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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Safeway offers significantly cheaper rates than Encompass
• Encompass may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Safeway Insurance
• Safeway has more affordable premiums for drivers who have a speeding ticket on their driving record

Encompass or Safeway: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might be considering Encompass or Safeway as potential options, but between the two, which carrier will offer you less expensive rates?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Safeway has average rates that are around 60% a month more affordable than those from Encompass.

However, Safeway may not be the lowest or best option for every single driver out there. Auto insurance companies use a ton of complex algorithms to determine premiums, so depending on how good your credit score is or how old you are (among multiple other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

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

Encompass vs. Safeway: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Encompass and Safeway only compete against each other in three states, with Safeway offering cheaper rates to the average driver in all of them. Louisiana has the most noticable difference, where Safeway prices are $946 less expensive than car insurance rates at Encompass.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance payment than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for car insurance than any group out there on the road. That's generally 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.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance premiums. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 60% less per month by choosing Safeway over Encompass.

But with both carriers, you'll see your prices lower significantly once you turn 25. Safeway offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Encompass's average premiums drop more than 65% during that same period.

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 most affordable prices you'll ever find.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Encompass and Safeway? Safeway gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $199 cheaper than the national average for Encompass.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married drivers tend to get slightly more affordable auto insurance premiums than single policyholders. That's because policies for married couples typically cover several vehicles, which quite a few companies will give you a discount for.

For those who are single, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with Safeway premiums coming in at about 60% less than Encompass's. The advantage for married policyholders with Safeway is also obvious, where drivers save over 55% a month.

Encompass or Safeway: Average Rates by Gender

Women tend to pay less for insurance than men. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

Usually, women see prices around 5% per month less with Encompass, but with Safeway, the difference is closer to 9% a month.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Safeway comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $274 per month and women save about $269 with Safeway compared to the average Encompass policyholder.

Encompass vs. Safeway: 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, car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different limits and coverages 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 (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which usually refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Safeway has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $130. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Safeway again has the edge, with policies averaging around $258 a month to Encompass's $629.

Is Encompass or Safeway Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance companies offering great prices 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 speeding tickets and at-fault collisions lead to higher rates, but which company -- Encompass or Safeway -- has the cheapest premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Encompass for their auto insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Safeway policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 4%.

Even so, Safeway tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket, offering prices that are $64 and $118 less expensive, respectively, compared to Encompass Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through Encompass can expect to see about an $101 -- or around 31% -- rise in their auto insurance rates. Drivers who use Safeway for their car insurance will see a monthly bill about $60 (or 27%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Safeway end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average premiums coming in at $223 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 speeding ticket or even a collision. For example, Encompass increases average prices by more than $500 per month -- that's nearly a 80% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Safeway tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $220 to Encompass's 1020.

How does Credit Score Impact Encompass and Safeway Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance carriers take your credit score into account when determining prices? This isn't true for everyone (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it does affect many drivers out there.

Insurance companies argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time every month, which reduces the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

So, which company offers the best premiums for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

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

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on your monthly rates. Typically, the more milage you put on your car each year, the more you can expect to pay for car insurance.

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

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

Where you live can play a considerable role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Usually, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

Safeway boasts the lowest average rates for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to pay around $146 per month with Safeway and $404 with Encompass. People in suburban areas pay about $201 with Safeway compared to Encompass's $434 a month. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Safeway's average premiums are around $234 a month compared to Encompass's $560.

Encompass vs. Safeway 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 with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be difficult to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Encompass and Safeway offer their customers so that you can see which one can save you the most money each month.

Encompass knocks Safeway out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 15 more discounts than Safeway.

Both carriers offer quite a few of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a homeowner, and paid in full discounts -- but Encompass also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, anti-theft, and more.

On the other hand, Safeway has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like agency transfer discounts, full coverage discounts, multi-car discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Encompass or Safeway 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. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which carrier is the best company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Safeway might be best for you if....

• You haven't received any speeding tickets or been in an accident in the last few years.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.

Encompass might be best for you if...

• You care about discounts (Encompass offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Encompass and Safeway and that it aids in making a more informed decision about 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 car insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple companies, not just Encompass and Safeway. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Encompass vs. Safeway FAQs

Is Encompass or Safeway cheaper?

Safeway is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $194 per month with Safeway and $466 for Encompass. But that doesn't mean Safeway will be the cheapest company for each driver, since there are lots of different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Encompass or Safeway?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". Neither carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Encompass and Safeway offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use several different factors when calculating the rates they charge. Variables such as where you call home, gender, where your home is, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Encompass and Safeway calculate prices using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

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

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several 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 area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Encompass or Safeway 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.