GEICO vs. Metromile: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Metromile offers cheaper rates than GEICO
• GEICO offers more affordable prices for policyholders who have a clean driving record, free of accidents, tickets, or DUIs
• Metromile offers more affordable rates for residents of urban areas

GEICO vs. Metromile: 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 large discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed your search down to GEICO or Metromile as potential options, but which company will save you the most?

As you can see, Metromile has average rates that are about 19% per month less expensive than those from GEICO when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

That being said, that doesn't mean Metromile will necessarily be more affordable than GEICO for every driver. Car insurance companies use all sorts of complex algorithms to calculate premiums, so depending on where you live or how good your credit score is (among a whole range of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both GEICO and Metromile by a range of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

GEICO or Metromile: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

GEICO and Metromile only compete against each other in Arizona, where GEICO offers the cheaper average prices. For Arizona residents, GEICO offers auto insurance for $131 a month on average. Metromile's average premiums come out to be over 10% more expensive, at $150 per month.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance payment than just your home state. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for car insurance than any group on the road. It's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use Metromile save more than $45 a month compared to those who use GEICO. It's worth noting that GEICO offers auto insurance in 50 different states compared to Metromile's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time you turn 25. For example, average premiums for GEICO policyholders lower over $200 and Metromile's rates drop around $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to car insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest prices out there.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between GEICO and Metromile? Metromile gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $19 less expensive than the national average for GEICO.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married couples tend to get slightly cheaper auto insurance rates than those who are single. That's typically because married drivers tend to own and insure more than one car, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, Metromile is the clear winner for single drivers, with prices about $34 per month more affordable than GEICO, on average. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - Metromile has the edge when it comes to average rates.

GEICO vs. Metromile: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men normally pay more for insurance than women? This is because men are more likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, which increases the chances of an insurance claim.

Men usually pay nearly $10 a month more than women with GEICO, but surprisingly, with Metromile, men typically pay around $4 per month less than women.

When it comes to the most affordable premiums for each gender, Metromile comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $29 a month and men save about $41 with Metromile compared to the average GEICO policyholder.

GEICO or Metromile: 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 isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

However, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- 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 -- in addition to liability).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Metromile generally offers slightly cheaper prices of $99 compared to GEICO's $101. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Metromile again has the edge, with policies around $70 per month more affordable than GEICO, on average.

Is GEICO or Metromile Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance companies offering great rates 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 at-fault collisions and tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the lowest premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

GEICO policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $35 a month if they get a ticket, while Metromile usually raises prices about $33 per month, on average.

If you have a clean record, GEICO tends to offer the best premiums at around 0% less expensive, while Metromile has the edge for drivers with a speeding ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

GEICO drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their prices rise by just under 45%, while those who have insurance through Metromile will see about a 35% increase.

Overall, drivers who use Metromile end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly rates averaging $171 compared to GEICO's $200.

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 insurance bill -- normally a lot more than an accident or ticket. For example, GEICO increases average premiums by over $150 a month -- that's just under a 60% increase.

Metromile has the overall cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $167 monthly, but it's worth noting that GEICO's average rates come from 50 states compared to just one for Metromile, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact GEICO and Metromile Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to determine your monthly auto insurance premiums. This isn't always the case (for example, Massachusetts and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for a lot of policyholders.

Insurance companies argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time each month, which increases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Metromile. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save nearly 10% compared to GEICO, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $27 or 16% more affordable every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Metromile typically offers lower premiums than GEICO when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $41 per month less with Metromile compared to GEICO, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around $64 per month.

Is GEICO or Metromile 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 large impact on your monthly prices? Normally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive rates since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Metromile charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for GEICO, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles annually paying about $8 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, Metromile is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

GEICO vs. Metromile: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your vehicle can have a considerable impact on your monthly car insurance cost. Generally, drivers who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural policyholders because of the number of cars that are on the roads in those areas.

Metromile boasts the most affordable average rates for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the lowest premiums from both carriers, but Metromile comes out on top with average prices around $120 a month. Metromile also has more affordable average rates for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $2 and $64 a month respective difference when compared to GEICO drivers in similar areas.

GEICO vs. Metromile Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible. That's where car insurance discounts comes into play.

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 company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both GEICO and Metromile so that you can see which one can save you the most money each month.

GEICO blows Metromile away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 28 different discounts to Metromile's four.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a good driver, multi-policy discounts, and paperless discounts. GEICO also offers ABS discounts, anti-theft discounts, commercial drivers license discounts, and more that Metromile does not.

On the flip side, Metromile has a unique discount of its own -- a online quote discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is GEICO or Metromile Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your auto insurance prices. We've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which company is the right carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

Metromile might be best for you if....

• You like the personalized touch of a small, local carrier.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" insurance.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your car insurance.

GEICO might be best for you if...

• You have a clean record.
• You already have plans to move to another state -- Metromile is only available in AZ.
• You care about discounts (GEICO offers the most).

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

But, at the end of the day, there's only one way to know for sure that you're getting the best possible deal on car insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of companies, not just GEICO and Metromile. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

GEICO vs. Metromile FAQs

Is GEICO or Metromile cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Metromile is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $150 per month compared to $185 for GEICO. That being said, Metromile won't necessarily be the cheapest company for everyone, since there are a bunch of different factors (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, GEICO or Metromile?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for each driver -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do GEICO and Metromile offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers take a look at lots of different variables when calculating the rates they charge policyholders. Things such as age, your driving record, gender, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both GEICO and Metromile calculate premiums differently, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different companies.

How do I know if GEICO or Metromile is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance carrier 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 information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest rate. And who knows, the best company for you might not be GEICO or Metromile 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.