Auto-owners vs. Metlife: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Auto-owners offers significantly more affordable rates than Metlife
• Auto-owners offers less expensive average prices for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit
• Metlife offers more discounts than Auto-Owners Insurance

Auto-owners vs. Metlife: 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 large discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to Auto-owners or Metlife for your next policy, but between the two, which carrier will offer you cheaper rates?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Metlife is quite a bit more expensive than Auto-owners, with premiums averaging $340 per month compared to just $179 with Auto-owners.

However, Auto-owners may not be the most affordable or best option for every single driver out there. After all, car insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your driving record, your credit score, your age, or even where you call home (among other things). So, at the end of the day, prices from every company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both Auto-owners and Metlife by several different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Auto-owners or Metlife: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Auto-owners and Metlife compete against each other in 20 states, with Auto-owners offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all but one of them. If you live in Michigan, Metlife is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at the overall average prices, but Auto-owners is the cheaper option in most of the others.

There's a lot more that goes into your insurance cost than just where you live. Continue reading to see how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. The reason is that young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Auto-owners for their insurance pay more than $500 less than those who use Metlife.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums once you turn 25. Metlife offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Auto-owners still has the cheapest prices at $164 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age normally enjoy some of the lowest auto insurance rates you can find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically decreases their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase prices.

When looking at Auto-owners and Metlife specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Auto-owners gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $72 cheaper than the national average for Metlife.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married couples tend to get slightly less expensive car insurance rates than those who are single. That's usually because married policyholders tend to own and insure more than one car, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, Auto-owners is the clear winner for single drivers, with prices about $223 a month more affordable than Metlife, on average. For married drivers, the advantage is clear again - Auto-owners has the edge when it comes to average premiums.

Auto-owners vs. Metlife: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim, which means they'll generally end up paying more for insurance than women.

Typically, women see rates around 6% per month less with Auto-owners, and nearly 10% less with Metlife when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Auto-owners comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $152 a month and men save about $169 with Auto-owners compared to the average Metlife policyholder.

Auto-owners or Metlife: 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. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different limits and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy.

That being said, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, Auto-owners normally offers significantly cheaper prices of $99 compared to Metlife's $215. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Auto-owners again has the edge, with policies around $200 per month more affordable than Metlife, on average.

Is Auto-owners or Metlife 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.

It's no secret secret that tickets and accidents lead to higher rates, but which company -- Auto-owners or Metlife -- has the cheapest premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Auto-owners policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $44 a month if they get a ticket, while Metlife usually raises rates about $59 per month, on average.

However, Auto-owners has cheaper premiums for drivers in both categories. Drivers with a clean record can save around $99 a month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $114 per month with Auto-Owners Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Auto-owners drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their prices climb by over $45, while those who have insurance through Metlife will see around a $150 increase.

Overall, drivers who use Auto-owners end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly rates averaging $168 compared to MetLife's $368.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple ticket or even an accident. On average, Metlife will raise your prices about 55% after a DUI, while Auto-owners's average premiums rise by just under 55%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable rates, Auto-owners tends to be the much less expensive option with average premiums of $264 a month compared to $494 from Metlife.

How does Credit Score Impact Auto-owners and Metlife Rates?

Did you know that many insurance carriers take your credit score into account when calculating rates? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it will come into play for lots of policyholders.

The reasoning car insurance carriers use is that drivers with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so typically, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with more affordable prices.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with Auto-owners. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save over 55% compared to Metlife, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $145 or 53% less expensive each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Auto-owners typically offers lower prices than Metlife when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $163 a month less with Auto-owners compared to Metlife, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of around $213 per month.

Is Auto-owners or Metlife 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 substantial impact on how much auto insurance companies will charge for coverage? Usually, those who drive less will end up with cheaper rates since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

For both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles every year, as well as those who average twice that figure, Auto-owners tends to be the more affordable option. Metlife average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about $160 more expensive than Auto-owners. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay around $162 more with Metlife over Auto-owners.

Auto-owners vs. Metlife: 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 pretty big impact as well. Generally, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers due to the number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

Auto-owners tends to offer the cheapest rates for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Auto-owners offers premiums about $205 a month compared to Metlife's $389. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay around $169 per month for Auto-owners and $333 for Metlife. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the lowest prices from both carriers, with average monthly rates coming in at $164 and $299 for Auto-owners and Metlife respectively.

Auto-owners vs. Metlife 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 insurance discounts as you can.

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

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Auto-owners and Metlife so that you can see which company can save you the most money each month.

Metlife knocks Auto-owners out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 36 different discounts to Auto-owners's 36.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, distant student discounts, discounts for being a good driver, and discounts for being a homeowner. Metlife also offers AAA discounts, academic discounts, agency transfer discounts, and more that Auto-owners does not.

On the flip side, Auto-owners has a couple unique discounts of its own -- advance quote discounts, company car discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Auto-owners or Metlife Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your auto insurance premiums. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is Auto-owners or Metlife the best one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Auto-owners might be best for you if....

• You're worried about the impact your credit score will have on your prices.
• You have above-average credit.
• You and your spouse are buying car insurance together.

Metlife might be best for you if...

• You want to save extra money with discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Auto-owners and Metlife and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just Auto-owners and Metlife. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Auto-owners vs. Metlife FAQs

Is Auto-owners or Metlife cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Auto-owners is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $179 a month compared to $340 for Metlife. But Auto-owners won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for each driver, since there are a range of different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Auto-owners or Metlife?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One company is not "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Auto-owners and Metlife offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers take a look at a lot of different variables when determining the prices they charge drivers. Factors such as where you park your car, where you live, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Auto-owners and Metlife use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different companies.

How do I know if Auto-owners or Metlife is right for me?

The only way to find the car 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code 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 carrier for you might not be Auto-owners or Metlife 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.