Foremost vs. National General: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, National General offers slightly less expensive rates than Foremost
• Foremost has more affordable prices for residents of rural areas
• National General tends to be a much cheaper option for policyholders who may not have much of a commute

Foremost vs. National General: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Foremost or National General, but which carrier has more affordable rates for car insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, National General is about $21 per month less expensive than Foremost.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean National General will be the cheaper option for every single driver. After all, insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your age, where you call home, your credit score, or even your driving record (among other things), so premiums could differ drastically from person to person.

Wanting to know if Foremost or National General is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Foremost or National General: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Foremost and National General only compete against each other in Texas, where Foremost offers the cheaper average premiums. For Texas residents, Foremost offers car insurance for $237 monthly on average. National General's average rates come out to be more expensive, at $249 a month.

But there's more to auto insurance than just where you live. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how insurance carriers calculate your premiums. Continue reading to see how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance prices of any group out there on the road. That's generally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use Foremost save $25 a month compared to those who use National General.

But with both companies, you'll see your premiums reduce significantly once you turn 25. For example, average rates for Foremost policyholders decrease more than 60% and National General's prices drop over 65% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age typically enjoy some of the lowest insurance rates you'll ever find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which usually reduces their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase prices.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Foremost and National General? National General gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older nearly 20% less expensive than the national average for Foremost.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married drivers tend to get slightly cheaper auto insurance premiums than those who are single. That's normally because married policyholders tend to own and insure several cars, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, the two carriers are comparable for single policyholders, with rates only differing around $17 per month, on average. But for married couples, the advantage is clear - National General offers the most affordable average premiums.

Foremost vs. National General: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get tickets and get into collisions, they have an increased chance of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, men tend to pay more for car insurance than women.

Typically, women see prices about 1% a month less with Foremost, and around 6% less with National General when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, National General comes out as the cheapest option for both genders, with average rates 6% less for men and 10% cheaper for women.

Foremost or National 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.

It's no secret that insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different limits and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

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

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, National General usually offers more affordable prices of $151 compared to Foremost's $173. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, National General again has the edge, with policies about $20 per month less expensive than Foremost, on average.

Is Foremost or National 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.

It's no secret secret that collisions and tickets lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- Foremost or National General -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Foremost policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $56 a month if they get a ticket, while National General normally raises premiums around $20 per month, on average.

That being said, National General has more affordable rates for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 20% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 30% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Foremost drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their prices climb by over 45%, while those who have insurance through National General will see about a 65% increase.

Overall, Foremost offers the cheapest premiums for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly rates averaging $381 compared to National General Insurance's $472.

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 an accident. On average, Foremost will increase your prices around 15% after a DUI, while National General's average premiums increase by over 10%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable rates, National General tends to be the much more affordable option with average prices of $183 per month compared to $238 from Foremost.

How does Credit Score Impact Foremost and National General Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly car insurance premiums. This isn't always the case (for example, Hawaii and Massachusetts are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for lots of policyholders.

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

Looking at Foremost and National General specifically, which company has the most affordable prices for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, you'll usually find a better deal with National General. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 15% compared to Foremost, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $38 or 15% less expensive every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have less-than-perfect credit, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best rates. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $15 less with National General than Foremost, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving about $4 a month with Foremost.

Is Foremost or National General Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in your monthly premiums. Generally, those who drive less will end up with more affordable prices since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Foremost or National General report increasing premiums for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, National General comes out as the cheapest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle yearly, with average rates of $249 per month for both.

Foremost vs. National General: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for auto insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a substantial impact as well. Usually, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas due to the number of cars that are on the roads in those areas.

Looking at these carriers side-by-side, National General tends to offer the lowest option for drivers in urban and suburban areas, while Foremost wins in rural areas.

In urban areas, National General Insurance's average prices are around 18% less than Foremost Insurance Group. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about 16% less with National General compared to Foremost. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save around 16% with Foremost compared to National General.

Foremost vs. National 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 insurance discounts comes into play.

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you can take advantage of, since it can feel sometimes like every carrier has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

In the table below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Foremost and National General so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Overall, Foremost comes out ahead with 12 discounts to National General's eight.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, and discounts for being a defensive driver. Foremost also offers distant student discounts, EFT discounts, good driving discounts, and more that National General does not.

On the flip side, National General has a couple unique discounts of its own -- discounts for getting driver training, group discounts, low mileage discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Foremost or National General Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your car insurance rates. We've broken down the different discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, is Foremost or National General the right carrier for you and your specific needs?

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

• You have a clean record.
• You want basic auto insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You've started working from home and don't have much of a commute.

Foremost might be best for you if...

• You care about discounts (Foremost offers the most).
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.
• You're buying insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

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

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

Foremost vs. National General FAQs

Is Foremost or National General cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, National General is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $249 a month compared to $270 for Foremost. However, National General won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for each policyholder, since there are many different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Foremost or National General?

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

Why do Foremost and National General offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at several different factors when calculating the rates they charge drivers. Variables such as gender, age, where you park your vehicle, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Foremost and National General calculate prices differently, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

How do I know if Foremost or National General is right for me?

The only way to find the auto 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 does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest rate. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Foremost or National 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.