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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, American Select offers significantly cheaper rates than Penn National
• American Select tends to be a much less expensive option for drivers who have a speeding ticket on their driving record
• American Select has more affordable prices for policyholders who have a short commute

American Select or Penn National: 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 huge savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to American Select or Penn National as your top options, but which carrier will offer you cheaper rates?

As you can see, American Select is around $48 a month less expensive than Penn National when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

But that doesn't necessarily mean American Select will be the more affordable option for each driver. Auto insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like how old you are, how clean your driving record is, where you live, how good your credit score is, and all sorts of other factors, so prices will vary quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of American Select or Penn National is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each carrier broken down by a variety of different rate factors.

American Select vs. Penn National: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

American Select and Penn National only compete against each other in one states, with American Select offering cheaper rates to the average driver in all of them. Tennessee has the most noticable difference, where American Select prices are $1 more affordable than car insurance rates at Penn National.

But there's more to calculating insurance prices than just where you call home. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance premiums of any other group of drivers. The reason is that teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in a car 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. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have American Select for their insurance pay over 35% less than those who use Penn National.

However, with both companies, you'll see your prices lower significantly once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for American Select policyholders reduce more than 45% and Penn National's rates decrease almost 60% 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 you'll ever see.

When looking at American Select and Penn National specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? American Select gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at about $136 a month compared to Penn National's $163.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance rates are normally less expensive for married drivers than they are for single drivers? That's because policies for married policyholders generally cover several vehicles, which lots of carriers will give you a discount for.

For single policyholders, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with American Select premiums coming in at a quarter less than Penn National's. The advantage for married couples with American Select is also obvious, where drivers save around $30 per month.

American Select or Penn National: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get tickets and get into collisions, they run a lower risk of filing a claim with insurance. So, women tend to get cheaper rates than men.

Normally, women see prices about 1% a month less with American Select, and around 2% less with Penn National.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, American Select offers the most affordable average rates for both men and women. On average, women save about $45 per month and men save about $49 with American Select compared to the average Penn National policyholder.

American Select vs. Penn National: 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, insurance can be pretty complicated. There are a range of different coverages that account for several different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

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

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, American Select has the significant 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 around $251 a month to Penn National's $292.

Is American Select or Penn National Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their auto insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

You'll probably end up paying more with at-fault collisions and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the cheapest rates to drivers with spotty 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 about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Penn National policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 22%.

Even so, American Select tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket -- their rates are around 16% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 17% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

American Select drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their prices increase by over $40, while those who have insurance through Penn National will see about a $65 increase.

At the end of the day, the more affordable premiums come from American Select, with average rates coming in at $158 compared to Penn National Insurance'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 speeding ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. Penn National drivers usually see a 60% increase in their car insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while American Select will typically raise prices by around 55%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, American Select tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $258 to Penn National's $346.

How does Credit Score Impact American Select and Penn National Rates?

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

The reasoning auto insurance companies use is that drivers with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper prices, while those with poor credit will generally be forced to pay more.

Looking specifically at American Select and Penn National, which company has the lowest premiums for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, American Select will normally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, American Select comes in nearly 33.54 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save around 27% with American Select compared to average rates from Penn National.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

American Select typically offers lower prices than Penn National when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 19% per month less with American Select compared to Penn National, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of around 15% per month.

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

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on how much car insurance carriers will charge for coverage. That's because the more milage you put on your car each year, the more likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

In this case, neither American Select or Penn National report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, American Select comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle every year, with average premiums of $170 a month for both.

American Select or Penn National: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can have a substantial impact on your monthly insurance bill. Typically, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, American Select usually comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about 5% with American Select compared to Penn National. People who live in suburban areas pay around 29% less with American Select compared to Penn National. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, American Select Insurance Company's average premiums are about 25% less than Penn National Insurance.

American Select vs. Penn National 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.

The hard part is finding all of the discounts you qualify for, 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 looked at all of the different discounts American Select and Penn National offer their customers so that you can see which one can save you the most money each month.

Overall, American Select has the advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. Penn National offers a grand total of 16 discounts, while American Select has 20.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but American Select also offers discounts for account relationship, agency transfer, companion auto, and more.

On the other hand, Penn National has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like added pip option discounts, DRL discounts, mature driver discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is American Select or Penn National Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your insurance rates. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which carrier is the best company for you and your specific needs?

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

• You have a clean driving record, free of accidents, tickets, or DUIs.
• You're looking for the best prices on liability only coverage.
• You want to save money while purchasing car insurance for a teenager.

Penn National might be best for you if...

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

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between American Select and Penn National and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your 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 Penn National. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

American Select vs. Penn National FAQs

Is American Select or Penn National cheaper?

American Select is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $170 per month with American Select and $218 for Penn National. But that doesn't mean American Select will be the most affordable company for each driver, since there are a bunch of different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, American Select or Penn National?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". Neither carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do American Select and Penn National offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use many different factors when calculating the prices they charge. Variables such as age, gender, your driving record, where you park your car, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both American Select and Penn National calculate premiums differently, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different companies.

How do I know if American Select or Penn National 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 make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable premium. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't American Select or Penn National 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.