Memberselect vs. West Bend Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, West Bend Mutual offers significantly more affordable premiums than Memberselect
• West Bend Mutual offers more affordable rates for policyholders who have a clean record
• West Bend Mutual tends to be a much less expensive option for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit

Memberselect vs. West Bend Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Memberselect or West Bend Mutual, but which company has cheaper prices for insurance?

As you can see, Memberselect is quite a bit more expensive than West Bend Mutual, with premiums averaging $274 per month compared to just $131 with West Bend Mutual when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

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

So, if you want to find out which of Memberselect or West Bend Mutual is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each company broken down by lots of different rate factors.

Memberselect or West Bend Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Memberselect and West Bend Mutual only compete against each other in Minnesota, where West Bend Mutual offers the cheaper average rates. For Minnesota residents, West Bend Mutual offers insurance for $178 monthly on average. Memberselect's average premiums come out to be over 50% more expensive, at $274 per month.

But there's more to calculating car insurance prices than just where you call home. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance rates of any other group of drivers. It's usually 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.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance premiums. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have West Bend Mutual for their car insurance pay more than $100 less than those who use Memberselect.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Memberselect policyholders drop nearly 40% and West Bend Mutual's prices lower over 65% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to auto insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the most affordable rates you'll ever find.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Memberselect and West Bend Mutual? West Bend Mutual gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older more than 60% more affordable than the national average for Memberselect.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance rates tend to be more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married couples. This usually boils down to married drivers having multiple cars on their policy -- something a lot of auto insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, West Bend Mutual is the clear winner for single drivers, with prices about $143 a month cheaper than Memberselect, on average. The advantage for married policyholders with West Bend Mutual is also obvious, where drivers save almost $150 per month.

Memberselect vs. West Bend Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents, which means they'll normally end up paying more for car insurance than women.

On average, men see premiums over $10 a month higher with Memberselect, and around $15 with West Bend Mutual.

When it comes to the cheapest rates for each gender, West Bend Mutual comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $141 per month and women save about $146 with West Bend Mutual compared to the average Memberselect policyholder.

Memberselect or West Bend Mutual: 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, insurance can be pretty complicated. There are a variety of different coverages that account for several different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, West Bend Mutual typically offers significantly less expensive premiums of $77 compared to Memberselect's $183. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, West Bend Mutual again has the edge, with policies around $200 a month more affordable than Memberselect, on average.

Is Memberselect or West Bend Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance carriers offering great prices 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 at-fault accidents and tickets lead to higher premiums, but which carrier -- Memberselect or West Bend Mutual -- has the lowest rates for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Memberselect policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $58 per month if they get a ticket, while West Bend Mutual generally raises premiums about $25 a month, on average.

That being said, West Bend Mutual has cheaper prices for drivers in both categories, offering rates that are 53% and 54% less expensive, respectively, compared to MemberSelect Insurance Company.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Memberselect can expect to see around an $37 -- or about 17% -- increase in their car insurance prices. Drivers who use West Bend Mutual for their insurance will see a monthly bill around $79 (or 48%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance company.

Overall, West Bend Mutual offers the cheapest premiums for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly rates averaging $163 compared to MemberSelect Insurance Company's $216.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple speeding ticket or even a collision. Memberselect drivers usually see a 62% increase in their car insurance prices after a DUI charge, while West Bend Mutual will normally raise premiums by about 50%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable rates, West Bend Mutual tends to be the much cheaper option with average prices of $169 a month compared to $466 from Memberselect.

How does Credit Score Impact Memberselect and West Bend Mutual Rates?

Did you know that many insurance companies take your credit score into account when calculating rates? This isn't always the case (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it might come into play for quite a few drivers.

The reasoning auto insurance carriers use is that policyholders with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so generally, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with more affordable premiums.

Looking specifically at West Bend Mutual and Memberselect, which one has the lowest prices for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Memberselect or West Bend Mutual Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a large impact on your monthly car insurance cost. 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 West Bend Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Memberselect, with policyholders who drive the least paying around $12 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, West Bend Mutual is the less expensive option for drivers in both categories.

Memberselect vs. West Bend Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

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

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, West Bend Mutual usually comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, West Bend Mutual offers premiums about $158 per month compared to Memberselect's $294. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay around $122 per month for West Bend Mutual and $302 for Memberselect. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the cheapest rates from both carriers, with average monthly premiums coming in at $113 and $228 for West Bend Mutual and Memberselect respectively.

Memberselect vs. West Bend Mutual Discounts

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

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

In the section below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Memberselect and West Bend Mutual offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Overall, West Bend Mutual comes out ahead with 16 discounts to Memberselect's 13.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but West Bend Mutual also offers ABS discounts, advanced safety feature discounts, excess vehicle discounts, and more that Memberselect does not.

On the flip side, Memberselect has a couple unique discounts of its own -- AAA discounts, advance quote discounts, EFT discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Memberselect or West Bend Mutual Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors auto insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which insurance carrier is the best fit for you?

West Bend Mutual might be best for you if....

• Your credit is below-average.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.
• You are purchasing your insurance with a spouse.

Memberselect might be best for you if...

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

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Memberselect and West Bend Mutual. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your car insurance.

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

Memberselect vs. West Bend Mutual FAQs

Is Memberselect or West Bend Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, West Bend Mutual is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $131 a month compared to $274 for Memberselect. However, West Bend Mutual won't necessarily be the lowest company for every policyholder, since there are many different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Memberselect or West Bend Mutual?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Memberselect and West Bend Mutual offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers take a look at many different factors when determining the premiums they charge drivers. Variables like your driving record, gender, where your home is, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Memberselect and West Bend Mutual use different formulas, 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 bunch of different companies.

How do I know if Memberselect or West Bend Mutual 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, Compare.com makes 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 cheapest price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Memberselect or West Bend Mutual 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.