American National vs. Auto-owners: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, American National offers significantly less expensive premiums than Auto-owners
• American National offers cheaper average prices for policyholders who live in urban areas
• Auto-owners may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than American National Insurance Company

American National or Auto-owners: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You've maybe even narrowed it down to American National or Auto-owners, but between the two, which company will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Auto-owners is quite a bit more expensive than American National, with rates averaging $179 a month compared to just $87 with American National.

But that doesn't necessarily mean American National will be the more affordable option for every single driver. Car insurance companies vary their prices depending on things like how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, where you live, how old you are, and a ton of other factors, so premiums will change quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of American National or Auto-owners is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each company broken down by several different rate factors.

American National vs. Auto-owners: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

American National and Auto-owners compete against each other in six states, with American National offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. South Carolina has the most noticable difference, where American National prices are $121 more affordable than auto insurance rates at Auto-owners.

But there's more to calculating insurance prices than just where you live. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for car insurance than any other group of drivers out there on the road. The reason is that teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance premiums. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have American National for their auto insurance pay almost 50% less than those who use Auto-owners.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices once you turn 25. Auto-owners offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, American National still has the cheapest premiums at $74 a month.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age normally enjoy some of the lowest insurance rates you'll ever find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically lowers their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise prices.

So, which carrier offers the best rates to retired drivers? American National gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at around $66 per month compared to Auto-owners's $133.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married drivers tend to get slightly less expensive auto insurance prices than single drivers. This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something several car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For those who are single, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with American National premiums coming in at about half of Auto-owners's. The advantage for married couples with American National is also obvious, where drivers save around $75 per month.

American National or Auto-owners: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get into collisions and get tickets, they have a lower chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, women usually pay less for insurance than men.

With American National, men normally pay about $1 a month more than women, but with Auto-owners, the difference is closer to $11 per month.

When it comes to the most affordable rates for each gender, American National comes out as the cheapest option for both genders, with average premiums $97 less for men and $87 cheaper for women.

American National vs. Auto-owners: 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 a variety of 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.

However, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, American National has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $52. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, American National again has the edge, with policies averaging around $123 a month to Auto-owners's $260.

Is American National or Auto-owners Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their auto insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

Speeding tickets and accidents will most likely raise your premiums, but is American National or Auto-owners more affordable for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use American National for their insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up about 20% after getting a speeding ticket. Auto-owners policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 27%.

Even so, American National has cheaper rates for drivers in both categories, offering prices that are 45% and 49% less expensive, respectively, compared to Auto-Owners Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through American National can expect to see about an $28 -- or around 29% -- rise in their auto insurance rates. Drivers who use Auto-owners for their car insurance will see a monthly bill about $47 (or 28%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their auto insurance company.

At the end of the day, American National offers the most affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $95 compared to Auto-Owners Insurance's $168.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly insurance bill -- usually a lot more than an accident or ticket. Auto-owners drivers usually see a 54% increase in their auto insurance rates after a DUI charge, while American National will typically raise premiums by around 36%.

How does Credit Score Impact American National and Auto-owners Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as an auto insurance factor, but it will come into play for quite a few drivers.

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

So, which carrier offers the lowest prices 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?

Is American National or Auto-owners 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 sizable impact on your monthly insurance bill? Generally, the more milage you drive, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, American National offers cheaper rates than Auto-owners. Auto-owners average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about $96 more expensive than American National. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay around $88 more with Auto-owners over American National.

American National or Auto-owners: 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 car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a large impact as well. Usually, those who live in urban areas will pay more than drivers in rural areas because of the number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, American National normally comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

In urban areas, American National's average premiums are about $104 per month compared to Auto-owners's $205. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $85 with American National compared to Auto-owners's $169 monthly. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay about $73 per month with American National compared to Auto-owners's $164.

American National vs. Auto-owners Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be hard to find all the ones you're eligible for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts American National and Auto-owners offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Auto-owners knocks American National out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 24 different discounts to American National's 24.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Auto-owners also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, company car, and more.

On the other hand, American National has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like claim free discounts, excess vehicle discounts, mature driver discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is American National or Auto-owners Best for You?

You've seen the role certain factors have on your auto insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which company is the best carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

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

• You will be the only person on the car insurance policy.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You want to save money while purchasing auto insurance for a teenager.

Auto-owners might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance carrier.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare American National and Auto-owners 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 insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just American National and Auto-owners. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

American National vs. Auto-owners FAQs

Is American National or Auto-owners cheaper?

American National is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $87 a month with American National and $179 for Auto-owners. However, that doesn't mean American National will be the lowest company for everyone, since there are multiple different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, American National or Auto-owners?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". Neither carrier is "better" for each policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do American National and Auto-owners offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use many different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Variables such as gender, your driving record, age, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both American National and Auto-owners use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different companies.

How do I know if American National or Auto-owners is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information 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 best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't American National or Auto-owners 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.