select: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a large role in how much you pay for car insurance. Normally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas because there are a lot fewer vehicles on the road in those areas, which lowers the chances of an accident.

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

In urban areas, American Family Insurance's average premiums are around $39 less than American Select Insurance Company. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about $16 less with American Family compared to American Select. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save around $35 with American Family compared to American Select.

American Family vs. American Select Discounts

You want to save as much money as possible, right? The best way to do that is by utilizing as many auto insurance discounts as you can.

The challenging 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.

In the section below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts American Family and American Select offer their customers so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Overall, American Family has a slight advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. American Select offers a grand total of 20 discounts, while American Family has 21.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like advance quote discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good student, and paid in full discounts. American Family also offers connect partner discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, DRL discounts, and more that American Select does not.

On the flip side, American Select has a couple unique discounts of its own -- ABS discounts, account relationship discounts, agency transfer discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is American Family or American Select Best for You?

You've seen the role certain variables have on your insurance and the different discounts companies offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which insurance company is the right one for you and your specific profile and needs?

American Family might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing auto insurance by yourself.
• You have above-average credit.
• You're buying car insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

American Select might be best for you if...

• You have a clean driving record, free of collisions, tickets, or DUIs.
• You live in one of the following states: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.
• You want basic insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between American Family and American Select. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire 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 American Family and American Select. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

American Family vs. American Select FAQs

Is American Family or American Select cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, American Family is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $140 per month compared to $170 for American Select. Even so, American Family won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for each policyholder, since there are multiple different factors (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, American Family or American Select?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do American Family and American Select offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at many different variables when calculating the rates they charge policyholders. Factors such as your driving record, gender, age, where you park your car, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both American Family and American Select calculate prices using different variables, 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 a variety of different carriers.

How do I know if American Family or American Select is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance carriers 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 American Family or American Select at all!

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.