American National vs. Nationwide: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, American National offers significantly more affordable rates than Nationwide
• American National offers less expensive average prices for policyholders whose driving record contains an at-fault collision
• Nationwide may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than American National Insurance Company

American National or Nationwide: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering sizable savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might be considering American National or Nationwide, but between the two, which one has cheaper premiums for car insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, American National is quite a bit cheaper than Nationwide, with rates averaging $87 a month compared to $170 with Nationwide.

However, that doesn't mean American National will necessarily be less expensive than Nationwide for each driver. Insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like where you live, how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, and tons of other factors, so rates will change quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of American National or Nationwide is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each carrier broken down by a bunch of different rate factors.

American National vs. Nationwide: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

American National and Nationwide compete against each other in six states, with American National offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. Idaho has the most noticable difference, where American National rates are $65 more affordable than auto insurance prices at Nationwide.

But there's more to calculating car insurance premiums than just the state you live in. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance prices of any other group of drivers. Normally, that's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use American National save almost 50% per month compared to those who use Nationwide.

But both companies will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for American National policyholders lower around $100 and Nationwide's premiums drop about $250 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to auto insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest prices you can find.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between American National and Nationwide? American National gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at around $66 monthly compared to Nationwide's $125.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance prices are typically cheaper for married drivers than they are for single drivers? That's because policies for married couples usually cover several vehicles, which lots of carriers will give you a discount for.

For those who are single, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with American National prices coming in at about half of Nationwide's. The advantage for married policyholders with American National is also obvious, where drivers save around $65 a month.

American National or Nationwide: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim. That means when it comes to insurance men will generally end up paying a little more.

On average, men see rates about 1% per month higher with American National, and around 7% with Nationwide.

When it comes to the most affordable prices for each gender, American National comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $88 a month and women save about $77 with American National compared to the average Nationwide policyholder.

American National vs. Nationwide: 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 auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different coverages and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

That being said, 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 a collision) and full coverage (which usually refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, American National has the significant edge, with average monthly rates 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 per month to Nationwide's $229.

Is American National or Nationwide Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

You'll probably end up paying more with at-fault accidents and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the lowest premiums to drivers with spotty 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. Nationwide policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 16%.

However, American National is typically the less expensive option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket. With American National Insurance Company, drivers with a clean record can save about $58 a month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save around $65 per month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will raise rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Nationwide increasing by about 30%. American National has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay nearly 30% more than you were prior to your first collision.

At the end of the day, the more affordable prices come from American National, with average premiums coming in at $95 compared to Nationwide's $178.

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 car insurance bill -- normally a lot more than an accident or ticket. For example, Nationwide increases average rates by more than $100 a month -- that's more than a 45% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact American National and Nationwide Rates?

Did you know many insurance carriers take your credit score into account when determining premiums? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it might come into play for a lot of drivers.

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

So, which company offers the best prices for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is American National or Nationwide Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on your monthly car insurance bill. Generally, the more milage you drive, the more you can expect to pay for insurance.

American National tends to be the cheaper option for both remote workers and those taking short commutes. American National's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in over 50% more affordable than Nationwide. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay more than 45% less with American National over Nationwide.

American National or Nationwide: 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 substantial impact as well. Typically, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

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

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, American National Insurance Company's average premiums are around 48% less than Nationwide. People who live in suburban areas pay about 47% less with American National compared to Nationwide. Those in rural areas can expect to save around 52% with American National compared to Nationwide.

American National vs. Nationwide 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. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem hard to find all the of the ones you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts American National and Nationwide offer their customers so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Nationwide blows American National away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering eight more discounts than American National.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like distant student discounts, discounts for getting driver training, and multi-policy discounts. Nationwide also offers discounts for advance quote, agency transfer, EFT, and more.

On the other hand, American National has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like claim free discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, excess vehicle discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is American National or Nationwide Best for You?

You've seen the role certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which company is the best carrier for you and your specific needs?

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

• You have an at-fault accident on your record.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You and your spouse are buying auto insurance together.

Nationwide 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 helps you get a better idea of the difference between American National and Nationwide. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to 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 National and Nationwide. 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 carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

American National vs. Nationwide FAQs

Is American National or Nationwide cheaper?

American National is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $87 per month with American National and $170 for Nationwide. That being said, that doesn't mean American National will be the cheapest company for everyone, since there are several different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, American National or Nationwide?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". Neither carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do American National and Nationwide offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use several different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Factors like age, where you live, gender, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both American National and Nationwide calculate rates using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different companies.

How do I know if American National or Nationwide 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, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. With those, 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 Nationwide 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.