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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, American Select offers slightly more affordable rates than Progressive
• American Select offers more affordable prices for drivers who have received a ticket within the last few years
• Progressive tends to be a much cheaper option for couples purchasing car insurance together

American Select vs. Progressive: 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 big 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 Progressive for your next policy, but between the two, which carrier has more affordable rates for auto insurance?

As you can see, American Select is about $10 per month less expensive than Progressive when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

That being said, that doesn't mean American Select will necessarily be cheaper than Progressive for each driver. Car insurance companies vary their prices depending on things like how good your credit score is, how old you are, where you live, how clean your driving record is, and all sorts of other factors, so premiums will vary quite a bit from person to person.

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

American Select or Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

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

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance payment than just your home state. Continue reading to see 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 premiums of any group out there on the road. That's generally 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 rates, 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 nearly $150 less than those who use Progressive.

But both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for American Select policyholders lower more than 45% and Progressive's rates drop almost 70% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

When looking at American Select and Progressive specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Progressive gets the slight edge here, with average rates coming in at around $131 monthly compared to American Select's $136. Even so, the difference is only about 5%, so other variables (such as your driving record or where you live) will likely come into play when determining which company has the most affordable premiums for you.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance rates tend to be cheaper for married drivers than they are for those who are single. That's usually because married policyholders tend to own and insure several cars, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, American Select is the clear winner for single drivers, with prices around $30 a month more affordable than Progressive, on average. The advantage for married couples with Progressive is also obvious, where drivers save over 10% per month.

American Select vs. Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and get tickets, which means they'll typically end up paying more for car insurance than women.

On average, men see premiums about $1 a month higher with American Select, and around $5 more with Progressive.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, American Select offers the cheapest average rates for both men and women, with average prices 7% less for men and 4% cheaper for women.

American Select or Progressive: 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 isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs car 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 that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to liability).

In this case, American Select offers the lowest average rates for state minimum liability limits, while Progressive has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $20 with American Select Insurance Company, while full coverage comes out to be about $1 cheaper with Progressive.

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

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto 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.

Tickets and accidents will most likely raise your prices, but is American Select or Progressive less expensive for 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 Progressive normally raises prices around $31 a month, on average.

However, American Select is generally the more affordable option for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket, offering premiums that are $32 and $31 cheaper, respectively, compared to Progressive.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Progressive increasing by $65. American Select has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay over $40 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, drivers who use American Select end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly premiums averaging $158 compared to Progressive's $214.

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 insurance bill -- typically a lot more than a collision or ticket. American Select drivers usually see a 55% raise in their car insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Progressive will usually increase premiums by about 16%.

How does Credit Score Impact American Select and Progressive Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly insurance rates. Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it might come into play for lots of policyholders.

Auto insurance carriers argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, drivers with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

So, which company offers the most affordable prices 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 Progressive Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on how much insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the more miles you drive, the more likely you are to get into an accident and cause an insurance claim.

In this case, neither American Select or Progressive report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. That being said, American Select comes out as the cheapest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car yearly, with average prices of $170 per month for both.

American Select vs. Progressive: 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 sizable impact as well. Generally, drivers who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural policyholders because there are a lot more vehicles on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, American Select tends to offer the most affordable option for drivers in urban and suburban areas, while Progressive wins in rural areas.

In urban areas, American Select Insurance Company's average premiums are around $2 less than Progressive. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about $29 less with American Select compared to Progressive. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save around $2 with Progressive compared to American Select.

American Select vs. Progressive 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, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many auto insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem hard to find all the of the ones you can take advantage of.

In the section below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by American Select and Progressive so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Progressive knocks American Select out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 14 more discounts than American Select.

Both companies offer lots of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and group discounts -- but Progressive also offers advanced safety feature discounts, continuous insurance discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, and more that American Select does not.

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

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

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the variables car insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which insurance company is the best fit for you?

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

• You have a clean driving record, free of collisions, tickets, or DUIs.
• Your credit score is high.
• You drive often but have a short commute.

Progressive might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance carrier.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your car insurance.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between American Select and Progressive and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to 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 multiple companies, not just American Select and Progressive. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best car insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

American Select vs. Progressive FAQs

Is American Select or Progressive cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, American Select is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $170 a month compared to $180 for Progressive. Even so, American Select won't necessarily be the lowest company for each policyholder, since there are multiple different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, American Select or Progressive?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". Neither carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Progressive offers cheaper premiums for drivers with a recent DUI, while American Select is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit.

Why do American Select and Progressive offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers take a look at many different variables when calculating the prices they charge drivers. Things such as where your home is, gender, where you call home, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both American Select and Progressive calculate premiums using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

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

The only way to find the 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 area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be American Select or Progressive 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.