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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, American Select offers significantly cheaper premiums than Encompass
• American Select offers less expensive average rates for policyholders who may not have much of a commute
• Encompass offers more discounts than American Select Insurance Company

American Select vs. Encompass: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed your search down to American Select or Encompass as your top options, but which company will save you the most?

As you can see, American Select has average rates that are about 65% per month more affordable than those from Encompass when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

However, that doesn't mean American Select will necessarily be cheaper than Encompass for each driver. Insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like where you live, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, and a ton of other factors, so rates will change quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of American Select or Encompass is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each company broken down by several different rate factors.

American Select or Encompass: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

American Select and Encompass compete against each other in six states, with American Select offering less expensive premiums to the average driver in all of them. Kentucky has the most noticable difference, where American Select rates are over 70% more affordable than auto insurance prices at Encompass.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance bill than just where you call home. Continue reading to learn more about how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance rates of any group on the road. Typically, that's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have American Select for their auto insurance pay more than $500 less than those who use Encompass.

But both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for American Select policyholders reduce nearly $150 and Encompass's rates lower over $500 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to car insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest premiums out there.

So, which carrier offers the best rates to retired drivers? American Select gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $199 cheaper than the national average for Encompass.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance prices tend to be more affordable for married drivers than they are for single drivers. This usually boils down to married couples having several cars on their policy -- something several insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, American Select is the clear winner for single policyholders, with rates around $381 a month less expensive than Encompass, on average. The advantage for married policyholders with American Select is also obvious, where drivers save about $200 per month.

American Select vs. Encompass: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but men usually pay more for car insurance than women do. This is because women are less likely to get into collisions and get tickets, which lowers the chances of an insurance claim.

On average, women see premiums around 1% a month less with American Select, and about 5% less with Encompass when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, American Select comes out as the most affordable option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $306 per month and women save around $284 with American Select compared to the average Encompass policyholder.

American Select or Encompass: 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 pretty complicated. There are a range of different coverages that account for a variety of different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

That being said, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which normally refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to liability).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, American Select generally offers significantly cheaper prices of $90 compared to Encompass's $302. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, American Select again has the edge, with policies about $400 a month less expensive than Encompass, on average.

Is American Select or Encompass Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

You'll probably end up paying more with at-fault accidents and tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the lowest premiums to drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

American Select policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $32 per month if they get a ticket, while Encompass typically raises prices around $61 a month, on average.

Even so, American Select tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent speeding ticket and those with clean records, offering rates that are 48% and 48% more affordable, respectively, compared to Encompass Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through American Select can expect to see about an $41 -- or around 26% -- increase in their car insurance prices. Drivers who use Encompass for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $101 (or 31%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their car insurance carrier.

Overall, drivers who use American Select end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly premiums averaging $158 compared to Encompass Insurance's $328.

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. Encompass drivers usually see a 78% raise in their insurance rates after a DUI charge, while American Select will normally increase prices by around 55%.

How does Credit Score Impact American Select and Encompass Rates?

Often times, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to calculate your monthly auto insurance premiums. This isn't always the case (for example, Michigan and Massachusetts are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for many drivers.

The reasoning car insurance companies use is that policyholders with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so generally, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with less expensive rates.

Looking at American Select and Encompass specifically, which one has the best premiums for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is American Select or Encompass Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on your monthly insurance payment. Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with more affordable prices since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing 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 Encompass, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle annually paying about $2 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, American Select is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

American Select vs. Encompass: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a large role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Generally, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas due to the number of cars that are on the roads in those areas.

American Select boasts the most affordable average prices for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

In urban areas, American Select's average premiums are around $205 while Encompass offers rates about $560. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly price of around $150 with American Select compared to $434 with Encompass. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay about $156 a month with American Select and $404 with Encompass.

American Select vs. Encompass Discounts

Regardless of 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 possible. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be hard to find all the ones you're eligible for or to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both American Select and Encompass so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Encompass blows American Select away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 26 different discounts to American Select's 20.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Encompass also offers DRL discounts, EFT discounts, employee discounts, and more that American Select does not.

On the flip side, American Select has a couple unique discounts of its own -- account relationship discounts, agency transfer discounts, companion auto discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is American Select or Encompass Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, when it comes down to it, which company is the right company for you and your specific profile and needs?

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

• Your credit is below-average.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your car insurance.

Encompass might be best for you if...

• You already have plans to move to another state -- undefined only offers policies in.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between American Select and Encompass and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your 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 carriers, not just American Select and Encompass. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

American Select vs. Encompass FAQs

Is American Select or Encompass cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, American Select is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $170 per month compared to $466 for Encompass. However, American Select won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for every policyholder, since there are multiple different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, American Select or Encompass?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do American Select and Encompass offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at lots of different factors when calculating the rates they charge drivers. Things such as where you call home, gender, age, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both American Select and Encompass use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

How do I know if American Select or Encompass is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of companies 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 free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest premium. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be American Select or Encompass at all!

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.