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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, American Select offers significantly more affordable prices than Wolverine Mutual
• American Select offers cheaper average rates for policyholders who drive a short distance to work everyday
• Wolverine Mutual has less expensive premiums for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods

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

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering huge savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to American Select or Wolverine Mutual, but which carrier will save you the most?

As you can see, American Select has average rates that are around 24% a month cheaper than those from Wolverine Mutual when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

But that doesn't necessarily mean American Select will be the more affordable option for every single driver. Insurance carriers use a ton of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on where you live or how good your credit score is (among a wide array of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of American Select or Wolverine Mutual is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each company broken down by a range of different rate factors.

American Select vs. Wolverine Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

American Select and Wolverine Mutual only compete against each other in Michigan, where American Select offers the cheaper average premiums. American Select drivers tend to pay about $11 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Wolverine Mutual for their car insurance.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance payment than just where you call home. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance rates of any group out there on the road. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

That being said, 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 over 30% less a month by choosing American Select over Wolverine Mutual.

Even so, both companies will reduce prices by the time drivers turn 25. Wolverine Mutual offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying a third less what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, American Select still has the cheapest premiums at $165 a month.

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'll ever find.

When looking at American Select and Wolverine Mutual specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Wolverine Mutual gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $17 less expensive than the national average for American Select.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive auto insurance prices than married couples. That's generally because married policyholders tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For single policyholders, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with American Select premiums coming in at a quarter less than Wolverine Mutual's. The advantage for married drivers with American Select is also obvious, where drivers save about $45 per month.

American Select or Wolverine Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

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

Generally, men see prices around 1% a month higher with American Select; women and men end up paying same monthly rates with Wolverine Mutual.

Looking at overall affordability, American Select offers the most affordable average premiums for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $53 per month and women save about $54 with American Select compared to the average Wolverine Mutual policyholder.

American Select vs. Wolverine Mutual: 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 auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different limits and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, American Select has the 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 Wolverine Mutual's $335.

Is American Select or Wolverine Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from 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.

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and at-fault collisions lead to higher premiums, but which company -- American Select or Wolverine Mutual -- 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 car insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Wolverine Mutual policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 17%.

However, American Select tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket, offering prices that are 20% and 15% cheaper, respectively, compared to Wolverine Mutual.

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 Wolverine Mutual raising by about 22%. American Select has a less extreme rise, 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 premiums come from American Select, with average prices coming in at $158 compared to Wolverine Mutual's $188.

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 auto insurance bill. On average, Wolverine Mutual will climb your rates around 62% after a DUI, while American Select's average premiums climb by nearly 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 Wolverine Mutual's $389.

How does Credit Score Impact American Select and Wolverine Mutual Rates?

Did you know many insurance companies take your credit score into account when determining premiums? This isn't true for everyone (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it might come into play for lots of drivers.

Car 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, policyholders with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

So, which carrier offers the best prices for drivers with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Michigan is one of a just a few states that bans auto insurance companies from using credit scores to calculate rates. And since Wolverine Mutual is only available in Michigan, there is no data available on how credit score impacts premiums because it's not a factor at all. This may be a good thing, since American Select and other carriers tend to increase prices quite a bit in other states if you don't have excellent credit.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have a below average credit score and live in Michigan, the good news is it won't cost you extra when it comes to car insurance. As you can see, poor credit can really cost American Select drivers in other states, but no need to worry if you live in Michigan.

Is American Select or Wolverine Mutual 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 sizable impact on how much insurance companies will charge for coverage? Usually, the more milage you put on your vehicle, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

In this case, neither American Select or Wolverine Mutual 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 car yearly, with average prices of $170 per month for both.

American Select or Wolverine Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can play a big role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Normally, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers since there are a lot more vehicles on the roads where they live.

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

Those in rural areas can expect to save around $19 with Wolverine Mutual compared to American Select. People who live in suburban areas pay about $42 less with American Select compared to Wolverine Mutual. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, American Select Insurance Company's average premiums are around $139 less than Wolverine Mutual.

American Select vs. Wolverine Mutual 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, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many insurance discounts as possible.

The challenging part is finding all of the discounts you qualify for, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

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

American Select blows Wolverine Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 11 more discounts than Wolverine Mutual.

Both companies offer a lot of the same discounts -- like ABS discounts, discounts for being a good student, and passive restraint discounts -- but American Select also offers discounts for account relationship, advance quote, agency transfer, and more.

On the other hand, Wolverine Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like good driving discounts, military discounts, multi-car discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is American Select or Wolverine Mutual Best for You?

You've seen the role certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is American Select or Wolverine Mutual the right company for you and your specific driver profile?

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

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You want to save money while purchasing auto insurance for a teenager.

Wolverine Mutual might be best for you if...

• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower rates.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between American Select and Wolverine Mutual and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from several companies, not just American Select and Wolverine Mutual. 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 carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

American Select vs. Wolverine Mutual FAQs

Is American Select or Wolverine Mutual cheaper?

American Select is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $170 a month with American Select and $224 for Wolverine Mutual. Even so, that doesn't mean American Select will be the lowest carrier for every policyholder, since there are several different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, American Select or Wolverine Mutual?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Wolverine Mutual is less expensive for drivers who have already retired, while American Select offers cheaper premiums for single drivers.

Why do American Select and Wolverine Mutual offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use many different variables when calculating the rates they charge. Things like your driving record, where you live, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both American Select and Wolverine Mutual use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

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

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