Encompass vs. Great Northern: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Encompass offers slightly less expensive rates than Great Northern
• Encompass has more affordable prices for policyholders whose driving record contains an at-fault collision
• Great Northern offers more affordable premiums for drivers with a DUI

Encompass or Great Northern: 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 hefty savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Encompass or Great Northern for your next policy, but between the two, which carrier will offer you cheaper prices?

Looking at nationwide averages, Great Northern is around $30 more a month than Encompass.

However, Encompass may not be the most affordable or best option for each driver out there. Auto insurance carriers use a variety of complex algorithms to determine rates, so depending on how old you are or how clean your driving record is (among a multitude of other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

Wanting to know if Encompass or Great Northern is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Encompass vs. Great Northern: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Encompass and Great Northern only compete against each other in Michigan, where Encompass offers the cheaper average rates. Encompass drivers tend to pay about $6 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Great Northern for their insurance.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your car insurance cost than just where you call home. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for insurance than any group on the road. It's typically 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.

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 15% less a month by choosing Great Northern over Encompass. It's worth noting that Encompass offers car insurance in 31 different states compared to Great Northern's one, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

That being said, with both companies, you'll see your rates lower significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Encompass policyholders drop over 65% and Great Northern's prices decrease nearly 50% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age generally enjoy some of the lowest auto insurance premiums you can find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which usually decreases their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise rates.

When looking at Encompass and Great Northern specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? In this case, Encompass has the slight edge, with prices about $11 per month less than Great Northern. But the difference is only around 5%, so other variables will likely come into play when determining which company has the cheapest premiums for you.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married couples tend to get slightly more affordable insurance rates than single policyholders. That's because policies for married policyholders normally cover more than one vehicle, which a lot of carriers will give you a discount for.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is not very significant, with Great Northern prices coming in at about 3% less than Encompass's. But for married drivers, the advantage is clear - Encompass has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Encompass or Great Northern: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women generally pay less for car insurance than men? That's because women are less likely to get speeding tickets and get into collisions, which lowers the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

Normally, women see prices around $25 a month less expensive with Encompass; women and men get the same monthly premiums with Great Northern.

Looking at overall affordability, Encompass offers the lowest average rates for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $19 per month and women save about $42 with Encompass compared to the average Great Northern policyholder.

Encompass vs. Great Northern: 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, auto 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 for you.

That being said, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

When it comes to state minimum liability insurance, Great Northern has the edge, while Encompass offers the most affordable average premiums for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Policyholders looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $45 with Great Northern Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be around $100 cheaper with Encompass Insurance.

Is Encompass or Great Northern Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance carriers offering great prices for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

Speeding tickets and accidents will most likely raise your rates, but is Encompass or Great Northern more affordable for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers with Great Northern auto insurance policies don't report seeing their premiums increase after getting a ticket, but Encompass policyholders can expect to see their monthly bill increase by about a quarter.

Even so, Encompass tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering rates that are 54% and 42% cheaper, respectively, compared to Great Northern Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Encompass policyholders who get in an accident can expect to see their prices climb by over $100, while those who have insurance through Great Northern will see around a $0 increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Encompass end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average premiums coming in at $328 compared to Great Northern Insurance's $496.

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. On average, Encompass will raise your prices about 78% after a DUI, while Great Northern's average rates rise by 0%.

Great Northern has the overall cheapest premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $496 monthly, but it's worth noting that Encompass's average rates come from 31 states compared to just one for Great Northern, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Encompass and Great Northern Rates?

Did you know many insurance companies take your credit score into account when determining prices? This isn't true for everyone (for example, Massachusetts and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for many drivers.

The reasoning car insurance carriers use is that policyholders 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 less expensive rates.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Michigan is one of a just a few states that does not allow auto insurance companies from using credit scores to calculate rates. And since Great Northern 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 Encompass 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 insurance. As you can see, poor credit can really cost Encompass drivers in other states, but no need to worry if you live in Michigan.

Is Encompass or Great Northern Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in how much car insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the more milage you put on your car each year, the more likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Great Northern charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Encompass, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles every year paying around $2 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Encompass is the more affordable company.

Encompass or Great Northern: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you call home can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for insurance. Usually, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the road where they live, which reduces the chances of an accident.

Encompass boasts the cheapest average premiums for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

In urban areas, Encompass's average rates are about $560 while Great Northern offers premiums around $570. People in suburban areas pay about $434 with Encompass compared to Great Northern's $486 per month. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $404 a month with Encompass compared to Great Northern's $432.

Encompass vs. Great Northern Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be difficult to find all the ones you qualify for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Encompass and Great Northern so that you can see which one can save you the most money each month.

Encompass knocks Great Northern out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 16 more discounts than Great Northern.

Both carriers offer many of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for getting driver training, and discounts for being a good student -- but Encompass also offers discounts for advance quote, distant student, DRL, and more.

On the other hand, Great Northern has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like occasional operator discounts, renewal discounts, and vehicle ownership discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Encompass or Great Northern Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your auto insurance prices. We've broken down the different discounts each company offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which insurance carrier is the right company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Encompass might be best for you if....

• You're thinking about moving to another state -- Great Northern Insurance only offers policies in Michigan.
• You live in an urban area.
• You drive often but have a short commute.

Great Northern might be best for you if...

• You will be the only person on the insurance policy.
• Your credit score is high.
• You want to save money while purchasing auto insurance for a teenager.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Encompass and Great Northern. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple companies, not just Encompass and Great Northern. 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 carriers in your area, all for free.

Encompass vs. Great Northern FAQs

Is Encompass or Great Northern cheaper?

Encompass is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $466 a month with Encompass and $496 for Great Northern. But that doesn't mean Encompass will be the most affordable company for every driver, since there are multiple different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Encompass or Great Northern?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile. For example, Encompass is cheaper for drivers who have already retired, while Great Northern offers more affordable prices for single drivers.

Why do Encompass and Great Northern offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use several different factors when calculating the premiums they charge. Variables like age, where you park your car, gender, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Encompass and Great Northern calculate rates using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different companies.

How do I know if Encompass or Great Northern is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of 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 best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Encompass or Great Northern 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.