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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, State Auto offers significantly cheaper prices than Encompass
• Encompass may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than State Auto Insurance
• State Auto has less expensive premiums for drivers who have below-average credit

Encompass or State Auto: 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 huge savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Encompass or State Auto for your next policy, but between the two, which one has more affordable prices for car insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, State Auto is quite a bit cheaper than Encompass, with premiums averaging $259 a month compared to $466 with Encompass.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean State Auto will be the less expensive option for every single driver. Auto insurance carriers vary their rates depending on things like how old you are, where you live, how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, and a variety of other factors, so premiums could change drastically from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Encompass or State Auto is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each company broken down by many different rate factors.

Encompass vs. State Auto: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Encompass and State Auto compete against each other in nine states, with Encompass offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Illinois, Maryland, or Texas, Encompass is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at the overall average prices. State Auto is the more affordable option in Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin.

There's a lot more that goes into your insurance cost than just where you live. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for auto insurance than any group out there on the road. The reason is that teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. As you can see above, teens who use State Auto save over 35% per month compared to those who use Encompass.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for Encompass policyholders drop around $500 and State Auto's premiums decrease more than $500 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll generally enjoy the most affordable car insurance rates you can find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for insurance.

So, which carrier offers the best rates to retired drivers? State Auto gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older over 50% less expensive than the national average for Encompass.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance prices than married couples. That's normally because married policyholders tend to own and insure several vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with State Auto prices coming in at about half of Encompass's. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - State Auto offers the lowest average rates.

Encompass or State Auto: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men tend to pay more for auto insurance than women? That's because men are more likely to get tickets and get into collisions, which increases the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

Men typically pay around 5% more a month than women with Encompass, and about 9% more with State Auto.

When it comes to the cheapest prices for each gender, State Auto offers the lowest average rates for both men and women, with average premiums $206 less for men and $207 cheaper for women.

Encompass vs. State Auto: 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. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different terms and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which normally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, State Auto has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $149. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, State Auto again has the edge, with policies averaging around $369 per month to Encompass's $629.

Is Encompass or State Auto Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from 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 speeding tickets and collisions lead to higher prices, but which company -- Encompass or State Auto -- has the most affordable rates for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Encompass for their car insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. State Auto policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 22%.

But State Auto is generally the cheaper option for drivers both with a ticket and with a clean record, offering prices that are $57 and $70 less expensive, respectively, compared to Encompass Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Encompass drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums rise by over 30%, while those who have insurance through State Auto will see about a 35% increase.

At the end of the day, the more affordable rates come from State Auto, with average prices coming in at $269 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. On average, Encompass will increase your premiums around 78% after a DUI, while State Auto's average prices climb by more than 55%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, State Auto tends to be cheaper for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $380 to Encompass's 1020.

How does Credit Score Impact Encompass and State Auto Rates?

Often times, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly insurance rates. This isn't true for everyone (for example, Michigan and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect quite a few policyholders out there.

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 more affordable premiums.

So, which carrier offers the cheapest prices for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, State Auto will usually reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, State Auto comes in nearly 44.57 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save around 42% with State Auto compared to average rates from Encompass.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

State Auto typically offers lower prices than Encompass when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 44% a month less with State Auto compared to Encompass, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around 45% monthly.

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

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Usually, the more milage you drive, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

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

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

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

State Auto boasts the lowest average premiums for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

In urban areas, State Auto's average rates are around $317 while Encompass offers prices about $560. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $236 with State Auto compared to Encompass's $434 a month. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay about $225 per month with State Auto compared to Encompass's $404.

Encompass vs. State Auto Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new 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 challenging to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you're eligible for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Encompass and State Auto 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 State Auto away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 26 different discounts to State Auto's 18.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like advance quote discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, distant student discounts, and discounts for being a good driver. Encompass also offers discounts for DRL, EFT, fire/fisher, and more.

On the other hand, State Auto has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advantage program discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, gold plus discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Encompass or State Auto Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which insurance carrier is the best fit for you?

State Auto might be best for you if....

• You have less-than-stellar credit.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles each year.

Encompass might be best for you if...

• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Encompass and State Auto and that you can now make a more informed 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 several companies, not just Encompass and State Auto. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Encompass vs. State Auto FAQs

Is Encompass or State Auto cheaper?

State Auto is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $259 per month with State Auto and $466 for Encompass. Even so, that doesn't mean State Auto will be the cheapest company for every driver, since there are lots of different variables that are considered when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, Encompass or State Auto?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Encompass and State Auto offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use lots of different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Variables like gender, age, your driving record, where you park your car, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Encompass and State Auto use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different companies.

How do I know if Encompass or State Auto 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, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. 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 best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Encompass or State Auto 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.