MetLife vs. Motorists: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Motorists offers significantly less expensive premiums than MetLife
• MetLife offers more discounts than Motorists Insurance Group
• Motorists offers more affordable prices for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record

MetLife vs. Motorists: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might have narrowed it down to MetLife or Motorists as your top options, but which one will save you the most?

As you can see, MetLife is quite a bit more expensive than Motorists, with rates averaging $340 per month compared to just $251 with Motorists when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

However, Motorists may not be the most affordable or best option for every driver out there. Auto insurance companies use tons of complex algorithms to calculate prices, so depending on where you live or how good your credit score is (among a wide array of other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of MetLife or Motorists is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each company broken down by multiple different rate factors.

MetLife or Motorists: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

MetLife and Motorists compete against each other in five states, with Motorists offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. Kentucky has the most noticable difference, where Motorists prices are over 70% more affordable than car insurance premiums at MetLife.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance bill than just where you call home. Continue reading to see how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance rates of any other group of drivers. It's generally 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 insurance prices. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Motorists for their auto insurance pay more than $500 less than those who use MetLife.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums once you turn 25. For example, average rates for MetLife policyholders decrease over 70% and Motorists's prices drop nearly 45% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? MetLife gets the slight edge here, with average rates coming in at about $205 a month compared to Motorists's $219.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance prices are typically cheaper for married couples than they are for single drivers? That's because policies for married drivers usually cover several cars, which many companies will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Motorists is the clear winner for single policyholders, with premiums around $160 a month less expensive than MetLife, on average. But for married policyholders, that advantage is much less clear - MetLife has the edge when it comes to average prices , but the difference is less than $5.

MetLife vs. Motorists: 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 into collisions and get tickets, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

With MetLife, men typically pay almost $30 per month more than women, while with Motorists, the difference is closer to $12 a month.

When it comes to the cheapest premiums for each gender, Motorists offers the lowest average rates for both men and women, with average prices 27% less for men and 25% cheaper for women.

MetLife or Motorists: 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 a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

That being said, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to what you get with liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, Motorists normally offers significantly more affordable premiums of $123 compared to MetLife's $215. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Motorists again has the edge, with policies about $85 per month cheaper than MetLife, on average.

Is MetLife or Motorists Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their auto insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

It's no secret secret that tickets and accidents lead to higher rates, but which company -- MetLife or Motorists -- has the most affordable premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

MetLife policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $59 a month if they get a ticket, while Motorists generally raises premiums around $18 per month, on average.

Even so, Motorists tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with a speeding ticket and with a clean record. Drivers with a clean record can save about $51 a month and drivers with a ticket can save around $92 per month with Motorists Insurance Group.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

MetLife drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their prices increase by just under $150, while those who have insurance through Motorists will see about a $35 increase.

Overall, drivers who use Motorists end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly rates averaging $206 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 car insurance bill -- usually a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. For example, MetLife increases average premiums by over $250 a month -- that's over a 55% increase.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable rates, Motorists tends to be the much more affordable option with average prices of $442 per month compared to $494 from MetLife.

How does Credit Score Impact MetLife and Motorists Rates?

Did you know that many insurance carriers take your credit score into account when calculating rates? This isn't always the case (for example, California and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for a lot of policyholders.

Auto 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, drivers with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Motorists. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 30% compared to MetLife, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $89 or 32% less expensive each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Motorists typically offers lower prices than MetLife when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $108 per month less with Motorists compared to MetLife, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of around $101 monthly.

Is MetLife or Motorists 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 car insurance carriers will charge for coverage. That's because the fewer miles you drive, the less likely you are to get into a collision and cause an insurance claim.

Motorists tends to be the more affordable option for both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles annually, as well as those who average twice that figure. MetLife's average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in just under $95 more expensive than Motorists. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay more than $85 more with MetLife over Motorists.

MetLife vs. Motorists: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can have a big impact on your monthly auto insurance cost. Usually, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas because of the small number of cars that are on the roads in those areas.

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

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Motorists's average premiums are about $286 a month compared to MetLife's $389. People in suburban areas pay around $215 with Motorists compared to MetLife's $333 per month. Those in rural areas can expect to pay about $252 a month with Motorists compared to MetLife's $299.

MetLife vs. Motorists 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.

The hard part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible for, since it can feel sometimes like every carrier has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both MetLife and Motorists so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

MetLife knocks Motorists out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 22 more discounts than Motorists.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but MetLife also offers AAA discounts, academic discounts, agency transfer discounts, and more that Motorists does not.

On the flip side, Motorists has a couple unique discounts of its own -- advance quote discounts, empty nester discounts, hybrid vehicle discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is MetLife or Motorists Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the variables auto insurance companies 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 carrier is the best company for you and your specific needs?

Motorists might be best for you if....

• You have a clean driving record, free of collisions, tickets, or DUIs.
• You have less-than-stellar credit.
• You live in an urban area.

MetLife might be best for you if...

• You care about discounts (MetLife offers the most).
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your insurance.
• You are purchasing your car insurance with a spouse.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between MetLife and Motorists and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your auto 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 MetLife and Motorists. 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 insurance companies in your area, all for free.

MetLife vs. Motorists FAQs

Is MetLife or Motorists cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Motorists is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $251 per month compared to $340 for MetLife. That being said, Motorists won't necessarily be the most affordable company for everyone, since there are a variety of different factors that are considered when it comes to your car insurance payment.

Who is better, MetLife or Motorists?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for every driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile. For example, Motorists offers cheaper prices for single drivers, while MetLife is more affordable for drivers who have already retired.

Why do MetLife and Motorists offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at several different variables when determining the premiums they charge policyholders. Things such as where your home is, where you park your vehicle, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both MetLife and Motorists use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

How do I know if MetLife or Motorists is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest rate. And who knows, the best company for you might not be MetLife or Motorists 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.