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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Erie offers less expensive premiums than American Select
• American Select has more affordable rates for policyholders who don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault accidents on their record
• Erie offers more affordable premiums for drivers who have received a ticket within the last few years

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

Are you considering a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to American Select or Erie as potential options, but which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Erie is about $17 per month cheaper than American Select.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean Erie will be the more affordable option for every single driver. Auto insurance carriers use all sorts of complex algorithms to calculate rates, so depending on how old you are or where you live (among a whole range of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

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

American Select or Erie: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

American Select and Erie only compete against each other in three states, with Erie offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. Ohio has the most noticable difference, where Erie rates are over 30% less expensive than insurance premiums at American Select.

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

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- normally pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. That's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance rates. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of $4 less a month by choosing American Select over Erie.

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

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age typically enjoy some of the most affordable insurance rates you can find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally decreases their chances of collisions and other infractions that can increase premiums.

When looking at American Select and Erie specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Erie gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $20 more affordable than the national average for American Select.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

When it comes to relationship status, the two carriers are comparable for those who are single, with prices only differing around $15 per month, on average. The advantage for married drivers is more obvious, where drivers who use Erie save over 15% a month.

American Select vs. Erie: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but insurance is typically cheaper for women than it is for men. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher premiums.

With American Select, men generally pay about $1 per month more than women, and around $11 more with Erie.

Looking at overall affordability, Erie comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average rates 8% less for men and 14% cheaper for women.

American Select or Erie: 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 can be pretty complicated. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different coverages and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which usually refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages alongside what you get with a liability policy).

In this case, American Select offers the cheapest average premiums for state minimum liability insurance, while Erie has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $1 with American Select Insurance Company, while full coverage comes out to be about $35 cheaper with Erie Insurance.

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

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance companies offering great prices for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

It's no secret secret that at-fault accidents and tickets lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- American Select or Erie -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

American Select policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $32 a month if they get a ticket, while Erie normally raises rates around $18 per month, on average.

If you have a clean record, American Select tends to offer the best prices at about 2% more affordable, while Erie has the edge for drivers with a speeding ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

American Select policyholders who get in a collision can expect to see their rates rise by over $40, while those who have insurance through Erie will see around a $40 increase.

Overall, drivers who use Erie end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly premiums averaging $157 compared to American Select Insurance Company's $158.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. On average, American Select will climb your prices about 55% after a DUI, while Erie's average rates climb by just under 40%.

How does Credit Score Impact American Select and Erie Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly insurance premiums. This isn't always the case (for example, Massachusetts and Hawaii are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for several drivers.

Auto insurance carriers argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time each month, which increases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

Looking at American Select and Erie specifically, which one has the cheapest prices 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 Select or Erie 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. Generally, those who drive less will end up with cheaper premiums 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 Erie, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles every year paying around $11 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, Erie is the less expensive option for drivers in both categories.

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

Where you live can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Normally, 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 in those areas.

Erie boasts the lowest average prices for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

In urban areas, Erie Insurance's average premiums are about 5% less than American Select Insurance Company. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around 3% less with Erie compared to American Select. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about 26% with Erie compared to American Select.

American Select vs. Erie Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible. That's where car insurance discounts comes into play.

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

In the section below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by American Select and Erie so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Overall, Erie comes out ahead with 21 discounts to American Select's 20.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like ABS discounts, anti-theft discounts, distant student discounts, and paid in full discounts. Erie also offers COVID-19 relief discount, DRL discounts, farm 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 Erie Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors auto insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. But, at the end of the day, is American Select or Erie the right fit for you?

Erie might be best for you if....

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" insurance.
• You have a short commute.

American Select might be best for you if...

• You have a clean record.
• You want basic car insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You're buying insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between American Select and Erie and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire 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 Select and Erie. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just 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 Select vs. Erie FAQs

Is American Select or Erie cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Erie is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $153 a month compared to $170 for American Select. However, Erie won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for every driver, since there are many different variables that come into play when it comes to your car insurance payment.

Who is better, American Select or Erie?

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

Why do American Select and Erie offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers take a look at a lot of different factors when calculating the premiums they charge policyholders. Things like gender, where you call home, your driving record, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both American Select and Erie calculate rates using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

How do I know if American Select or Erie 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 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 area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be American Select or Erie 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.