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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Progressive offers significantly cheaper rates than MetLife
• MetLife may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Progressive
• Progressive has more affordable prices for drivers with a DUI

MetLife or Progressive: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering huge savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to MetLife or Progressive as your top options, but between the two, which carrier has less expensive premiums for auto insurance?

As you can see, MetLife has average rates that are around 45% a month more expensive than those from Progressive when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

However, Progressive may not be the lowest or best option for each driver out there. Insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like how good your credit score is, where you live, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, and tons of other factors, so rates could change drastically from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both MetLife and Progressive by a range of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

MetLife vs. Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

MetLife and Progressive compete against each other in 37 states, with Progressive offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all of them. If you live in, undefined is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at the overall average prices, but Progressive is the cheaper option in most of the others.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance premiums than just the state you live in. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for insurance than any group out there on the road. It's typically because teen 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 teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 55% less per month by choosing Progressive over MetLife.

That being said, with both carriers, you'll see your rates decrease significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for MetLife policyholders lower about $500 and Progressive's premiums drop more than $300 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age generally enjoy some of the most affordable auto insurance rates you can find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which normally decreases their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise prices.

When looking at MetLife and Progressive specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Progressive gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at around $131 a month compared to MetLife's $205.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance prices are generally cheaper for married couples than they are for single drivers? That's typically because married drivers tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For those who are single, the difference in average rates between these two companies is significant, with Progressive premiums coming in at about half of MetLife's. The advantage for married policyholders with Progressive is also obvious, where drivers save over 40% a month.

MetLife or Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but men usually pay more for car insurance than women do. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into a collision or get pulled over for speeding, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

With MetLife, men normally pay almost 10% more per month than women., and around 3% more with Progressive.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Progressive offers the lowest average rates for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $171 a month and women save about $148 with Progressive compared to the average MetLife policyholder.

MetLife vs. Progressive: 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 auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different terms and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

The two 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 passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which typically refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Progressive has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $111. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Progressive again has the edge, with policies averaging around $250 per month to MetLife's $466.

Is MetLife or Progressive Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance carriers offering great rates for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

You'll probably end up paying more with speeding tickets and at-fault accidents on your record, but which of these two companies offers the most affordable prices to drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use MetLife for their insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Progressive policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 17%.

Even so, Progressive tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with a ticket and with a clean record -- their rates are around 32% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 35% 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 MetLife can expect to see about an $148 -- or around 40% -- rise in their auto insurance rates. Drivers who use Progressive for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $65 (or 30%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their auto insurance company.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Progressive end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average premiums coming in at $214 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 -- usually a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. For example, MetLife increases average prices by more than $250 a month -- that's more than a 55% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact MetLife and Progressive Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can come into play when carriers determine your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (for example, California and Massachusetts are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect a lot of drivers out there.

Car insurance companies argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with cheaper premiums.

Looking specifically at MetLife and Progressive, which one has the cheapest 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 MetLife or Progressive 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 auto insurance carriers will charge for coverage. Generally, the more milage you put on your car each year, the more you can expect to pay for insurance.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Progressive charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for MetLife, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles every year paying around $3 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, Progressive is the more affordable carrier.

MetLife or Progressive: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a big role in how much you pay for car insurance. Normally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas due to the small number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

Progressive boasts the lowest average premiums for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

In urban areas, Progressive's average prices are about $207 while MetLife offers rates around $389. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly premium of about $179 with Progressive compared to $333 with MetLife. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $154 per month with Progressive compared to MetLife's $299.

MetLife vs. Progressive 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, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as possible.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both MetLife and Progressive so that you can see which company can save you the most money each month.

Looking at the total number of discounts, MetLife comes out ahead with 36 discounts to Progressive's 34.

Both companies offer a lot of the same discounts -- like agency transfer discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, distant student discounts, and discounts for being a good student -- but MetLife also offers discounts for AAA, academic, annual mileage, and more.

On the other hand, Progressive has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advance quote discounts, advanced safety feature discounts, continuous insurance discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is MetLife or Progressive Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, at the end of the day, is MetLife or Progressive the best carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

Progressive might be best for you if....

• You haven't received any speeding tickets or been in a collision in the last few years.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.
• You and your spouse are buying auto insurance together.

MetLife might be best for you if...

• You care about discounts (MetLife offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between MetLife and Progressive and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple companies, not just MetLife and Progressive. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

MetLife vs. Progressive FAQs

Is MetLife or Progressive cheaper?

Progressive is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $180 per month with Progressive and $340 for MetLife. However, that doesn't mean Progressive will be the most affordable carrier for every driver, since there are lots of different factors that are considered when it comes to your car insurance payment.

Who is better, MetLife or Progressive?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". Neither company is necessarily "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do MetLife and Progressive offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use quite a few different variables when determining the rates they charge. Things such as age, gender, your driving record, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both MetLife and Progressive calculate prices differently, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different companies.

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

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several 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 ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't MetLife or Progressive 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.