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

Quick Facts

• In general, Wolverine Mutual offers significantly cheaper premiums than Encompass
• Encompass may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Wolverine Mutual
• Wolverine Mutual has more affordable prices for drivers who have a speeding ticket on their driving record

Encompass or Wolverine Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering hefty savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Encompass or Wolverine Mutual as potential options, but which company will offer you less expensive rates?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Wolverine Mutual has average rates that are around 50% a month cheaper than those from Encompass.

But Wolverine Mutual may not be the cheapest or best option for every driver out there. After all, auto insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your age, your driving record, your credit score, or even where you call home (among other things), so premiums will vary quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average prices from both Encompass and Wolverine Mutual by lots of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Encompass vs. Wolverine Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Encompass and Wolverine Mutual only compete against each other in Michigan, where Wolverine Mutual offers the cheaper average premiums. Wolverine Mutual drivers tend to pay about $266 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Encompass for their car insurance.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance bill than just where you live. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance prices of any other group of drivers. The reason is that teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 60% less a month by choosing Wolverine Mutual over Encompass. It's worth noting that Encompass offers car insurance in 31 different states compared to Wolverine Mutual's one, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

However, with both carriers, you'll see your premiums lower significantly once you turn 25. Wolverine Mutual offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying a third less what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Encompass's average rates decrease more than 65% during that same period.

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 premiums you can find.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Encompass and Wolverine Mutual? Wolverine Mutual gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $216 more affordable than the national average for Encompass.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married drivers tend to get slightly less expensive insurance prices than those who are single. This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something many car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with Wolverine Mutual premiums coming in at about half of Encompass's. The advantage for married couples with Wolverine Mutual is also obvious, where drivers save around $150 per month.

Encompass or Wolverine Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim, which means they'll generally end up paying more for insurance than women.

With Encompass, men normally pay about 5% more a month than women.; women and men get the same monthly rates with Wolverine Mutual.

When it comes to the cheapest premiums for each gender, Wolverine Mutual comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average prices $253 less for men and $230 cheaper for women.

Encompass vs. Wolverine Mutual: 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.

Auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are many different coverages that account for a variety of different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Wolverine Mutual has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $114. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Wolverine Mutual again has the edge, with policies averaging around $335 per month to Encompass's $629.

Is Encompass or Wolverine Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance companies offering great premiums for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

You'll probably end up paying more with speeding tickets and at-fault accidents on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the most affordable prices to drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Encompass for their auto insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Wolverine Mutual policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 17%.

Even so, Wolverine Mutual tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with a ticket and with a clean record, offering rates that are $81 and $113 more affordable, respectively, compared to Encompass Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Encompass drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their prices climb by over $100, while those who have insurance through Wolverine Mutual will see about a $40 increase.

At the end of the day, Wolverine Mutual offers the cheapest premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average prices coming in at $188 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 car insurance bill -- typically a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. For example, Encompass increases average premiums by more than $500 a month -- that's nearly a 80% increase.

Wolverine Mutual has the overall lowest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $389 per month, but it's worth noting that Encompass's average rates come from 31 states compared to just one for Wolverine Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Encompass and Wolverine Mutual Rates?

Often times, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly auto insurance premiums. This isn't true for everyone (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a car insurance factor) but it will come into play for lots of policyholders.

The reasoning car insurance companies use is that drivers with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so usually, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with less expensive rates.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Michigan is one of a small number of states that restricts insurance carriers from using credit scores to calculate rates. And since Wolverine Mutual is only available in Michigan, there is no data available on how credit score impacts prices because it's not a factor at all. This may be a good thing, since Encompass and other companies tend to raise premiums quite a bit in other states if you don't have excellent credit.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have bad credit and live in Michigan, the good news is it won't cost you extra when it comes to car insurance. As you can see, poor credit can really cost Encompass drivers in other states, but no need to worry if you live in Michigan.

Is Encompass or Wolverine Mutual 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 substantial impact on your monthly rates? That's because the more milage you put on your vehicle, the more likely you are to be in a collision 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 Wolverine Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Encompass, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car yearly paying around $2 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Wolverine Mutual is the cheaper carrier.

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

Where you park your vehicle can have a large impact on your monthly insurance payment. Normally, drivers who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural policyholders due to the number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

Wolverine Mutual boasts the most affordable average premiums for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Wolverine Mutual's average prices are about $344 per month compared to Encompass's $560. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly price of around $192 with Wolverine Mutual compared to $434 with Encompass. Those in rural areas can expect to pay about $137 monthly with Wolverine Mutual and $404 with Encompass.

Encompass vs. Wolverine Mutual 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 auto insurance discounts as possible.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Encompass and Wolverine Mutual so that you can see which one can save you the most money each month.

Encompass knocks Wolverine Mutual out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 17 more discounts than Wolverine Mutual.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Encompass also offers discounts for advance quote, anti-theft, defensive driver, and more.

On the other hand, Wolverine Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own like multi-car discounts and seat belt discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Encompass or Wolverine Mutual Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your car insurance premiums. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. But, at the end of the day, is Encompass or Wolverine Mutual the best carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

Wolverine Mutual might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the auto insurance policy.
• Your credit is below-average.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower prices.

Encompass might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance carrier.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Encompass and Wolverine Mutual. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your car 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 several companies, not just Encompass and Wolverine Mutual. 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 insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Encompass vs. Wolverine Mutual FAQs

Is Encompass or Wolverine Mutual cheaper?

Wolverine Mutual is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $224 a month with Wolverine Mutual and $466 for Encompass. That being said, that doesn't mean Wolverine Mutual will be the lowest carrier for every driver, since there are several different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Encompass or Wolverine Mutual?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for each policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Encompass and Wolverine Mutual offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use several different factors when determining the prices they charge. Things such as your driving record, where you live, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Encompass and Wolverine Mutual use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

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

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers 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 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 best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Encompass or Wolverine Mutual 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.