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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, American Select offers significantly less expensive prices than Esurance
• American Select offers more affordable rates for policyholders who drive fewer than 12,000 miles annually
• Esurance may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than American Select Insurance Company

American Select or Esurance: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering 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 it down to American Select or Esurance as your top options, but which carrier has cheaper premiums for car insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, American Select has average rates that are around 45% a month more affordable than those from Esurance.

But American Select may not be the most affordable or best option for each driver out there. Insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to determine rates, so depending on how clean your driving record is or where you live (among a bunch of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both American Select and Esurance by multiple different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

American Select vs. Esurance: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

American Select and Esurance only compete against each other in two states, with American Select offering less expensive prices to the average driver in all of them. Ohio has the most noticable difference, where American Select premiums are $94 cheaper than auto insurance prices at Esurance.

But there's more to calculating insurance premiums than just where you call home. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for auto insurance than any other group of drivers out there on the road. It's usually because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of 55% less per month by choosing American Select over Esurance.

That being said, both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time drivers turn 25. Esurance offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, American Select still has the cheapest prices at $165 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between American Select and Esurance? American Select gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $96 more affordable than the national average for Esurance.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with American Select rates coming in at about half of Esurance's. The advantage for married drivers with American Select is also obvious, where drivers save almost 35% a month.

American Select or Esurance: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into a collision or get pulled over for speeding, which means they'll typically end up paying more for auto insurance than women.

On average, men see prices around 1% per month higher with American Select, and about 7% more with Esurance.

When it comes to the cheapest premiums for each gender, American Select offers the most affordable average prices for both men and women, with average premiums 45% less for men and 41% cheaper for women.

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

Even so, the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which normally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, American Select has the significant edge, with average monthly rates 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 around $251 a month to Esurance's $396.

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

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance companies offering great premiums 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 collisions and speeding tickets lead to higher prices, but which carrier -- American Select or Esurance -- has the lowest rates for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use American Select for their auto insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Esurance policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 16%.

However, American Select is typically the less expensive option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket. With American Select Insurance Company, drivers with a clean record can save about $125 per month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save around $138 a month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

American Select drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their prices climb by over 25%, while those who have insurance through Esurance will see about a 35% increase.

At the end of the day, American Select offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $158 compared to Esurance's $364.

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 -- generally a lot more than an accident or ticket. On average, American Select will climb your premiums around 55% after a DUI, while Esurance's average rates increase by nearly 20%.

How does Credit Score Impact American Select and Esurance Rates?

Did you know many insurance carriers take into account your credit score when determining prices? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it does affect quite a few policyholders out there.

The reasoning auto insurance carriers use is that drivers with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so typically, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with more affordable premiums.

So, which company offers the best rates for policyholders 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 Select or Esurance 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 large impact on your monthly prices? Usually, the more milage you put on your car each year, the more you can expect to pay for insurance.

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 premiums for Esurance, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles yearly paying about $1 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles each year. Still, for drivers in both categories, American Select is the less expensive carrier.

American Select or Esurance: 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 big impact as well. Normally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the roads where they live.

American Select tends to offer the cheapest premiums for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 26% with American Select compared to Esurance. People who live in suburban areas pay about 48% less with American Select compared to Esurance. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, American Select Insurance Company's average rates are around 48% less than Esurance.

American Select vs. Esurance 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 with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be difficult to find all the ones you can take advantage of or to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts American Select and Esurance offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Looking at the total number of discounts, Esurance comes out ahead with 24 discounts to American Select's 20.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and multi-policy discounts. Esurance also offers discounts for DRL, education, good driving, and more.

On the other hand, American Select has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like account relationship discounts, companion auto discounts, company car discounts, and more.

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

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, is American Select or Esurance the best company for you and your specific profile and needs?

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

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles yearly.

Esurance might be best for you if...

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- undefined is only available in.
• You care about discounts (Esurance offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between American Select and Esurance and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just American Select and Esurance. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

American Select vs. Esurance FAQs

Is American Select or Esurance cheaper?

American Select is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $170 per month with American Select and $299 for Esurance. Even so, that doesn't mean American Select will be the lowest carrier for every driver, since there are many different factors that are considered when it comes to your car insurance payment.

Who is better, American Select or Esurance?

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

Why do American Select and Esurance offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use lots of different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Things such as gender, where you call home, age, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both American Select and Esurance calculate premiums differently, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several 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 area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't American Select or Esurance 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.