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

Quick Facts

• In general, American National offers significantly more affordable premiums than Shelter
• American National tends to be a much less expensive option for drivers with a DUI
• American National offers cheaper average rates for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods

American National or Shelter: 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 big savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to American National or Shelter as potential options, but which one will save you the most?

As you can see, American National has average rates that are around 60% a month more affordable than those from Shelter when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean American National will be the cheaper option for every driver. Car insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like where you live, how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, and a ton of other factors, so prices could vary drastically from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both American National and Shelter by a range of different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

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

American National and Shelter only compete against each other in one states, with American National offering less expensive prices to the average driver in all of them. Nebraska has the most noticable difference, where American National rates are $113 more affordable than insurance premiums at Shelter.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance payment than just your home state. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for car insurance than any other group of drivers out there on the road. That's normally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance rates. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 55% less per month by choosing American National over Shelter.

Even so, both companies will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time you turn 25. Shelter offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than half 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 generally enjoy some of the most affordable insurance prices you'll ever find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically decreases their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise rates.

When looking at American National and Shelter specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? American National gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $75 less expensive than the national average for Shelter.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance rates tend to be more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married drivers. That's generally because married couples tend to own and insure several vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For those who are single, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with American National rates coming in at about half of Shelter's. The advantage for married policyholders with American National is also obvious, where drivers save around $95 a month.

American National or Shelter: Average Rates by Gender

Men tend to pay more for insurance than women. That's because men are more likely to get speeding tickets and get into collisions, which raises the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

Men typically pay about 1% more per month than women with American National, and over 10% with Shelter.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, American National comes out on top for both men and women, with average premiums 60% less for men and 56% cheaper for women.

American National vs. Shelter: 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.

For most people, car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different coverages and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, 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 Shelter's $288.

Is American National or Shelter 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.

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and accidents lead to higher premiums, but which carrier -- American National or Shelter -- has the lowest prices for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use American National for their insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 20% after getting a speeding ticket. Shelter policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 22%.

But American National tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket, offering rates that are 53% and 54% cheaper, respectively, compared to Shelter Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will increase prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Shelter climbing by about 39%. American National has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay nearly 30% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, the more affordable premiums come from American National, with average rates coming in at $95 compared to Shelter Insurance's $234.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or speeding ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. On average, Shelter will increase your prices around 49% after a DUI, while American National's average premiums rise by more than 35%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, American National tends to be cheaper for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $104 to Shelter's $277.

How does Credit Score Impact American National and Shelter Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can come into play when carriers determine your monthly bill. Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as an auto insurance factor, but it does affect many drivers out there.

Insurance carriers 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.

Looking at American National and Shelter specifically, which carrier has the best premiums for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

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

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in how much car insurance companies 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.

American National tends to be the less expensive option for both remote workers and those taking short commutes. Shelter average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in around $120 more expensive than American National. Those who drive 12,000 miles each year can expect to pay about $122 more with Shelter over American National.

American National or Shelter: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a large role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Usually, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas because of the small 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 lowest option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, American National's average rates are around $104 per month compared to Shelter's $235. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly premium of about $85 with American National compared to $187 with Shelter. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $73 monthly with American National compared to Shelter's $203.

American National vs. Shelter 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 car insurance discounts as possible.

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be difficult to find all the ones you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by American National and Shelter so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Overall, American National comes out ahead with 14 discounts to Shelter's 10.

Both companies offer several of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good student, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company -- but American National also offers discounts for claim free, COVID-19 relief, distant student, and more.

On the other hand, Shelter has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advance quote discounts, good driving discounts, and paid in full discounts.

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

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is American National or Shelter the right company for you and your specific driver profile?

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

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• Your credit score is high.
• You have a short drive to work everyday.

Shelter might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between American National and Shelter 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 multiple companies, not just American National and Shelter. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. 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 National vs. Shelter FAQs

Is American National or Shelter cheaper?

American National is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $87 a month with American National and $208 for Shelter. Even so, that doesn't mean American National will be the most affordable company for every policyholder, since there are lots of different factors that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance bill.

Who is better, American National or Shelter?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do American National and Shelter offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use several different variables when determining the rates they charge. Things such as your driving record, age, where you call home, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both American National and Shelter use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different companies.

How do I know if American National or Shelter is right for me?

The only way to find the 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 does all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't American National or Shelter 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.