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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, American Family offers significantly more affordable premiums than Foremost
• American Family offers more affordable prices for policyholders who may not have much of a commute
• Foremost offers more affordable rates for residents in New Jersey, Texas, and Washington

American Family vs. Foremost: 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 discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed your search down to American Family or Foremost for your next policy, but between the two, which company will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Foremost has average rates that are about 50% per month more expensive than those from American Family.

That being said, American Family may not be the cheapest or best option for each driver out there. Auto insurance carriers use a variety of complex algorithms to calculate premiums, so depending on where you live or how old you are (among a whole range of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of American Family or Foremost is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each carrier broken down by several different rate factors.

American Family or Foremost: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

American Family and Foremost only compete against each other in one states, with American Family offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. Washington has the most noticable difference, where American Family rates are over 30% less expensive than insurance premiums at Foremost.

But there's more to car insurance than just where you live. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how insurance companies determine your prices. Continue reading to learn more about how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for auto insurance than any group out there on the road. Typically, that's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

Even so, 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 more than $250 less a month by choosing American Family over Foremost. It's worth noting that American Family offers auto insurance in 16 different states compared to Foremost's three, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But with both carriers, you'll see your premiums lower significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for American Family policyholders drop nearly $200 and Foremost's rates reduce around $350 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age usually enjoy some of the lowest car insurance premiums you'll ever find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally decreases their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase prices.

When looking at American Family and Foremost specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? American Family gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at about $107 per month compared to Foremost's $219.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive insurance prices than married drivers. That's usually because married couples 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 $149 per month more affordable than Foremost, on average. The advantage for married policyholders with American Family is also obvious, where drivers save almost 50% a month.

American Family vs. Foremost: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into an accident, which means they'll generally end up paying more for auto insurance than women.

Women normally pay about 3% per month less than men with American Family, and around 1% less with Foremost when compared to their male counterparts.

When it comes to the most affordable rates for each gender, American Family offers the cheapest average premiums for both men and women, with average rates $129 less for men and $130 cheaper for women.

American Family or Foremost: 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 car insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which typically refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to what you get with liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, American Family generally offers significantly cheaper prices of $96 compared to Foremost's $173. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, American Family again has the edge, with policies about $200 a month less expensive than Foremost, on average.

Is American Family or Foremost Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance companies offering great premiums 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 tickets and collisions lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- American Family or Foremost -- has the lowest prices for drivers with less-than-perfect 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 Foremost usually raises premiums around $56 a month, on average.

However, American Family tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket, offering prices that are $84 and $111 cheaper, respectively, compared to Foremost Insurance Group.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

American Family drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates climb by $20, while those who have insurance through Foremost will see about a $200 increase.

Overall, the more affordable premiums come from American Family, with monthly prices averaging $138 compared to Foremost Insurance Group's $381.

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 ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. For example, American Family increases average rates by $40 per month -- that's over a 25% increase.

American Family has the overall most affordable premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $158 a month, but it's worth noting that American Family's average rates come from 16 states compared to just three for Foremost, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact American Family and Foremost Rates?

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

Insurance companies argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, drivers with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

Looking at American Family and Foremost specifically, which carrier has the cheapest premiums for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with American Family. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 60% compared to Foremost, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $141 or 54% less expensive each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

American Family typically offers lower prices than Foremost when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $136 a month less with American Family compared to Foremost, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around $105 monthly.

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

How much you drive can have a sizable impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Normally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper rates 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 Foremost charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for American Family, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle every year paying about $5 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, American Family is the more affordable option for drivers in both categories.

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

Where you call home can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Generally, 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.

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

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the lowest premiums from both carriers, but American Family comes out on top with average prices around $121 per month. American Family also has less expensive average rates for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 48% and 53% per month respective difference when compared to Foremost drivers in similar areas.

American Family vs. Foremost Discounts

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

The hard 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.

In the table below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts American Family and Foremost offer their customers so that you can find the one that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

American Family knocks Foremost out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 21 different discounts to Foremost's 12.

Both companies offer several of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, distant student discounts, and paid in full discounts -- but American Family also offers connect partner discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, DRL discounts, and more that Foremost does not.

On the flip side, Foremost has a couple unique discounts of its own -- discounts for being a good driver, minor child discounts, multi-car/single driver discounts, and more.

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

You've seen the role certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, at the end of the day, is American Family or Foremost the right company for you and your specific driver profile?

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

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You already have a great credit score.
• You and your spouse are buying auto insurance together.

Foremost might be best for you if...

• You're looking for the best rates in NJ, TX, and WA.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between American Family and Foremost. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your 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 companies, not just American Family and Foremost. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

American Family vs. Foremost FAQs

Is American Family or Foremost cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, American Family is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $140 a month compared to $270 for Foremost. Even so, American Family won't necessarily be the most affordable company for everyone, since there are many different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, American Family or Foremost?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for every driver -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do American Family and Foremost offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers take a look at many different variables when determining the prices they charge policyholders. Factors like gender, where you park your vehicle, your driving record, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both American Family and Foremost use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

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

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several carriers 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 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 premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be American Family or Foremost 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.