General Casualty vs. Memberselect: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, General Casualty offers significantly cheaper prices than Memberselect
• General Casualty tends to be a much more affordable option for residents of rural areas
• Memberselect offers more discounts than General Casualty

General Casualty vs. Memberselect: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to General Casualty or Memberselect, but which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Memberselect is quite a bit more expensive than General Casualty, with premiums averaging $274 per month compared to just $139 with General Casualty.

But that doesn't necessarily mean General Casualty will be the less expensive option for each driver. After all, car insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your driving record, your age, or even your credit score (among other things), so prices will vary quite a bit from person to person.

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

General Casualty or Memberselect: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

General Casualty and Memberselect only compete against each other in Minnesota, where General Casualty offers the cheaper average rates. For Minnesota residents, General Casualty offers auto insurance for $181 per month on average. Memberselect's average premiums come out to be over 50% more expensive, at $274 a month.

But there's more to calculating car insurance rates than just where you call home. 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. That's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. As you can see above, teens who use General Casualty save nearly $200 a month compared to those who use Memberselect.

However, both companies will decrease premiums by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for General Casualty policyholders reduce more than 55% and Memberselect's prices drop almost 40% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age normally enjoy some of the most affordable insurance rates you'll ever find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally decreases their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase premiums.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between General Casualty and Memberselect? General Casualty gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at about $124 monthly compared to Memberselect's $238.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance prices are usually more affordable for married policyholders than they are for those who are single? That's because policies for married couples typically cover more than one car, which many carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, General Casualty is the clear winner for single drivers, with rates around $144 per month cheaper than Memberselect, on average. The advantage for married drivers with General Casualty is also obvious, where drivers save over $100 a month.

General Casualty vs. Memberselect: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and get tickets, which means they'll usually end up paying more for insurance than women.

Normally, men see prices nearly $15 per month higher with General Casualty, and about $10 with Memberselect.

When it comes to the lowest rates for each gender, General Casualty offers the cheapest average premiums for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $134 a month and women save around $137 with General Casualty compared to the average Memberselect policyholder.

General Casualty or Memberselect: 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, auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different terms 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 provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, General Casualty normally offers significantly more affordable prices of $82 compared to Memberselect's $183. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, General Casualty again has the edge, with policies about $150 per month cheaper than Memberselect, on average.

Is General Casualty or Memberselect 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.

Tickets and at-fault collisions will most likely raise your rates, but is General Casualty or Memberselect less expensive for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

General Casualty policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $43 a month if they get a ticket, while Memberselect generally raises rates around $58 per month, on average.

That being said, General Casualty is typically the cheaper option for both drivers who have a recent speeding ticket and those with clean records, offering prices that are 50% and 44% less expensive, respectively, compared to MemberSelect Insurance Company.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

General Casualty drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their rates rise by just under 40%, while those who have insurance through Memberselect will see about a 15% increase.

Overall, drivers who use General Casualty end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly prices averaging $146 compared to MemberSelect Insurance Company's $216.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. On average, Memberselect will raise your premiums around 62% after a DUI, while General Casualty's average prices increase by over 50%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, General Casualty tends to be the much more affordable option with average rates of $186 a month compared to $466 from Memberselect.

How does Credit Score Impact General Casualty and Memberselect Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when carriers calculate your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (for example, Hawaii and Massachusetts are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect a lot of policyholders out there.

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 premiums.

Looking at General Casualty and Memberselect specifically, which company has the best rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with General Casualty. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 45% compared to Memberselect, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $99 or 46% more affordable every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

General Casualty typically offers lower prices than Memberselect when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $126 a month less with General Casualty compared to Memberselect, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of about $235 monthly.

Is General Casualty or Memberselect 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 how much insurance carriers will charge for coverage. That's because the more miles you put on your car, the more likely you are to get into an accident and cause an insurance claim.

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

General Casualty vs. Memberselect: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can play a substantial role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Normally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

General Casualty tends to offer the lowest rates for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest prices from both companies, but General Casualty comes out on top with average rates about $131 per month. General Casualty also has more affordable average premiums for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 49% and 56% per month respective difference when compared to Memberselect policyholders in similar areas.

General Casualty vs. Memberselect Discounts

You want to save as much money as possible, right? The best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be hard to find all the ones you can take advantage of.

In the table below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by General Casualty and Memberselect so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

Overall, Memberselect comes out ahead with 13 discounts to General Casualty's 12.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Memberselect also offers AAA discounts, EFT discounts, group discounts, and more that General Casualty does not.

On the flip side, General Casualty has a couple unique discounts of its own -- employee discounts, new vehicle discounts, occupation discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is General Casualty or Memberselect Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your car insurance prices. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is General Casualty or Memberselect the best company for you and your specific needs?

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

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.
• You've started working from home and don't have much of a commute.

Memberselect might be best for you if...

• You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare General Casualty and Memberselect. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of companies, not just General Casualty and Memberselect. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

General Casualty vs. Memberselect FAQs

Is General Casualty or Memberselect cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, General Casualty is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $139 a month compared to $274 for Memberselect. However, General Casualty won't necessarily be the most affordable company for everyone, since there are several different variables that come into play when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, General Casualty or Memberselect?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". One carrier is not necessarily "better" for each driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do General Casualty and Memberselect offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers take a look at several different factors when calculating the prices they charge drivers. Things like where you live, gender, age, where you park your car, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both General Casualty and Memberselect calculate rates using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different companies.

How do I know if General Casualty or Memberselect is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers 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 information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be General Casualty or Memberselect 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.