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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Nationwide offers significantly cheaper premiums than Memberselect
• Nationwide may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than MemberSelect Insurance Company
• Nationwide offers less expensive average rates for drivers who have below-average credit

Memberselect or Nationwide: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might have narrowed your search down to Memberselect or Nationwide as your top options, but between the two, which company has more affordable premiums for auto insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Memberselect is quite a bit more expensive than Nationwide, with prices averaging $274 a month compared to just $170 with Nationwide.

But that doesn't mean Nationwide will necessarily be cheaper than Memberselect for every single driver. Car insurance companies use a ton of complex algorithms to determine rates, so depending on where you live or how clean your driving record is (among several other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

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

Memberselect vs. Nationwide: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Memberselect and Nationwide only compete against each other in Minnesota, where Nationwide offers the cheaper average premiums. Nationwide drivers tend to pay about $133 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Memberselect for their insurance.

But there's more to auto insurance than just the state you live in. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how car insurance carriers calculate your prices. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. It's usually because teen 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 auto insurance rates. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 15% less a month by choosing Nationwide over Memberselect.

Even so, both companies will reduce premiums by the time you turn 25. Nationwide offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Memberselect's average prices lower nearly 40% during that same period.

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 rates out there.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Memberselect and Nationwide? Nationwide gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at around $125 monthly compared to Memberselect's $238.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance prices tend to be more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married policyholders. That's because policies for married couples typically cover more than one vehicle, which several carriers will give you a discount for.

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

Memberselect or Nationwide: Average Rates by Gender

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

On average, men see premiums about 4% per month higher with Memberselect, but with Nationwide, the difference is closer to 7% a month.

When it comes to the lowest rates for each gender, Nationwide comes out on top for both men and women, with average prices 37% less for men and 39% cheaper for women.

Memberselect vs. Nationwide: 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.

Insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different limits and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which generally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Nationwide has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $112. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Nationwide again has the edge, with policies averaging around $229 per month to Memberselect's $366.

Is Memberselect or Nationwide 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 at-fault collisions will most likely raise your rates, but is Memberselect or Nationwide less expensive for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Memberselect for their insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 24% after getting a speeding ticket. Nationwide policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 16%.

That being said, Nationwide is normally the more affordable option for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket -- their rates are around 30% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 37% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through Memberselect can expect to see about an $37 -- or around 17% -- rise in their auto insurance prices. Drivers who use Nationwide for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $53 (or 30%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their auto insurance company.

At the end of the day, Nationwide offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average prices coming in at $178 compared to MemberSelect Insurance Company's $216.

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 car insurance bill -- typically a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. Memberselect drivers usually see a 62% climb in their auto insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Nationwide will normally increase premiums by around 46%.

How does Credit Score Impact Memberselect and Nationwide Rates?

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

The reasoning car 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 rates.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums 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 Memberselect or Nationwide 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 substantial impact on your monthly prices? Typically, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper premiums since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Nationwide offers less expensive rates than Memberselect. Memberselect average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about $98 more expensive than Nationwide. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay around $109 more with Memberselect over Nationwide.

Memberselect or Nationwide: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a sizable role in how much you pay for insurance. Generally, policyholders who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban drivers since there are a lot fewer cars on the road where they live, which lowers the chances of an accident.

Nationwide boasts the cheapest average prices for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about 34% with Nationwide compared to Memberselect. People who live in suburban areas pay around 47% less with Nationwide compared to Memberselect. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Nationwide's average rates are about 32% less than MemberSelect Insurance Company.

Memberselect vs. Nationwide Discounts

No matter 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 you can. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Memberselect and Nationwide offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Nationwide blows Memberselect away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering nine more discounts than Memberselect.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Nationwide also offers discounts for agency transfer, driver training, employee discount, and more.

On the other hand, Memberselect has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like AAA discounts, paid in full discounts, prior carrier discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Memberselect or Nationwide Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which insurance company is the right one for you and your specific needs?

Nationwide might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the car insurance policy.
• Your credit score is high.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's auto insurance policy.

Memberselect might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Memberselect and Nationwide and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Memberselect and Nationwide. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Memberselect vs. Nationwide FAQs

Is Memberselect or Nationwide cheaper?

Nationwide is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $170 a month with Nationwide and $274 for Memberselect. However, that doesn't mean Nationwide will be the lowest carrier for every policyholder, since there are many different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Memberselect or Nationwide?

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

Why do Memberselect and Nationwide offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use quite a few different variables when calculating the premiums they charge. Factors such as gender, age, your driving record, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Memberselect and Nationwide calculate prices using different variables, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company 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 information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Memberselect or Nationwide 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.