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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Metromile offers significantly more affordable prices than Metlife
• Metlife may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Metromile
• Metromile offers less expensive average premiums for drivers with a DUI

Metlife or Metromile: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might be considering Metlife or Metromile for your next policy, but which one has cheaper rates for auto insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Metromile is quite a bit cheaper than Metlife, with premiums averaging $150 a month compared to $340 with Metlife.

But that doesn't mean Metromile will necessarily be less expensive than Metlife for every single driver. Car insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like how old you are, how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, where you live, and a ton of other factors, so premiums will vary quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Metlife or Metromile is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each carrier broken down by many different rate factors.

Metlife vs. Metromile: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Metlife and Metromile only compete against each other in Arizona, where Metromile offers the cheaper average rates. Metromile drivers tend to pay about $217 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Metlife for their auto insurance.

But there's more to calculating insurance prices than just where you live. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. That's typically because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. As you can see above, teens who use Metromile save over 65% a month compared to those who use Metlife. It's worth noting that Metlife offers insurance in 44 different states compared to Metromile's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, with both companies, you'll see your rates reduce significantly by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for Metlife policyholders decrease more than 70% and Metromile's prices lower almost 65% 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 lowest premiums you'll ever see.

So, which company offers the best prices to retired drivers? Metromile gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at around $129 a month compared to Metlife's $205.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married couples tend to get slightly cheaper auto insurance premiums than single policyholders. That's because policies for married policyholders normally cover multiple vehicles, which lots of carriers will give you a discount for.

For single drivers, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with Metromile rates coming in at about a third of Metlife's. The advantage for married drivers with Metromile is also obvious, where drivers save around $100 per month.

Metlife or Metromile: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get tickets and get into collisions, they have a lower chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, women tend to pay less for insurance than men.

Men generally pay nearly $30 a month more than women with Metlife, but surprisingly, with Metromile, men usually pay about $4 per month less than women.

Looking at overall affordability, Metromile comes out on top for both men and women, with average premiums $206 less for men and $174 cheaper for women.

Metlife vs. 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.

It's no secret that car insurance can be pretty complicated. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different terms and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

That being said, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which typically refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Metromile has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $99. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Metromile again has the edge, with policies averaging around $201 a month to Metlife's $466.

Is Metlife or Metromile Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and at-fault collisions lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- Metlife or Metromile -- has the most affordable prices for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Metlife for their car insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Metromile policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 22%.

However, Metromile has more affordable rates for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 48% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 47% more affordable for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Metlife can expect to see about an $148 -- or around 40% -- rise in their car insurance premiums. Drivers who use Metromile for their auto insurance will see a monthly bill about $56 (or 33%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their car insurance company.

At the end of the day, Metromile offers the lowest rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average prices coming in at $171 compared to MetLife's $368.

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 -- generally a lot more than a collision or ticket. For example, Metlife increases average premiums by more than $250 per month -- that's more than a 55% increase.

Metromile has the overall most affordable prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $167 monthly, but it's worth noting that Metlife's average rates come from 44 states compared to just one for Metromile, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Metlife and Metromile Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly auto insurance rates. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it will come into play for a lot of drivers.

Insurance companies argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, policyholders with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

Looking at Metlife and Metromile specifically, which company has the cheapest premiums for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, Metromile will normally reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Metromile comes in over 46.85 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save around 50% with Metromile compared to average rates from Metlife.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Metromile typically offers lower prices than Metlife when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 54% a month less with Metromile compared to Metlife, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around 64% per month.

Is Metlife 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 substantial impact on your monthly car insurance payment? Usually, the more milage you put on your car each year, the more you can expect to pay for auto insurance.

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 Metlife, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle every year paying about $3 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, Metromile is the more affordable carrier.

Metlife or Metromile: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can have a pretty big impact on your monthly car insurance cost. Typically, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders due to the small number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

Metromile boasts the lowest average rates for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Metromile's average premiums are around 46% less than MetLife. People who live in suburban areas pay about 64% less with Metromile compared to Metlife. Those in rural areas can expect to save around 60% with Metromile compared to Metlife.

Metlife vs. Metromile Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new 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 hard 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 Metlife and Metromile offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

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

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Metlife also offers discounts for AAA, ABS, academic, and more.

On the other hand, Metromile has a proprietary discount of their own -- a paperless discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Metlife or Metromile Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors car insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which company is the right fit for you?

Metromile might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You're looking for the best premiums on liability only coverage.
• You drive often but have a short commute.

Metlife might be best for you if...

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- Metromile is only available in AZ.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Metlife and Metromile. 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 multiple carriers, not just Metlife and Metromile. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Metlife vs. Metromile FAQs

Is Metlife or Metromile cheaper?

Metromile is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $150 per month with Metromile and $340 for Metlife. But that doesn't mean Metromile will be the most affordable carrier for everyone, since there are several different variables that come into play when it comes to your insurance bill.

Who is better, Metlife or Metromile?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Metlife and Metromile offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use several different factors when determining the rates they charge. Things like your driving record, where you call home, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Metlife and Metromile 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 a bunch of different carriers.

How do I know if Metlife or Metromile 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 companies 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 area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Metlife or Metromile 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.