Encompass vs. New Jersey Skylands: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, New Jersey Skylands offers slightly more affordable premiums than Encompass
• Encompass offers more affordable prices for policyholders who have a clean record
• New Jersey Skylands offers more affordable rates for single people who will be the only person on the auto insurance policy

Encompass or New Jersey Skylands: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering big savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Encompass or New Jersey Skylands, but between the two, which carrier will offer you less expensive prices?

As you can see, Encompass is around $6 more a month than New Jersey Skylands when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

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

So, if you want to find out which of Encompass or New Jersey Skylands is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each carrier broken down by multiple different rate factors.

Encompass vs. New Jersey Skylands: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Encompass and New Jersey Skylands only compete against each other in New Jersey, where Encompass offers the cheaper average premiums. Encompass drivers tend to pay about $27 per month less on average compared to drivers who use New Jersey Skylands for their insurance.

There's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance cost than just your home state. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance prices of any group on the road. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. As you can see above, teens who use New Jersey Skylands save almost 15% a month compared to those who use Encompass. It's worth noting that Encompass offers auto insurance in 31 different states compared to New Jersey Skylands's one, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

However, both companies will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for Encompass policyholders drop about $500 and New Jersey Skylands's premiums reduce 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 out there.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Encompass and New Jersey Skylands? Encompass gets the slight edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older around 6% less expensive than the national average for New Jersey Skylands.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance premiums are usually more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married drivers? That's because policies for married policyholders typically cover more than one vehicle, which many carriers will give you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, New Jersey Skylands is the winner for single drivers, with rates about 6% per month more affordable than Encompass, on average.

Encompass or New Jersey Skylands: Average Rates by Gender

Women tend to pay less for insurance than men. That's because women are less likely to get tickets and get into accidents, which lowers the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

Women generally pay around 5% a month less than men with Encompass, and about 2% less with New Jersey Skylands when compared to their male counterparts.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, Encompass is the most affordable company for women. Rates with Encompass are $3 cheaper for women, while with New Jersey Skylands, men can save around $3.

Encompass vs. New Jersey Skylands: 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 a complicated subject for most people. There are lots of different coverages that account for many different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

Even so, the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, New Jersey Skylands has the slight edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $297. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, New Jersey Skylands again has the edge, with policies averaging about $624 per month to Encompass's $629.

Is Encompass or New Jersey Skylands Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their car insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

Collisions and speeding tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is Encompass or New Jersey Skylands cheaper for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Encompass for their insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 21% after getting a speeding ticket. New Jersey Skylands policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 17%.

But Encompass is generally the less expensive option for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records, offering premiums that are $93 and $99 more affordable, respectively, compared to New Jersey Skylands Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Encompass drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their rates increase by over 30%, while those who have insurance through New Jersey Skylands will see around a 15% increase.

At the end of the day, the less expensive prices come from Encompass, with average rates coming in at $328 compared to New Jersey Skylands Insurance's $387.

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 speeding ticket or even an accident. Encompass drivers usually see a 78% increase in their auto insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while New Jersey Skylands will usually raise prices by about 57%.

New Jersey Skylands has the overall cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $747 per month, but it's worth noting that Encompass's average rates come from 31 states compared to just one for New Jersey Skylands, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Encompass and New Jersey Skylands Rates?

Did you know many insurance companies take into account your credit score when determining premiums? This isn't true for everyone (Hawaii, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a car insurance factor) but it might come into play for a lot of policyholders.

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, drivers with good credit will often be rewarded with more affordable prices.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, New Jersey Skylands will typically reward you the most for an "excellent" credit score. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, New Jersey Skylands comes in 1% cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save around 1% with Encompass compared to average premiums from New Jersey Skylands.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

New Jersey Skylands typically offers lower rates than Encompass when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 1% a month less with New Jersey Skylands compared to Encompass, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around 2% monthly.

Is Encompass or New Jersey Skylands Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a big impact on your monthly premiums. Typically, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive prices since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much New Jersey Skylands charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Encompass, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle annually paying about $2 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, New Jersey Skylands is the cheaper company.

Encompass or New Jersey Skylands: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you call home can have a large impact on your monthly car insurance bill. Normally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, New Jersey Skylands tends to offer the most affordable option for drivers in rural and urban areas, while Encompass wins in suburban areas.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, New Jersey Skylands Insurance's average prices are around $5 less than Encompass Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay about $37 less with Encompass compared to New Jersey Skylands. Those in rural areas can expect to save around $49 with New Jersey Skylands compared to Encompass.

Encompass vs. New Jersey Skylands Discounts

No matter 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 you can, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many auto insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be hard to find all the ones you're eligible for or to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Encompass and New Jersey Skylands 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 New Jersey Skylands away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering eight more discounts than New Jersey Skylands.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Encompass also offers discounts for ABS, driver training, DRL, and more.

On the other hand, New Jersey Skylands has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like company car discounts, education discounts, ESC discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Encompass or New Jersey Skylands Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, at the end of the day, which company is the best fit for you?

New Jersey Skylands might be best for you if....

• You like the personalized touch of a small, regional carrier.
• You're looking for the best premiums on liability only coverage.
• You want to save money while purchasing car insurance for a teenager.

Encompass might be best for you if...

• You don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault accidents on your record.
• You want to save money on your auto insurance after an accident.
• You are purchasing your insurance with a spouse.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Encompass and New Jersey Skylands and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your car 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 several carriers, not just Encompass and New Jersey Skylands. 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 car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Encompass vs. New Jersey Skylands FAQs

Is Encompass or New Jersey Skylands cheaper?

New Jersey Skylands is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $460 per month with New Jersey Skylands and $466 for Encompass. That being said, that doesn't mean New Jersey Skylands will be the lowest company for everyone, since there are a range of different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Encompass or New Jersey Skylands?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, New Jersey Skylands is less expensive for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while Encompass offers cheaper premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their record.

Why do Encompass and New Jersey Skylands offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use quite a few different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Factors such as gender, age, your driving record, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Encompass and New Jersey Skylands calculate rates differently, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

How do I know if Encompass or New Jersey Skylands is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Encompass or New Jersey Skylands 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.