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

Quick Facts

• In general, Mendakota offers significantly more affordable rates than Encompass
• Encompass offers more discounts than Mendakota Insurance Company
• Mendakota offers more affordable premiums for residents of urban areas

Encompass vs. Mendakota: 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've maybe even narrowed it down to Encompass or Mendakota as your top options, but which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Encompass is quite a bit more expensive than Mendakota, with prices averaging $466 per month compared to just $244 with Mendakota.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean Mendakota will be the less expensive option for every single driver. After all, auto insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your age, your credit score, or even your driving record (among other things). So, at the end of the day, premiums from every carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

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

Encompass or Mendakota: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Encompass and Mendakota only compete against each other in Nevada, where Mendakota offers the cheaper average prices. For Nevada residents, Mendakota offers insurance for $244 monthly on average. Encompass's average premiums come out to be over 70% more expensive, at $603 a month.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance cost than just where you live. Continue reading to learn more about how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. That's typically because 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.

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance rates. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Mendakota for their auto insurance pay more than $500 less than those who use Encompass. It's worth noting that Encompass offers car insurance in 31 different states compared to Mendakota's one, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But both companies will reduce rates by the time you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Encompass policyholders drop over $500 and Mendakota's rates decrease about $200 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 lowest premiums out there.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Encompass and Mendakota? Mendakota gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older nearly 45% cheaper than the national average for Encompass.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

When it comes to relationship status, Mendakota is the clear winner for single policyholders, with rates around $301 a month less expensive than Encompass, on average. The advantage for married policyholders with Mendakota is also obvious, where drivers save more than 35% per month.

Encompass vs. Mendakota: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but car insurance is normally more expensive for men than for women. This is because men are more likely to get tickets and get into accidents, which raises the chances of an insurance claim.

Normally, men see premiums about 5% a month higher with Encompass, while with Mendakota, the difference is closer to 7% per month.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Mendakota offers the most affordable average rates for both men and women, with average prices 47% less for men and 48% cheaper for women.

Encompass or Mendakota: 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 can be pretty complicated. There are so many different terms and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

However, the most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Mendakota typically offers significantly more affordable rates of $172 compared to Encompass's $302. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Mendakota again has the edge, with policies around $300 a month cheaper than Encompass, on average.

Is Encompass or Mendakota Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from 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 at-fault accidents and tickets lead to higher prices, but which company -- Encompass or Mendakota -- has the cheapest premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Encompass policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $61 per month if they get a ticket, while Mendakota generally raises rates about $19 a month, on average.

Even so, Mendakota tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering prices that are 3% and 17% more affordable, respectively, compared to Encompass Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Encompass climbing by over $100. Mendakota has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay more than $50 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, Mendakota offers the lowest rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly premiums averaging $273 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. For example, Encompass increases average prices by over $500 per month -- that's just under a 80% increase.

Mendakota has the overall cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $241 per month, but it's worth noting that Encompass's average rates come from 31 states compared to just one for Mendakota, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Encompass and Mendakota Rates?

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

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 most affordable premiums for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with Mendakota. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save over 30% compared to Encompass, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $152 or 38% less expensive each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Mendakota typically offers lower rates than Encompass when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $226 a month less with Mendakota compared to Encompass, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of around $403 monthly.

Is Encompass or Mendakota 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 your monthly prices. Normally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper rates since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

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

Encompass vs. Mendakota: 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 car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a sizable impact as well. Generally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas because of the small number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

Mendakota tends to offer the lowest rates for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Mendakota offers prices around $418 a month compared to Encompass's $560. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay about $176 per month for Mendakota and $434 for Encompass. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the most affordable premiums from both companies, with average monthly rates coming in at $138 and $404 for Mendakota and Encompass respectively.

Encompass vs. Mendakota Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new auto 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 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 challenging to find all the ones you're eligible for.

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Encompass and Mendakota so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Encompass knocks Mendakota out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 21 more discounts than Mendakota.

Both carriers offer quite a few of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, paid in full discounts, and passive restraint discounts -- but Encompass also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, and more that Mendakota does not.

On the flip side, Mendakota has a unique discount of its own -- a multi-car discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Encompass or Mendakota Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your insurance prices. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is Encompass or Mendakota the best one for you and your specific needs?

Mendakota might be best for you if....

• You live in one of the following states: Nevada.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" car insurance.
• You have a short drive to work everyday.

Encompass might be best for you if...

• You already have plans to move to another state -- Mendakota Insurance Company only offers policies to Nevada residents.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Encompass and Mendakota. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your auto 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple companies, not just Encompass and Mendakota. 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. Mendakota FAQs

Is Encompass or Mendakota cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Mendakota is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $244 a month compared to $466 for Encompass. However, Mendakota won't necessarily be the lowest company for every driver, since there are lots of different factors that are considered when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, Encompass or Mendakota?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Encompass and Mendakota offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers take a look at lots of different variables when determining the premiums they charge drivers. Things such as where you live, gender, age, where you park your car, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Encompass and Mendakota calculate rates 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 many different companies.

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

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