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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, Trustgard Auto offers significantly more affordable premiums than Encompass
• Encompass may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Trustgard Auto Insurance
• Trustgard Auto has less expensive rates for drivers who have below-average credit

Encompass or Trustgard Auto: 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 big savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Encompass or Trustgard Auto as your top options, but between the two, which carrier will offer you cheaper prices?

As you can see, Encompass is quite a bit more expensive than Trustgard Auto, with rates averaging $466 a month compared to just $137 with Trustgard Auto when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean Trustgard Auto will be the more affordable option for every single driver. Car insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like where you live, how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, and tons of other factors, so prices will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both Encompass and Trustgard Auto by multiple different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

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

Encompass and Trustgard Auto only compete against each other in three states, with Trustgard Auto offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. Tennessee has the most noticable difference, where Trustgard Auto prices are $111 less expensive than auto insurance rates at Encompass.

There's a lot more that goes into your insurance bill than just where you call home. 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 teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance premiums. As you can see above, teens who use Trustgard Auto save over 70% per month compared to those who use Encompass. It's worth noting that Encompass offers car insurance in 31 different states compared to Trustgard Auto's three, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, with both companies, you'll see your prices lower significantly by the time you turn 25. Trustgard Auto offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Encompass's average premiums reduce 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 cheapest rates you'll ever see.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Encompass and Trustgard Auto? Trustgard Auto gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $239 more affordable than the national average for Encompass.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance premiums tend to be more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married policyholders. That's usually because married drivers tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For single drivers, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with Trustgard Auto prices coming in at around 70% less than Encompass's. The advantage for married couples with Trustgard Auto is also obvious, where drivers save about $250 a month.

Encompass or Trustgard Auto: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get tickets and get into collisions, they have a decreased chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, insurance companies will often charge women less than men.

With Encompass, women normally pay almost $25 per month less than men, but with Trustgard Auto, the difference is closer to $9 a month.

Looking at overall affordability, Trustgard Auto comes out as the lowest option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $335 per month and women save around $321 with Trustgard Auto compared to the average Encompass policyholder.

Encompass vs. Trustgard 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 coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

That being said, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Trustgard Auto has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $79. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Trustgard Auto again has the edge, with policies averaging about $196 a month to Encompass's $629.

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

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

It's no secret secret that collisions and speeding tickets lead to higher prices, but which carrier -- Encompass or Trustgard Auto -- has the most affordable premiums for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Encompass for their auto insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up around 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Trustgard Auto policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 34%.

But Trustgard Auto has less expensive rates for drivers in both categories. With Trustgard Auto Insurance, drivers with a clean record can save around $129 per month and drivers with a ticket can save about $140 a month.

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 $100, while those who have insurance through Trustgard Auto will see around a $35 increase.

At the end of the day, Trustgard Auto offers the lowest prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $133 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.

Trustgard Auto has the overall cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $171 a month, but it's worth noting that Encompass's average rates come from 31 states compared to just three for Trustgard Auto, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Encompass and Trustgard Auto Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly car insurance premiums. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it might come into play for many policyholders.

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 cheaper rates.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, Trustgard Auto will usually reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Trustgard Auto comes in just under 68 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save about 68% with Trustgard Auto compared to average premiums from Encompass.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Trustgard Auto typically offers lower prices than Encompass when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 70% a month less with Trustgard Auto compared to Encompass, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of about 74% per month.

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

Did you know that the amount of time you spend in your car have a considerable impact on your monthly rates? That's because the fewer miles you put on your vehicle, the less likely you are to be in an accident 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 Trustgard Auto charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for Encompass, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car yearly paying around $2 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Trustgard Auto is the more affordable carrier.

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

Where you live can have a pretty big impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Typically, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers since there are a lot more vehicles on the roads where they live.

Trustgard Auto tends to offer the cheapest prices for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay about $134 monthly with Trustgard Auto and $404 with Encompass. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $132 with Trustgard Auto compared to Encompass's $434 a month. In urban areas, Trustgard Auto's average rates are about $147 per month compared to Encompass's $560.

Encompass vs. Trustgard 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 taking advantage of as many auto insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be hard to find all the ones you're eligible for or to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Encompass and Trustgard Auto so that you can see which one can save you the most money each month.

Encompass knocks Trustgard Auto out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 26 different discounts to Trustgard Auto's 16.

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

On the other hand, Trustgard Auto has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advanced safety feature discounts, company car discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, and more.

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

You've seen the role 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 company is the best company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

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

• You will be the only person on the auto insurance policy.
• You're looking for the best premiums on liability only coverage.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles each year.

Encompass might be best for you if...

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- Trustgard Auto Insurance only offers policies in three states.
• You care about discounts (Encompass offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Encompass and Trustgard Auto. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 companies, not just Encompass and Trustgard Auto. 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 insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Encompass vs. Trustgard Auto FAQs

Is Encompass or Trustgard Auto cheaper?

Trustgard Auto is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $137 a month with Trustgard Auto and $466 for Encompass. However, that doesn't mean Trustgard Auto will be the most affordable carrier for every policyholder, since there are a range of different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Encompass or Trustgard Auto?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for each policyholder -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Encompass and Trustgard Auto offer me different rates?

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

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

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several carriers 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 insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Encompass or Trustgard 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.