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

Quick Facts

• In general, American Family offers significantly less expensive rates than Mendakota
• American Family offers more affordable prices for policyholders who live in the suburbs
• Mendakota has cheaper premiums in NV

American Family or Mendakota: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering large savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed it down to American Family or Mendakota as your top options, but between the two, which company has more affordable prices for car insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, American Family is quite a bit cheaper than Mendakota, with rates averaging $140 a month compared to $244 with Mendakota.

However, that doesn't mean American Family will necessarily be cheaper than Mendakota for each driver. Auto insurance companies use tons of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on how clean your driving record is or how good your credit score is (among quite a few other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

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

American Family vs. Mendakota: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

American Family and Mendakota only compete against each other in Nevada, where Mendakota offers the cheaper average prices. Mendakota drivers tend to pay about $36 per month less on average compared to drivers who use American Family for their insurance.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance cost than just where you live. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- typically pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. The reason is that teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. As you can see above, teens who use American Family save almost 30% a month compared to those who use Mendakota. It's worth noting that American Family offers car insurance in 16 different states compared to Mendakota's one, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, with both carriers, you'll see your premiums decrease significantly by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for American Family policyholders reduce over 60% and Mendakota's prices drop more than 45% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the most affordable auto 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 prices for car insurance.

When looking at American Family and Mendakota specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? American Family gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $80 less expensive than the national average for Mendakota.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive insurance premiums than married couples. This usually boils down to married drivers having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something quite a few auto insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For single policyholders, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with American Family premiums coming in at a third less than Mendakota's. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - American Family has the edge when it comes to average rates.

American Family or Mendakota: Average Rates by Gender

Women tend to pay less for insurance than men. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and get tickets, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher premiums.

On average, men see prices around 3% per month higher with American Family, and about 7% more with Mendakota.

Looking at overall affordability, American Family offers the cheapest average rates for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $110 a month and women save around $97 with American Family compared to the average Mendakota policyholder.

American Family vs. Mendakota: 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 lots of different coverages that account for several different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

That being said, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, American Family has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $96. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, American Family again has the edge, with policies averaging about $185 per month to Mendakota's $316.

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

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance companies offering great prices 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 collisions lead to higher rates, but which company -- American Family or Mendakota -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use American Family for their car insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up around 20% after getting a speeding ticket. Mendakota policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 8%.

However, American Family has more affordable rates for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 47% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 39% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Mendakota climbing by around 19%. American Family has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay nearly 15% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, drivers who use American Family end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average premiums coming in at $138 compared to Mendakota Insurance Company's $273.

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 a collision. For example, American Family increases average prices by $40 a month -- that's more than a 25% increase.

American Family has the overall most affordable rates 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 one for Mendakota, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact American Family and Mendakota Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to calculate your monthly auto insurance prices. This isn't true for everyone (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it does affect a lot of drivers out there.

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.

Looking specifically at Mendakota and American Family, which one has the lowest rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, American Family will usually reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, American Family comes in just under 59.02 more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save about 51% with American Family compared to average premiums from Mendakota.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

American Family typically offers lower prices than Mendakota when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 42% per month less with American Family compared to Mendakota, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of about 18% monthly.

Is American Family or Mendakota 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 large impact on how much car insurance carriers will charge for coverage? That's because the fewer miles you put on your car each year, the less likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

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

American Family or Mendakota: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for auto insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a sizable impact as well. Generally, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers because of the number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

American Family tends to offer the lowest prices for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about $17 with American Family compared to Mendakota. People who live in suburban areas pay around $42 less with American Family compared to Mendakota. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, American Family Insurance's average premiums are about $252 less than Mendakota Insurance Company.

American Family vs. Mendakota Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new car 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 insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you qualify for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by American Family and Mendakota so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

American Family blows Mendakota away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 21 different discounts to Mendakota's five.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but American Family also offers discounts for advance quote, anti-theft, connect partner, and more.

On the other hand, Mendakota has a proprietary discount of their own -- a passive restraint discounts.

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

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors auto insurance carriers look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each company offers. But, at the end of the day, which insurance carrier is the best carrier for you and your specific needs?

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

• Your driving record contains an at-fault collision.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You want to save money while purchasing insurance for a teenager.

Mendakota might be best for you if...

• You like the personalized touch of a small, local company.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare American Family and Mendakota and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from several companies, not just American Family and Mendakota. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do 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.

American Family vs. Mendakota FAQs

Is American Family or Mendakota cheaper?

American Family is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $140 a month with American Family and $244 for Mendakota. That being said, that doesn't mean American Family will be the most affordable carrier for each driver, since there are many different variables that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance bill.

Who is better, American Family or Mendakota?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile.

Why do American Family and Mendakota offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use several different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Things like gender, where you park your car, your driving record, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both American Family and Mendakota calculate prices differently, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

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

The only way to find the 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't American Family or Mendakota at all, but another you hadn't even thought of!

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.