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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, Sentry offers significantly more affordable prices than Metlife
• Metlife offers more discounts than Sentry Insurance
• Sentry has less expensive rates for residents of urban areas

Metlife vs. Sentry: 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 Metlife or Sentry for your next policy, but between the two, which one will offer you cheaper prices?

Looking at nationwide averages, Metlife has average rates that are about 45% per month more expensive than those from Sentry.

But Sentry may not be the cheapest or best option for every single driver out there. Insurance companies use a ton of complex algorithms to calculate rates, so depending on how good your credit score is or where you live (among a whole range of other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

Wanting to know if Metlife or Sentry is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average rates can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Metlife or Sentry: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Metlife and Sentry only compete against each other in two states, with Sentry offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. Wisconsin has the most noticable difference, where Sentry premiums are over 70% less expensive than auto insurance prices at Metlife.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your car insurance payment than just where you call home. Keep reading to find out 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 other group of drivers. That's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in a car insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high premiums, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of more than $500 less a month by choosing Sentry over Metlife. It's worth noting that Metlife offers auto insurance in 44 different states compared to Sentry's two, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for Metlife policyholders lower over $500 and Sentry's rates reduce around $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

When looking at Metlife and Sentry specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Sentry gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $57 cheaper than the national average for Metlife.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance rates are normally more expensive for single drivers than they are for married couples? That's because policies for married policyholders generally cover multiple cars, which many companies will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Sentry is the clear winner for those who are single, with premiums about $209 per month more affordable than Metlife, on average. The advantage for married drivers with Sentry is also obvious, where drivers save nearly 30% a month.

Metlife vs. Sentry: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women typically pay less for auto insurance than men? This is because women are less likely to get into accidents and get tickets, which lowers the chances of an insurance claim.

Men usually pay almost 10% more per month than women with Metlife, and nearly 10% with Sentry.

Looking at overall affordability, Sentry comes out as the most affordable option for both genders. On average, women save about $141 a month and men save around $149 with Sentry compared to the average Metlife policyholder.

Metlife or Sentry: 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, car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are several different coverages that account for a bunch of 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 end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which normally refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Sentry generally offers significantly less expensive prices of $104 compared to Metlife's $215. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Sentry again has the edge, with policies about $200 per month cheaper than Metlife, on average.

Is Metlife or Sentry Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Metlife policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $59 a month if they get a ticket, while Sentry usually raises prices around $25 per month, on average.

That being said, Sentry tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent speeding ticket and those with clean records. Drivers with a clean record can save about $42 a month and drivers with a ticket can save around $76 per month with Sentry Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will increase rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Metlife climbing by just under $150. Sentry has a less extreme raise, but you can still expect to pay nearly $45 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, drivers who use Sentry end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly premiums averaging $221 compared to MetLife's $368.

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 an accident. For example, Metlife increases average prices by over $250 a month -- that's over a 55% increase.

Sentry has the overall most affordable rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $178 monthly, but it's worth noting that Metlife's average rates come from 44 states compared to just two for Sentry, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Metlife and Sentry Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can come into play when carriers determine your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (Hawaii, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it does affect several drivers out there.

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 more affordable premiums.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with Sentry. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save just under 25% compared to Metlife, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $89 or 32% less expensive each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Sentry typically offers lower rates than Metlife when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $141 per month less with Sentry compared to Metlife, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of about $305 per month.

Is Metlife or Sentry Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on how much auto insurance carriers will charge for coverage. That's because the fewer miles you put on your vehicle each year, the less likely you are to get into a collision 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 Sentry charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for Metlife, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car yearly paying around $3 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles each year. Still, Sentry is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

Metlife vs. Sentry: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can have a pretty big impact on your monthly insurance cost. Typically, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

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

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest premiums from both carriers, but Sentry comes out on top with average rates about $143 a month. Sentry also has less expensive average prices for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 42% and 35% a month respective difference when compared to Metlife drivers in similar areas.

Metlife vs. Sentry Discounts

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

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.

Below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Metlife and Sentry so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Metlife knocks Sentry out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 31 more discounts than Sentry.

Both companies offer several of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a homeowner, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company -- but Metlife also offers AAA discounts, ABS discounts, academic discounts, and more that Sentry does not.

On the flip side, Sentry has a couple unique discounts of its own -- advance quote discounts and paid in full discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Metlife or Sentry Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the factors insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. But, at the end of the day, is Metlife or Sentry the right fit for you?

Sentry might be best for you if....

• You've received a ticket for speeding recently and don't want to see your prices climb.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" car insurance.
• You live in a rural area.

Metlife might be best for you if...

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- Sentry Insurance is only available to Washington and Wisconsin residents.
• You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Metlife and Sentry. 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 a handful of companies, not just Metlife and Sentry. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. 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.

Metlife vs. Sentry FAQs

Is Metlife or Sentry cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Sentry is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $195 per month compared to $340 for Metlife. However, Sentry won't necessarily be the lowest company for everyone, since there are a range of different variables (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Metlife or Sentry?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One carrier is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Metlife and Sentry offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers take a look at a lot of different factors when calculating the rates they charge policyholders. Things such as age, your driving record, where you park your vehicle, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Metlife and Sentry calculate prices using different variables, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

How do I know if Metlife or Sentry is right for me?

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