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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Memberselect offers significantly cheaper rates than Encompass
• Encompass offers more discounts than MemberSelect Insurance Company
• Memberselect offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who drive fewer than 12,000 miles each year

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

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering large discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Encompass or Memberselect, but between the two, which one has more affordable prices for insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Encompass has average rates that are about 40% per month more expensive than those from Memberselect.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Memberselect will be the less expensive option for every single driver. After all, car insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your age, your credit score, where you call home, or even your driving record (among other things), so rates will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Encompass and Memberselect by a range of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Encompass or Memberselect: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Encompass and Memberselect only compete against each other in Minnesota, where Memberselect offers the cheaper average rates. For Minnesota residents, Memberselect offers auto insurance for $274 per month on average. Encompass's average prices come out to be over 70% more expensive, at 1330 a month.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance cost than just the state you live in. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

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

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance premiums. As you can see above, teens who use Memberselect save more than $500 a month compared to those who use Encompass. It's worth noting that Encompass offers insurance in 31 different states compared to Memberselect's one, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

However, both companies will decrease rates once you turn 25. Memberselect offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying a third less what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Encompass's average premiums drop over 65% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

So, which company offers the best prices to retired drivers? Memberselect gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $97 more affordable than the national average for Encompass.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance prices are generally more expensive for single drivers than they are for married drivers? This usually boils down to married couples having more than one car on their policy -- something a lot of insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Memberselect is the clear winner for single policyholders, with rates around $267 per month less expensive than Encompass, on average. The advantage for married policyholders with Memberselect is also obvious, where drivers save about $90 a month.

Encompass vs. Memberselect: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, they have a higher chance of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, insurance companies will tend to offer men more expensive prices.

Men normally pay around 5% more per month than women with Encompass, and about 4% with Memberselect.

Looking at overall affordability, Memberselect comes out as the most affordable option for both genders. On average, women save about $185 a month and men save around $197 with Memberselect compared to the average Encompass policyholder.

Encompass or Memberselect: 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. There are so many different coverages and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

Even so, 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 -- in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Memberselect usually offers significantly cheaper rates of $183 compared to Encompass's $302. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Memberselect again has the edge, with policies about $250 per month less expensive than Encompass, on average.

Is Encompass or Memberselect Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

At-fault collisions and tickets will most likely raise your premiums, but is Encompass or Memberselect cheaper for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Encompass policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $61 a month if they get a ticket, while Memberselect typically raises rates around $58 per month, on average.

But Memberselect is usually the more affordable option for drivers both with a speeding ticket and with a clean record -- their rates are around 21% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 18% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through Encompass can expect to see about an $101 -- or around 31% -- increase in their insurance premiums. Drivers who use Memberselect for their car insurance will see a monthly bill about $37 (or 17%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their insurance carrier.

Overall, Memberselect offers the cheapest prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly premiums averaging $216 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 an accident. On average, Encompass will climb your rates around 78% after a DUI, while Memberselect's average prices climb by over 60%.

Memberselect has the overall most affordable premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $466 monthly, but it's worth noting that Encompass's average rates come from 31 states compared to just one for Memberselect, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Encompass and Memberselect Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly car insurance rates. This isn't always the case (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for quite a few drivers.

Auto 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 cheapest prices for drivers with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Memberselect. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save more than 45% compared to Encompass, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $179 or 45% less expensive each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Memberselect typically offers lower rates than Encompass when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $205 a month less with Memberselect compared to Encompass, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of about $217 a month.

Is Encompass or Memberselect 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 large impact on your monthly prices? Normally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with more affordable 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 yearly, as well as those who average twice that figure, Memberselect offers cheaper premiums than Encompass. Memberselect average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in just under $200 less expensive than Encompass. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay nearly $200 less with Memberselect over Encompass.

Encompass vs. Memberselect: 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 sizable impact as well. Typically, those who live in urban areas will pay more than drivers in rural areas due to the number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

Memberselect tends to offer the most affordable premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest rates from both companies, but Memberselect comes out on top with average prices around $228 monthly. Memberselect also has more affordable average premiums for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 48% and 30% per month respective difference when compared to Encompass policyholders in similar areas.

Encompass vs. Memberselect 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 with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to find all the ones you can take advantage of or to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Encompass and Memberselect so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Encompass blows Memberselect away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 26 different discounts to Memberselect's 13.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, distant student discounts, EFT discounts, and group discounts. Encompass also offers ABS discounts, driver training discounts, DRL discounts, and more that Memberselect does not.

On the flip side, Memberselect has a couple unique discounts of its own -- AAA discounts and vehicle safety discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Encompass or Memberselect Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables auto insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the best company for you and your specific profile and needs?

Memberselect might be best for you if....

• Your driving record contains an at-fault collision.
• You have below-average credit.
• You're buying car insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

Encompass might be best for you if...

• You're thinking about moving to another state -- MemberSelect Insurance Company only offers policies to Minnesota residents.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Encompass and Memberselect and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your 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 auto insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple companies, not just Encompass and Memberselect. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Encompass vs. Memberselect FAQs

Is Encompass or Memberselect cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Memberselect is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $274 a month compared to $466 for Encompass. Even so, Memberselect won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for every driver, since there are many different factors that come into play when it comes to your car insurance payment.

Who is better, Encompass or Memberselect?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". One company is not "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Encompass and Memberselect offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at many different variables when calculating the premiums they charge drivers. Things like gender, your driving record, where your home is, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Encompass and Memberselect calculate rates using different factors, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. 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 Encompass or Memberselect is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance company 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, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Encompass or Memberselect 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.