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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, Selective offers significantly more affordable premiums than MetLife
• MetLife may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Selective Insurance
• Selective offers less expensive average rates for policyholders who drive fewer than 12,000 miles yearly

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

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

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to MetLife or Selective, but between the two, which carrier will save you the most?

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

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

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

MetLife vs. Selective: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

MetLife and Selective only compete against each other in New Jersey, where Selective offers the cheaper average prices. Selective drivers tend to pay about $418 per month less on average compared to drivers who use MetLife for their insurance.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance bill than just the state you live in. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for car insurance than any group out there on the road. It's 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 Selective save over 55% a month compared to those who use MetLife. It's worth noting that MetLife offers auto insurance in 44 different states compared to Selective's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

That being said, with both companies, you'll see your rates reduce significantly once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for MetLife policyholders lower more than 70% and Selective's prices drop almost 65% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

So, which company offers the best prices to retired drivers? Selective gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at about $120 a month compared to MetLife's $205.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married drivers tend to get slightly more affordable car insurance rates than single drivers. That's typically because married couples 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 premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Selective prices coming in at around half of MetLife's. The advantage for married policyholders with Selective is also obvious, where drivers save over 35% per month.

MetLife or Selective: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but men generally pay more for auto insurance than women do. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

Men normally pay about $30 a month more than women with MetLife, but with Selective, the difference is closer to $10 per month.

Looking at overall affordability, Selective comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $165 a month and women save around $147 with Selective compared to the average MetLife policyholder.

MetLife vs. Selective: 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 isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are lots of different coverages that account for many different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

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

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Selective has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $127. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Selective again has the edge, with policies averaging about $241 per month to MetLife's $466.

Is MetLife or Selective 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with collisions and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the cheapest prices to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use MetLife for their insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up around 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Selective policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 35%.

Even so, Selective is typically the less expensive option for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records -- their rates are around 36% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 22% 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 around an $148 -- or about 40% -- rise in their auto insurance rates. Drivers who use Selective for their insurance will see a monthly bill around $21 (or 13%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their car insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Selective end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average prices coming in at $162 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 -- normally a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. MetLife drivers usually see a 55% raise in their auto insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Selective will generally climb rates by about 35%.

Selective has the overall lowest premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $217 monthly, but it's worth noting that MetLife's average rates come from 44 states compared to just one for Selective, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact MetLife and Selective Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when carriers determine your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an auto insurance factor) but it might come into play for many drivers.

Car 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 Selective specifically, which one has the most affordable prices for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, Selective will typically reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Selective comes in nearly 19.37 more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save around 34% with Selective compared to average rates from MetLife.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Selective typically offers lower premiums than MetLife when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 46% a month less with Selective compared to MetLife, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around 63% per month.

Is MetLife or Selective Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a big impact on your monthly auto insurance payment. Normally, those who drive less will end up with cheaper prices since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

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

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

Where your home is can play a sizable role in how much you pay for insurance. Generally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas because of the small number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

Selective tends to offer the cheapest prices for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Selective Insurance's average rates are around $179 less than MetLife. People who live in suburban areas pay about $129 less with Selective compared to MetLife. Those in rural areas can expect to save around $160 with Selective compared to MetLife.

MetLife vs. Selective 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, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many insurance discounts as possible.

The difficult 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.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by MetLife and Selective so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

MetLife knocks Selective out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 36 different discounts to Selective's 13.

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

On the other hand, Selective has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advance quote discounts, driver training discounts, occasional operator discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is MetLife or Selective Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your car insurance premiums. We've broken down the different discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the right fit for you?

Selective might be best for you if....

• You don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault accidents on your record.
• Your credit score is high.
• You want to save money while purchasing auto insurance for a teenager.

MetLife might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national car insurance company.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between MetLife and Selective 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 insurance policy is to compare quotes from several companies, not just MetLife and Selective. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

MetLife vs. Selective FAQs

Is MetLife or Selective cheaper?

Selective is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $184 per month with Selective and $340 for MetLife. That being said, that doesn't mean Selective will be the most affordable carrier for every policyholder, since there are multiple different factors that are considered when it comes to your insurance cost.

Who is better, MetLife or Selective?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do MetLife and Selective offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use quite a few different variables when determining the rates they charge. Things such as age, where you call home, gender, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both MetLife and Selective 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 range of different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of carriers 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 quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't MetLife or Selective 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.