American Select vs. Motorists: 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 Motorists
• American Select offers more affordable average premiums for drivers who have a speeding ticket on their driving record
• American Select offers more affordable prices for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse

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

So, you're thinking about switching to 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 be considering American Select or Motorists, but between the two, which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, Motorists is quite a bit more expensive than American Select, with rates averaging $251 a month compared to just $170 with American Select.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean American Select will be the cheaper option for each driver. After all, auto insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your driving record, your credit score, or even your age (among other things). So, at the end of the day, premiums from each company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if American Select or Motorists is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

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

American Select and Motorists compete against each other in four states, with American Select offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all of them. Pennsylvania has the most noticable difference, where American Select prices are $242 cheaper than car insurance premiums at Motorists.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance payment than just where you live. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. 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.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use American Select save over 25% per month compared to those who use Motorists.

But with both companies, you'll see your prices decrease significantly by the time you turn 25. Motorists offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, American Select still has the lowest rates at $165 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll generally enjoy the cheapest insurance premiums you'll ever find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for auto insurance.

When looking at American Select and Motorists specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? American Select gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $83 less expensive than the national average for Motorists.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married policyholders tend to get slightly more affordable insurance rates than single policyholders. That's because policies for married couples normally cover more than one vehicle, which many carriers will give you a discount for.

For those who are single, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with American Select prices coming in at a third less than Motorists's. The advantage for married drivers with American Select is also obvious, where drivers save around $75 a month.

American Select or Motorists: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get speeding tickets and get into collisions, they are less likely to file a claim with insurance. So, insurance carriers will tend to charge women less than men.

With American Select, men typically pay about $1 per month more than women, and around $12 more with Motorists.

Looking at overall affordability, American Select comes out as the most affordable option for both genders. On average, women save about $75 a month and men save about $86 with American Select compared to the average Motorists policyholder.

American Select vs. Motorists: 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.

Car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different terms and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

However, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for 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 per month to Motorists's $379.

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

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto 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.

Collisions and speeding tickets will most likely raise your rates, but is American Select or Motorists cheaper for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

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

But American Select tends to offer the best prices 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 $52 a month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save around $38 per month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with American Select raising by about 26%. Motorists has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay nearly 20% more than you were prior to your first accident.

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 Motorists Insurance Group's $206.

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 car insurance bill. On average, Motorists will increase your rates around 62% after a DUI, while American Select's average premiums climb by just under 55%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, American Select tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $258 to Motorists's $442.

How does Credit Score Impact American Select and Motorists Rates?

Did you know many insurance companies take your credit score into account when determining premiums? This isn't true for everyone (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an auto insurance factor) but it does affect a lot of drivers out there.

The reasoning auto insurance carriers 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 more affordable rates.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, American Select will usually reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, American Select comes in nearly 32.7 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save around 28% with American Select compared to average rates from Motorists.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

American Select typically offers lower prices than Motorists when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 27% a month less with American Select compared to Motorists, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around 36% a month.

Is American Select or Motorists 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 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.

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 Motorists, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles yearly paying about $10 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, American Select is the less expensive carrier.

American Select or Motorists: 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 insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a large impact as well. Usually, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the road where they live, which decreases the chances of an accident.

American Select boasts the cheapest average 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 38% with American Select compared to Motorists. People who live in suburban areas pay about 30% less with American Select compared to Motorists. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, American Select Insurance Company's average rates are around 28% less than Motorists Insurance Group.

American Select vs. Motorists 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 where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be challenging to find all the ones you qualify for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by American Select and Motorists so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

American Select knocks Motorists out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 20 different discounts to Motorists's 14.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like advance quote discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and multi-policy discounts. American Select also offers discounts for account relationship, agency transfer, companion auto, and more.

On the other hand, Motorists has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like empty nester discounts, homeowner discounts, hybrid vehicle discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is American Select or Motorists 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. But, at the end of the day, is American Select or Motorists the best company for you and your specific driver profile?

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

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower premiums.

Motorists might be best for you if...

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

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare American Select and Motorists and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to 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 car insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple companies, not just American Select and Motorists. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

American Select vs. Motorists FAQs

Is American Select or Motorists cheaper?

American Select is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $170 per month with American Select and $251 for Motorists. Even so, that doesn't mean American Select will be the most affordable carrier for each policyholder, since there are a range of different factors that come into play when it comes to your insurance bill.

Who is better, American Select or Motorists?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". Neither company is necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do American Select and Motorists offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use several different variables when calculating the rates they charge. Factors like where you call home, where you park your car, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both American Select and Motorists calculate premiums using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different companies.

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

The only way to find the car 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, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code 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 carrier for you isn't American Select or Motorists 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.