California Casualty vs. Encompass: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, California Casualty offers significantly less expensive premiums than Encompass
• California Casualty has more affordable prices for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit
• Encompass offers more discounts than California Casualty

California Casualty vs. Encompass: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering huge discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to California Casualty or Encompass as your top options, but which company will save you the most?

As you can see, Encompass is quite a bit more expensive than California Casualty, with rates averaging $466 per month compared to just $201 with California Casualty when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

However, that doesn't mean California Casualty will necessarily be cheaper than Encompass for each driver. Insurance companies use a variety of complex algorithms to calculate premiums, so depending on how old you are or where you live (among a variety of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of California Casualty or Encompass is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each company broken down by several different rate factors.

California Casualty or Encompass: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

California Casualty and Encompass compete against each other in four states, with California Casualty offering less expensive premiums to the average driver in all of them. Colorado has the most noticable difference, where California Casualty prices are over 70% cheaper than car insurance rates at Encompass.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance bill than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- typically pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. That's normally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in a car insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance premiums. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have California Casualty for their auto insurance pay more than $500 less than those who use Encompass.

But both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for California Casualty policyholders drop about $250 and Encompass's rates decrease over $500 over that time.

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 cheapest prices you'll ever find.

So, which carrier offers the best rates to retired drivers? California Casualty gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older more than 55% more affordable than the national average for Encompass.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance prices are usually more expensive for single drivers than they are for married drivers? This usually boils down to married couples having multiple cars on their policy -- something lots of car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, California Casualty is the clear winner for those who are single, with rates around $340 a month cheaper than Encompass, on average. The advantage for married policyholders with California Casualty is also obvious, where drivers save about $150 per month.

California Casualty vs. Encompass: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and get speeding tickets. That means when it comes to insurance men will generally end up paying a little more.

With California Casualty, men typically pay nearly 10% more a month than women., and around 5% with Encompass.

When it comes to the most affordable prices for each gender, California Casualty comes out as the cheapest option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $268 per month and women save about $261 with California Casualty compared to the average Encompass policyholder.

California Casualty or Encompass: 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.

Car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different terms and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, California Casualty usually offers significantly more affordable premiums of $122 compared to Encompass's $302. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, California Casualty again has the edge, with policies around $350 a month less expensive than Encompass, on average.

Is California Casualty or Encompass Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their auto insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

You'll probably end up paying more with accidents and tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the lowest prices to drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

California Casualty policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $33 per month if they get a ticket, while Encompass normally raises premiums about $61 a month, on average.

Even so, California Casualty tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket, offering prices that are $90 and $118 cheaper, respectively, compared to Encompass Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will increase premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Encompass increasing by over $100. California Casualty has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay more than $60 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, California Casualty offers the most affordable rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly prices averaging $198 compared to Encompass Insurance's $328.

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 a collision. Encompass drivers usually see a 78% climb in their insurance rates after a DUI charge, while California Casualty will generally raise premiums by around 54%.

How does Credit Score Impact California Casualty and Encompass Rates?

Did you know that many car 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 might come into play for many drivers.

Insurance carriers argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with more affordable premiums.

So, which company offers the best prices for drivers 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 California Casualty or Encompass Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on your monthly auto insurance cost. Normally, those who drive less will end up with less expensive rates since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

California Casualty tends to be the cheaper option for both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles annually, as well as those who average twice that figure. Encompass's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in just under $300 more expensive than California Casualty. Those who drive 12,000 miles each year can expect to pay over $250 more with Encompass over California Casualty.

California Casualty vs. Encompass: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you call home can have a large impact on your monthly insurance payment. Generally, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers because of the number of cars that are on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, California Casualty usually comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable prices from both carriers, but California Casualty comes out on top with average rates about $164 monthly. California Casualty also has more affordable average premiums for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $342 and $213 per month respective difference when compared to Encompass policyholders in similar areas.

California Casualty vs. Encompass Discounts

You want to save as much money as possible, right? The best way to do that is by utilizing as many car insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be hard to find all the ones you can take advantage of.

In the section below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts California Casualty and Encompass offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Encompass knocks California Casualty out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 26 different discounts to California Casualty's 26.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Encompass also offers advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, defensive driver discounts, and more that California Casualty does not.

On the flip side, California Casualty has a couple unique discounts of its own -- education discounts, full coverage discounts, mature driver discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is California Casualty or Encompass Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables auto insurance carriers look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. But, when it comes down to it, which company is the right carrier for you and your specific needs?

California Casualty might be best for you if....

• You have a clean driving record, free of collisions, tickets, or DUIs.
• You already have a great credit score.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your insurance.

Encompass might be best for you if...

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- undefined only offers policies to residents.
• You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between California Casualty and Encompass and that it aids in making a more informed decision about 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 several companies, not just California Casualty and Encompass. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

California Casualty vs. Encompass FAQs

Is California Casualty or Encompass cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, California Casualty is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $201 a month compared to $466 for Encompass. That being said, California Casualty won't necessarily be the lowest company for everyone, since there are multiple different factors (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, California Casualty or Encompass?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do California Casualty and Encompass offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers take a look at quite a few different variables when determining the premiums they charge drivers. Factors such as age, your driving record, where you live, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both California Casualty and Encompass calculate prices using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

How do I know if California Casualty or Encompass is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance carrier 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 area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be California Casualty or Encompass 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.