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

Quick Facts

• In general, The General offers significantly less expensive premiums than Encompass
• Encompass offers more discounts than The General
• The General has cheaper prices for drivers who have received a ticket within the last few years

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

Are you considering a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering large discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Encompass or The General for your next policy, but between the two, which one will offer you less expensive premiums?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, The General is quite a bit cheaper than Encompass, with prices averaging $241 per month compared to $466 with Encompass.

But that doesn't mean The General will necessarily be cheaper than Encompass for every driver. Auto insurance carriers vary their rates depending on things like how good your credit score is, how old you are, where you live, how clean your driving record is, and a ton of other factors. So, at the end of the day, premiums from each company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both Encompass and The General by several different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Encompass or The General: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Encompass and The General only compete against each other in three states, with Encompass offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Utah, The General is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at the overall average rates. Encompass is the less expensive option in Arizona and Missouri.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance bill than just the state you live in. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. Typically, that's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high premiums, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. As you can see above, teens who use The General save more than $500 a month compared to those who use Encompass. It's worth noting that Encompass offers insurance in 31 different states compared to The General's three, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for Encompass policyholders decrease over $500 and The General's premiums reduce about $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to auto insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the lowest rates out there.

So, which company offers the best premiums to retired drivers? The General gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at around $195 per month compared to Encompass's $335.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance premiums are normally more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married policyholders? That's usually because married drivers tend to own and insure multiple cars, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, The General is the clear winner for single drivers, with prices about $293 per month more affordable than Encompass, on average. The advantage for married couples with The General is also obvious, where drivers save more than 40% a month.

Encompass vs. The General: Average Rates by Gender

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

On average, women see prices nearly $25 per month less expensive with Encompass, and around $32 less with The General.

When it comes to the most affordable rates for each gender, The General offers the lowest average premiums for both men and women, with average rates $220 less for men and $229 cheaper for women.

Encompass or The General: 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.

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 vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

Even so, the most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which normally refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, The General usually offers significantly cheaper prices of $154 compared to Encompass's $302. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, The General again has the edge, with policies about $300 a month more affordable than Encompass, on average.

Is Encompass or The General Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their auto insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

Accidents and tickets will most likely raise your premiums, but is Encompass or The General cheaper for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Encompass policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $61 per month if they get a ticket, while The General generally raises rates around $48 a month, on average.

However, The General is typically the more affordable option for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket, offering premiums that are $35 and $48 less expensive, respectively, compared to Encompass Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Encompass can expect to see about an $101 -- or around 31% -- increase in their car insurance rates. Drivers who use The General for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $87 (or 31%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their car insurance carrier.

Overall, the more affordable premiums come from The General, with monthly prices averaging $279 compared to Encompass Insurance's $328.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. Encompass drivers usually see a 78% climb in their car insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while The General will normally increase prices by around 24%.

The General has the overall most affordable rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $254 monthly, but it's worth noting that Encompass's average rates come from 31 states compared to just three for The General, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Encompass and The General Rates?

Did you know that many 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 several drivers.

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, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with less expensive rates.

So, which company offers the best prices for drivers with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, you'll usually find a better deal with The General. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save just under 50% compared to Encompass, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $179 or 45% cheaper every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

The General typically offers lower rates than Encompass when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $224 per month less with The General compared to Encompass, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of about $322 a month.

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

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on your monthly premiums. Generally, the more miles 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 The General charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for Encompass, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles annually paying around $2 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, The General is the more affordable option for drivers in both categories.

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

Where your home is can have a pretty big impact on your monthly insurance payment. Typically, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders due to the small number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, The General usually comes out as the lowest option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest premiums from both companies, but The General comes out on top with average rates about $189 monthly. The General also has cheaper average premiums for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 45% and 48% a month respective difference when compared to Encompass drivers in similar areas.

Encompass vs. The General Discounts

Regardless of 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 possible. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be challenging to find all the ones you're eligible for.

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Encompass and The General offer their customers so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Encompass knocks The General out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 20 more discounts than The General.

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 ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, and more that The General does not.

On the flip side, The General has a couple unique discounts of its own -- liability only discounts and star level discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Encompass or The General Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your car insurance and the different discounts companies offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which company is the right company for you and your specific profile and needs?

The General might be best for you if....

• You have a clean driving record, free of collisions, tickets, or DUIs.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You're buying auto insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

Encompass might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance carrier.
• You care about discounts (Encompass offers the most).

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Encompass and The General and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from several carriers, not just Encompass and The General. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Encompass vs. The General FAQs

Is Encompass or The General cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, The General is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $241 per month compared to $466 for Encompass. That being said, The General won't necessarily be the most affordable company for every driver, since there are a variety of different variables (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Encompass or The General?

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

Why do Encompass and The General offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at a lot of different factors when determining the premiums they charge policyholders. Variables such as gender, your driving record, where you park your car, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Encompass and The General calculate prices using different factors, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see 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 The General is right for me?

The only way to find the 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 makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest rate. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Encompass or The General 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.