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

Quick Facts

• In general, Penn National offers more affordable prices than Foremost
• Foremost has less expensive premiums for drivers with a DUI
• Penn National offers cheaper average prices for policyholders who live in urban areas

Foremost or Penn National: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Foremost or Penn National for your next policy, but which carrier has more affordable premiums for car insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Foremost is around $52 more a month than Penn National.

That being said, Penn National may not be the most affordable or best option for each driver out there. Auto insurance carriers use a ton of complex algorithms to determine rates, so depending on how clean your driving record is or where you live (among an array of other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both Foremost and Penn National by a variety of different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

Foremost vs. Penn National: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Foremost and Penn National only compete against each other in one states, with Penn National offering less expensive prices to the average driver in all of them. New Jersey has the most noticable difference, where Penn National premiums are $111 cheaper than insurance prices at Foremost.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance payment than just where you live. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for auto insurance than any group on the road. It's normally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

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 almost 15% less per month by choosing Penn National over Foremost.

But both companies will reduce premiums by the time drivers turn 25. Penn National offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Foremost's average prices decrease over 60% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll typically enjoy the cheapest insurance rates you'll ever see. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly premiums for car insurance.

When looking at Foremost and Penn National specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Penn National gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at about $163 a month compared to Foremost's $219.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Penn National prices coming in at a quarter less than Foremost's. The advantage for married drivers with Penn National is also obvious, where drivers save nearly 20% a month.

Foremost or Penn National: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into a collision or get pulled over for speeding, which means they'll generally end up paying more for car insurance than women.

With Foremost, women typically pay around 1% per month less than men, and about 2% less with Penn National.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Penn National offers the lowest average rates for both men and women, with average prices $52 less for men and $53 cheaper for women.

Foremost vs. Penn National: 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 so many different coverages and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

However, the 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 an accident) and full coverage (which normally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Penn National has the edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $144. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Penn National again has the edge, with policies averaging around $292 a month to Foremost's $366.

Is Foremost or Penn National Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car 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.

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and collisions lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- Foremost or Penn National -- has the cheapest premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Foremost for their auto insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 22% after getting a speeding ticket. Penn National policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 22%.

Even so, Penn National has more affordable prices for drivers in both categories, offering rates that are $63 and $79 less expensive, respectively, compared to Foremost Insurance Group.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Foremost raising by about 47%. Penn National has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay nearly 35% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, the cheaper premiums come from Penn National, with average prices coming in at $206 compared to Foremost Insurance Group's $381.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. On average, Penn National will raise your premiums around 60% after a DUI, while Foremost's average rates climb by more than 15%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, Foremost tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $238 to Penn National's $346.

How does Credit Score Impact Foremost and Penn National Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly car insurance rates. This isn't true for everyone (for example, California and Massachusetts are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect many drivers out there.

Insurance companies argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time every month, which decreases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Foremost or Penn National 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 cheaper prices since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Foremost or Penn National report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, Penn National comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car annually, with average premiums of $218 per month for both.

Foremost or Penn National: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can have a sizable impact on your monthly auto insurance bill. Typically, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas because of the small number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Penn National usually comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 20% with Penn National compared to Foremost. People who live in suburban areas pay about 26% less with Penn National compared to Foremost. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Penn National Insurance's average prices are around 14% less than Foremost Insurance Group.

Foremost vs. Penn National 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 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 qualify for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Foremost and Penn National 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, Penn National comes out ahead with 16 discounts to Foremost's 12.

Both companies offer several of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, and distant student discounts -- but Penn National also offers discounts for ABS, added pip option , driver training, and more.

On the other hand, Foremost has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like EFT discounts, good driving discounts, minor child discounts, and more.

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

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your car insurance rates. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, is Foremost or Penn National the right fit for you?

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

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.

Foremost might be best for you if...

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Foremost and Penn National 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 multiple carriers, not just Foremost and Penn National. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Foremost vs. Penn National FAQs

Is Foremost or Penn National cheaper?

Penn National is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $218 a month with Penn National and $270 for Foremost. But that doesn't mean Penn National will be the most affordable company for each policyholder, since there are a bunch of different factors that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

Who is better, Foremost or Penn National?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for every policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Foremost is cheaper for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while Penn National offers more affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their record.

Why do Foremost and Penn National offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use quite a few different variables when determining the rates they charge. Things like your driving record, where you park your car, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Foremost and Penn National use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several companies 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 ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Foremost or Penn National 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.