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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, Rockford Mutual offers significantly less expensive prices than Encompass
• Encompass may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Rockford Mutual Insurance Company
• Rockford Mutual has more affordable rates for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse

Encompass or Rockford Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering big savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Encompass or Rockford Mutual as potential options, but between the two, which carrier has cheaper prices for insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Encompass is quite a bit more expensive than Rockford Mutual, with premiums averaging $466 a month compared to just $169 with Rockford Mutual.

That being said, Rockford Mutual may not be the lowest or best option for each driver out there. After all, auto insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your credit score, your age, your driving record, or even where you call home (among other things), so rates could change drastically from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Encompass and Rockford Mutual by many different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

Encompass vs. Rockford Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Encompass and Rockford Mutual only compete against each other in two states, with Rockford Mutual offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. Wisconsin has the most noticable difference, where Rockford Mutual rates are $138 less expensive than car insurance premiums at Encompass.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance payment than just your home state. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for insurance than any other group of drivers. The reason is that teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 65% less per month by choosing Rockford Mutual over Encompass. It's worth noting that Encompass offers auto insurance in 31 different states compared to Rockford Mutual's two, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

However, both companies will drop rates by the time drivers turn 25. Rockford Mutual offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Encompass's average premiums decrease more than 65% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age usually enjoy some of the most affordable insurance prices you'll ever see. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically decreases their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise rates.

When looking at Encompass and Rockford Mutual specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Rockford Mutual gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $217 cheaper than the national average for Encompass.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married couples tend to get slightly more affordable car insurance prices than single policyholders. That's because policies for married policyholders normally cover several vehicles, which many carriers will give you a discount for.

For those who are single, the difference in average rates between these two companies is significant, with Rockford Mutual prices coming in at around a third of Encompass's. The advantage for married drivers with Rockford Mutual is also obvious, where drivers save over 60% a month.

Encompass or Rockford Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men usually pay more for auto insurance than women? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into a collision or get pulled over for speeding, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher premiums.

Generally, women see rates about $25 per month less expensive with Encompass, and around $16 less with Rockford Mutual.

Looking at overall affordability, Rockford Mutual comes out as the cheapest option for both genders, with average prices $300 less for men and $293 cheaper for women.

Encompass vs. Rockford Mutual: 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 insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which normally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Rockford Mutual has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $88. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Rockford Mutual again has the edge, with policies averaging about $251 a month to Encompass's $629.

Is Encompass or Rockford Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance carriers 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 accidents and speeding tickets lead to higher prices, but which company -- Encompass or Rockford Mutual -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Encompass for their auto insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up around 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Rockford Mutual policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 29%.

But Rockford Mutual has cheaper rates for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 47% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 41% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Encompass can expect to see around an $101 -- or about 31% -- rise in their car insurance premiums. Drivers who use Rockford Mutual for their insurance will see a monthly bill around $38 (or 24%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their auto insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, Rockford Mutual offers the most affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $158 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 raise your premiums about 78% after a DUI, while Rockford Mutual's average prices rise by nearly 50%.

Rockford Mutual has the overall cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $229 a month, but it's worth noting that Encompass's average rates come from 31 states compared to just two for Rockford Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Encompass and Rockford Mutual Rates?

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

The reasoning insurance carriers use is that policyholders with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper premiums, while those with poor credit will generally be forced to pay more.

Looking at Encompass and Rockford Mutual specifically, which one has the lowest rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, Rockford Mutual will normally reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Rockford Mutual comes in more than 61.43 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save around 64% with Rockford Mutual compared to average premiums from Encompass.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Rockford Mutual typically offers lower prices than Encompass when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 63% per month less with Rockford Mutual compared to Encompass, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around 65% monthly.

Is Encompass or Rockford Mutual 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 rates. That's because the fewer miles you put on your car, the less likely you are to be in a collision 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 Rockford Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Encompass, with policyholders who drive the least paying about $2 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, for drivers in both categories, Rockford Mutual is the more affordable company.

Encompass or Rockford Mutual: 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 big impact as well. Generally, those who live in urban areas will pay more than drivers in rural areas because of the number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

Rockford Mutual boasts the cheapest average premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $144 per month with Rockford Mutual and $404 with Encompass. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly premium of about $131 with Rockford Mutual compared to $434 with Encompass. In urban areas, Rockford Mutual's average prices are around $233 a month compared to Encompass's $560.

Encompass vs. Rockford Mutual Discounts

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

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you can take advantage of, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Encompass and Rockford Mutual so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

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

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and discounts for being a good student. Encompass also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, distant student, and more.

On the other hand, Rockford Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own like multi-car discounts and renewal discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Encompass or Rockford Mutual Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your auto insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, when it comes down to it, is Encompass or Rockford Mutual the right carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Rockford Mutual might be best for you if....

• You have a clean driving record, free of collisions, tickets, or DUIs.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.
• You want to save money while purchasing car insurance for a teenager.

Encompass might be best for you if...

• You already have plans to move to another state -- Rockford Mutual Insurance Company is only available to Illinois and Wisconsin residents.
• You're looking for discounts -- Encompass has the most.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Encompass and Rockford Mutual. 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 a handful of carriers, not just Encompass and Rockford Mutual. 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. Rockford Mutual FAQs

Is Encompass or Rockford Mutual cheaper?

Rockford Mutual is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $169 per month with Rockford Mutual and $466 for Encompass. That being said, that doesn't mean Rockford Mutual will be the lowest carrier for each driver, since there are lots of different factors that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

Who is better, Encompass or Rockford Mutual?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile.

Why do Encompass and Rockford Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use lots of different variables when calculating the premiums they charge. Things such as age, where you park your car, your driving record, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Encompass and Rockford Mutual calculate prices differently, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Encompass or Rockford Mutual 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.