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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, American Select offers significantly more affordable prices than State Auto
• American Select offers more affordable premiums for single people who will be the only person on the auto insurance policy
• American Select offers cheaper average prices for policyholders who live in urban areas

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

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering huge savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might be considering American Select or State Auto as potential options, but which one will offer you less expensive premiums?

As you can see, American Select has average rates that are around 35% a month cheaper than those from State Auto when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

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

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

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

American Select and State Auto only compete against each other in three states, with American Select offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all of them. Tennessee has the most noticable difference, where American Select rates are $64 cheaper than insurance premiums at State Auto.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance rates than just the state you live in. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- normally pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. The reason is that teen 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 prices, 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 insurance pay over 60% less than those who use State Auto.

Even so, with both companies, you'll see your rates reduce significantly once you turn 25. State Auto offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than a quarter of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, American Select still has the cheapest prices at $165 per month.

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 most affordable premiums you'll ever see.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between American Select and State Auto? American Select gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older almost 20% less expensive than the national average for State Auto.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance premiums tend to be more affordable for married drivers than they are for those who are single. This usually boils down to married couples having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something several auto insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average rates between these two companies is significant, with American Select premiums coming in at about half of State Auto's. The advantage for married policyholders with American Select is also obvious, where drivers save around $25 per month.

American Select or State Auto: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men typically pay more for car insurance than women? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into a collision or get pulled over for speeding, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

On average, women see premiums about 1% a month less with American Select, but with State Auto, the difference is closer to 9% per month.

When it comes to the lowest rates for each gender, American Select comes out on top for both men and women, with average prices $100 less for men and $77 cheaper for women.

American Select vs. State Auto: 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.

Insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different coverages and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

That being said, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which generally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages 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 a month to State Auto's $369.

Is American Select or State Auto Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

It's no secret secret that at-fault collisions and speeding tickets lead to higher prices, but which company -- American Select or State Auto -- has the cheapest premiums for drivers with spotty 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. State Auto policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 22%.

But American Select is generally the cheaper option for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records -- their rates are around 31% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 32% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with State Auto increasing by about 37%. American Select has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay more than 25% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, the more affordable prices come from American Select, with average premiums coming in at $158 compared to State Auto Insurance's $269.

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 -- usually a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. For example, State Auto increases average prices by more than $200 per month -- that's over a 55% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, American Select tends to be cheaper for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $258 to State Auto's $380.

How does Credit Score Impact American Select and State Auto Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly insurance rates. This isn't true for everyone (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it might come into play for quite a few drivers.

Auto insurance companies argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time every month, which reduces the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

So, which carrier offers the lowest prices for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is American Select or State Auto Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on your monthly premiums. Normally, the more milage you put on your car, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

In this case, neither American Select or State Auto report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. That being said, 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 yearly, with average premiums of $170 a month for both.

American Select or State Auto: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for car insurance. Typically, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders since there are a lot fewer cars on the roads where they live.

American Select tends to offer the lowest rates for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, American Select Insurance Company's average prices are about 35% less than State Auto Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay around 36% less with American Select compared to State Auto. Those in rural areas can expect to save about 31% with American Select compared to State Auto.

American Select vs. State Auto Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new auto insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as possible.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both American Select and State Auto so that you can see which carrier offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Looking at the total number of discounts, American Select has a slight advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. State Auto offers a grand total of 18 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, State Auto has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advantage program discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, employee discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is American Select or State Auto Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the factors insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is American Select or State Auto the best company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

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

• Your credit is less-than-stellar.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You've started working from home and don't have much of a commute.

State Auto 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 better idea of the difference between American Select and State Auto. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your car 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of carriers, not just American Select and State Auto. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance companies in your area, all for free.

American Select vs. State Auto FAQs

Is American Select or State Auto cheaper?

American Select is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $170 per month with American Select and $259 for State Auto. However, that doesn't mean American Select will be the cheapest company for each policyholder, 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 State Auto?

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

Why do American Select and State Auto offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use many different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Things like where you park your vehicle, age, gender, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both American Select and State Auto calculate rates using different variables, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple 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 car insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't American Select or State Auto 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.