Main Street America vs. Metlife: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Main Street America offers significantly more affordable prices than Metlife
• Main Street America offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who live in urban areas
• Metlife may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Main Street America Insurance

Main Street America or Metlife: 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 big savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Main Street America or Metlife as your top options, but which company has cheaper rates for insurance?

As you can see, Metlife is quite a bit more expensive than Main Street America, with prices averaging $340 a month compared to just $227 with Main Street America when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean Main Street America will be the less expensive option for every single driver. After all, car insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your credit score, your age, your driving record, or even where you call home (among other things). So, at the end of the day, premiums from each carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Main Street America or Metlife is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average rates can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Main Street America vs. Metlife: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Main Street America and Metlife only compete against each other in three states, with Main Street America offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. Vermont has the most noticable difference, where Main Street America premiums are $78 more affordable than insurance prices at Metlife.

But there's more to car insurance than just your home state. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how insurance companies determine your premiums. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

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

That being said, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. As you can see above, teens who use Main Street America save almost 50% per month compared to those who use Metlife.

But both carriers will reduce prices once you turn 25. Metlife offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Main Street America still has the lowest rates at $219 a month.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll usually enjoy the cheapest insurance premiums out there. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for auto insurance.

So, which carrier offers the best rates to retired drivers? Main Street America gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $24 less expensive than the national average for Metlife.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance prices are typically cheaper for married drivers than they are for those who are single? That's because policies for married policyholders normally cover more than one vehicle, which a lot of companies will give you a discount for.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Main Street America rates coming in at a third less than Metlife's. For married couples, the advantage is clear again - Main Street America has the edge when it comes to average prices.

Main Street America or Metlife: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women tend to pay less for insurance than men? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get tickets and get into accidents, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

Surprisingly, with Main Street America, men generallypay around $6 a month less than women, but with Metlife, the difference is closer to $28 per month.

Looking at overall affordability, Main Street America comes out on top for both men and women, with average premiums $130 less for men and $96 cheaper for women.

Main Street America vs. Metlife: 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. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different coverages and limits that it can be hard 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 and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Main Street America has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $159. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Main Street America again has the edge, with policies averaging about $295 a month to Metlife's $466.

Is Main Street America or Metlife Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their auto insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

Speeding tickets and collisions will most likely raise your prices, but is Main Street America or Metlife more affordable for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Main Street America for their car insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 26% after getting a speeding ticket. Metlife policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 21%.

That being said, Main Street America has less expensive premiums for drivers in both categories. With Main Street America Insurance, drivers with a clean record can save around $45 per month and drivers with a ticket can save about $43 a month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will raise prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Metlife climbing by around 40%. Main Street America has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay nearly 20% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, Main Street America offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $215 compared to MetLife's $368.

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 speeding ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. On average, Metlife will climb your premiums about 55% after a DUI, while Main Street America's average rates increase by just under 40%.

How does Credit Score Impact Main Street America and Metlife Rates?

Did you know many car insurance carriers take into account your credit score when determining prices? This isn't true for everyone (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it will come into play for many drivers.

The reasoning auto insurance companies use is that policyholders 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 more affordable premiums.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Main Street America or Metlife Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on your monthly insurance payment. Typically, the more milage you put on your car, the more you can expect to pay for car insurance.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Main Street America tends to be the cheaper option. Main Street America's average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in around 34% less expensive than Metlife. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay about 33% less with Main Street America over Metlife.

Main Street America or Metlife: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your vehicle can have a sizable impact on your monthly auto insurance bill. Normally, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Main Street America generally comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Main Street America Insurance's average rates are around $125 less than MetLife. People who live in suburban areas pay about $103 less with Main Street America compared to Metlife. Those in rural areas can expect to save around $111 with Main Street America compared to Metlife.

Main Street America vs. Metlife Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new auto insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can. That's where car insurance discounts comes into play.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Main Street America and Metlife offer their customers so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Metlife knocks Main Street America out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 36 different discounts to Main Street America's 36.

Both companies offer quite a few of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, distant student discounts, EFT discounts, and mature driver discounts -- but Metlife also offers discounts for AAA, academic, agency transfer, and more.

On the other hand, Main Street America has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like driver training discounts, DRL discounts, good payer discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Main Street America or Metlife Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables insurance carriers look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each company offers. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the right company for you and your specific profile and needs?

Main Street America might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the car insurance policy.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.
• You have a short drive to work everyday.

Metlife might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national auto insurance company.
• You care about discounts (Metlife offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Main Street America and Metlife. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your car 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 several companies, not just Main Street America and Metlife. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Main Street America vs. Metlife FAQs

Is Main Street America or Metlife cheaper?

Main Street America is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $227 per month with Main Street America and $340 for Metlife. Even so, that doesn't mean Main Street America will be the lowest carrier for every driver, since there are multiple different factors (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Main Street America or Metlife?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Main Street America and Metlife offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use lots of different variables when calculating the rates they charge. Things like age, gender, where your home is, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Main Street America and Metlife use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different companies.

How do I know if Main Street America or Metlife is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Main Street America or Metlife 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.