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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Selective offers significantly less expensive premiums than Encompass
• Encompass offers more discounts than Selective Insurance
• Selective has cheaper prices for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record

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

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering large discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might be considering Encompass or Selective as your top options, but which company has more affordable rates for auto insurance?

As you can see, Encompass has average rates that are about 60% per month more expensive than those from Selective when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean Selective will be the less expensive option for every driver. Auto insurance companies vary their prices depending on things like how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, where you live, how old you are, and tons of other factors, so premiums will vary quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Encompass or Selective is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each company broken down by a variety of different rate factors.

Encompass or Selective: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Encompass and Selective only compete against each other in New Jersey, where Selective offers the cheaper average prices. For New Jersey residents, Selective offers insurance for $184 monthly on average. Encompass's average premiums come out to be over 70% more expensive, at $433 per month.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance bill than just your home state. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- typically pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. The reason is that young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

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

But both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. Selective offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Encompass's average prices decrease over 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 lowest rates you'll ever see.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Selective gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at around $120 a month compared to Encompass's $335.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance rates are generally more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married drivers? This usually boils down to married policyholders having several cars on their policy -- something many car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Selective is the clear winner for single drivers, with premiums about $354 per month cheaper than Encompass, on average. For married couples, the advantage is clear again - Selective has the edge when it comes to average prices.

Encompass vs. Selective: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into an accident or get pulled over for speeding. That means when it comes to insurance men will normally end up paying a little more.

Typically, women see rates nearly $25 a month more affordable with Encompass, and around $10 cheaper with Selective when compared to their male counterparts.

When it comes to the most affordable premiums for each gender, Selective comes out on top for both men and women, with average rates 60% less for men and 61% cheaper for women.

Encompass or Selective: 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 pretty complicated. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different limits and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy.

Even so, most policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to what you get with liability).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Selective usually offers significantly less expensive premiums of $127 compared to Encompass's $302. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Selective again has the edge, with policies about $400 per month cheaper than Encompass, on average.

Is Encompass or Selective 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and accidents on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the cheapest prices to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Encompass policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $61 a month if they get a ticket, while Selective typically raises prices around $76 per month, on average.

But Selective is generally the more affordable option for drivers both with a speeding ticket and with a clean record -- their rates are around 38% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 25% more affordable for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Encompass drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums increase by over 30%, while those who have insurance through Selective will see about a 15% increase.

Overall, Selective offers the most affordable rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with monthly premiums averaging $162 compared to Encompass Insurance's $328.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly auto insurance bill -- usually a lot more than a collision or ticket. Encompass drivers usually see a 78% climb in their insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Selective will normally increase rates by around 35%.

Selective has the overall lowest prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $217 monthly, but it's worth noting that Encompass's average rates come from 31 states compared to just one for Selective, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Encompass and Selective Rates?

Did you know that many car insurance companies take into account your credit score when calculating premiums? Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it might come into play for quite a few policyholders.

Auto insurance companies 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 less expensive rates.

Looking specifically at Encompass and Selective, which one has the cheapest prices for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Selective. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 50% compared to Encompass, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $216 or 55% cheaper each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Selective typically offers lower premiums than Encompass when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $287 a month less with Selective compared to Encompass, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of about $452 per month.

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

How much you drive can have a large impact on your monthly rates. That's because the fewer miles you put on your car, the less likely you are to get into an accident and cause an insurance claim.

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

Encompass vs. Selective: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

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

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Selective generally comes out as the lowest option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable premiums from both companies, but Selective comes out on top with average prices about $139 a month. Selective also has more affordable average rates for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $350 and $230 per month respective difference when compared to Encompass policyholders in similar areas.

Encompass vs. Selective Discounts

You want to save as much money as possible, right? The best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many auto insurance discounts as you can.

The hard part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible for, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Encompass and Selective so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Encompass blows Selective away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 13 more discounts than Selective.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Encompass also offers ABS discounts, DRL discounts, EFT discounts, and more that Selective does not.

On the flip side, Selective has a couple unique discounts of its own -- discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company, occasional operator discounts, and prior insurance discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Encompass or Selective Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your car insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, at the end of the day, which carrier is the best company for you and your specific driver profile?

Selective might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing auto insurance by yourself.
• You want basic insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You are purchasing your car insurance with a spouse.

Encompass might be best for you if...

• You're thinking about moving to another state -- Selective Insurance only offers policies in NJ.
• You care about discounts (Encompass offers the most).

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Encompass and Selective and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Encompass and Selective. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Encompass vs. Selective FAQs

Is Encompass or Selective cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Selective is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $184 a month compared to $466 for Encompass. However, Selective won't necessarily be the cheapest company for each policyholder, since there are a bunch of different variables that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

Who is better, Encompass or Selective?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One carrier is not necessarily "better" for every driver -- it all boils down to your unique insurance profile.

Why do Encompass and Selective offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at a lot of different factors when determining the prices they charge drivers. Things such as age, gender, where you live, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Encompass and Selective use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Encompass or Selective 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.