American Select vs. Cumberland Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, American Select offers less expensive rates than Cumberland Mutual
• American Select has cheaper premiums for single people who will be the only person on the auto insurance policy
• Cumberland Mutual offers more affordable average prices for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods

American Select or Cumberland Mutual: 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 might have narrowed it down to American Select or Cumberland Mutual as your top options, but which company has less expensive rates for car insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Cumberland Mutual has average rates that are around 12% a month more expensive than those from American Select.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean American Select will be the more affordable option for every single driver. Insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to determine premiums, so depending on how clean your driving record is or how good your credit score is (among a whole bunch of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

Wanting to know if American Select or Cumberland Mutual 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 Select vs. Cumberland Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

American Select and Cumberland Mutual only compete against each other in one states, with Cumberland Mutual offering cheaper rates to the average driver in all of them. Pennsylvania has the most noticable difference, where Cumberland Mutual premiums are $41 more affordable than car insurance prices at American Select.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance rates than just the state you live in. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for insurance than any group on the road. The reason is that teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 30% less per month by choosing American Select over Cumberland Mutual.

But both companies will decrease prices by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for American Select policyholders lower over 45% and Cumberland Mutual's rates drop more than 55% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

When looking at American Select and Cumberland Mutual specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Cumberland Mutual gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $15 less expensive than the national average for American Select.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance premiums are normally cheaper for married policyholders than they are for single policyholders? This usually boils down to married drivers having multiple vehicles on their policy -- something quite a few auto insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For those who are single, the difference in average rates between these two companies is significant, with American Select prices coming in at about 15% less than Cumberland Mutual's. It's not quite so glaring for married couples, where drivers who use American Select save around 2% a month.

American Select or Cumberland Mutual: 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 a collision or get pulled over for speeding, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

With American Select, men typically pay about $1 per month more than women, and around $9 more with Cumberland Mutual.

Looking at overall affordability, American Select offers the most affordable average premiums for both men and women, with average prices 13% less for men and 10% cheaper for women.

American Select vs. Cumberland Mutual: 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. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different limits and coverages 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 (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which generally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, American Select has the edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $90. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, American Select again has the edge, with policies averaging about $251 a month to Cumberland Mutual's $280.

Is American Select or Cumberland Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their 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 accidents and speeding tickets lead to higher prices, but which company -- American Select or Cumberland Mutual -- has the cheapest rates for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use American Select for their car insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up around 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Cumberland Mutual policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 10%.

However, American Select tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket. With American Select Insurance Company, drivers with a clean record can save around $52 per month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $38 a month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

American Select drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums climb by over 25%, while those who have insurance through Cumberland Mutual will see around a 10% increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use American Select end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average prices coming in at $158 compared to Cumberland Mutual's $183.

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 ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. American Select drivers usually see a 55% raise in their car insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Cumberland Mutual will normally increase premiums by about 27%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, Cumberland Mutual tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $233 to American Select's $258.

How does Credit Score Impact American Select and Cumberland Mutual Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance carriers take into account your credit score when determining rates? This isn't true for everyone (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a car insurance factor) but it will come into play for many policyholders.

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.

So, which carrier offers the lowest prices for drivers with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, American Select will generally reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, American Select comes in more than 27.21 more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save about 15% with American Select compared to average rates from Cumberland Mutual.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

American Select typically offers lower premiums than Cumberland Mutual when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 7% per month less with American Select compared to Cumberland Mutual, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of about 5% monthly.

Is American Select or Cumberland Mutual 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 considerable impact on how much car insurance carriers will charge for coverage? Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper prices since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much American Select charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Cumberland Mutual, with policyholders who drive the least paying around $1 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, American Select is the more affordable company.

American Select or Cumberland Mutual: 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. Generally, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders due to the small number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

Cumberland Mutual typically comes out as the less expensive option for drivers in rural and suburban areas, while American Select wins in urban areas.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, American Select's average premiums are about $205 a month compared to Cumberland Mutual's $330. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $132 with Cumberland Mutual compared to American Select's $150 per month. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay about $116 a month with Cumberland Mutual and $156 with American Select.

American Select vs. Cumberland Mutual 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.

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you can take advantage of, since it can feel sometimes like every carrier has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both American Select and Cumberland Mutual so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

Looking at the total number of discounts, American Select comes out ahead with 20 discounts to Cumberland Mutual's 15.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but American Select also offers discounts for account relationship, advance quote, agency transfer, and more.

On the other hand, Cumberland Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like employee discounts, good driving discounts, new business discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is American Select or Cumberland Mutual Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your auto insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is American Select or Cumberland Mutual the best one for you and your specific profile and needs?

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

• You will be the only person on the car insurance policy.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You drive fewer than 12,000 miles every year.

Cumberland Mutual might be best for you if...

• Your home is located in the suburbs.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower prices.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare American Select and Cumberland Mutual and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your auto 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of companies, not just American Select and Cumberland Mutual. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

American Select vs. Cumberland Mutual FAQs

Is American Select or Cumberland Mutual cheaper?

American Select is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $170 per month with American Select and $193 for Cumberland Mutual. That being said, that doesn't mean American Select will be the most affordable company for each policyholder, since there are a variety of different factors (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, American Select or Cumberland Mutual?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile. For example, Cumberland Mutual is more affordable for drivers who have already retired, while American Select offers cheaper rates for single drivers.

Why do American Select and Cumberland Mutual offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use a lot of different variables when calculating the premiums they charge. Things such as age, gender, where you park your vehicle, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both American Select and Cumberland Mutual 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 Select or Cumberland Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the car 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, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information 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 best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't American Select or Cumberland Mutual 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.