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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Metromile offers significantly less expensive premiums than The General
• Metromile offers more affordable rates for drivers who have a speeding ticket on their driving record
• The General may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Metromile

Metromile or The General: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering big savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Metromile or The General as your top options, but which company will save you the most?

As you can see, The General is quite a bit more expensive than Metromile, with prices averaging $241 a month compared to just $150 with Metromile when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean Metromile will be the cheaper option for every single driver. Car insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like where you live, how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, and a variety of other factors, so prices could vary drastically from person to person.

Wanting to know if Metromile or The General is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average premiums can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Metromile vs. The General: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Metromile and The General only compete against each other in Arizona, where Metromile offers the cheaper average rates. Metromile drivers tend to pay about $85 per month less on average compared to drivers who use The General for their auto insurance.

But there's more to calculating insurance prices than just where you live. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- normally pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. It's usually because teen 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 rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. As you can see above, teens who use Metromile save over 30% a month compared to those who use The General.

However, with both companies, you'll see your premiums decrease significantly once you turn 25. The General offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Metromile still has the most affordable prices at $121 a month.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age typically enjoy some of the lowest auto insurance rates out there. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally reduces their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise premiums.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Metromile and The General? Metromile gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $66 more affordable than the national average for The General.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married policyholders tend to get slightly cheaper car insurance prices than single policyholders. That's because policies for married drivers normally cover more than one vehicle, which several carriers will give you a discount for.

For those who are single, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Metromile rates coming in at a third less than The General's. For married couples, the advantage is clear again - Metromile has the edge when it comes to average prices.

Metromile or The General: Average Rates by Gender

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

Surprisingly, with Metromile, men usuallypay around $4 per month less than women, but with The General, the difference is closer to $32 a month.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Metromile comes out as the cheapest option for both genders. On average, women save about $73 per month and men save about $109 with Metromile compared to the average The General policyholder.

Metromile vs. The General: 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. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different coverages and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

Even so, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Metromile has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums 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 The General's $329.

Is Metromile or The General 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.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Metromile for their auto insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up about 22% after getting a speeding ticket. The General policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 20%.

But Metromile has less expensive rates for drivers in both categories, offering prices that are 40% and 38% more affordable, respectively, compared to The General.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will increase premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with The General increasing by about 31%. Metromile has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay nearly 35% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, the cheaper rates come from Metromile, with average prices coming in at $171 compared to The General's $279.

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 ticket or even an accident. On average, The General will climb your rates around 24% after a DUI, while Metromile's average premiums increase by more than 30%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, Metromile tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $167 to The General's $254.

How does Credit Score Impact Metromile and The General Rates?

Often times, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly insurance rates. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as an auto insurance factor, but it might come into play for lots of drivers.

The reasoning auto insurance companies use is that policyholders with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so normally, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with more affordable premiums.

So, which company offers the best rates for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, Metromile will usually reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Metromile comes in just under 32.95 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save around 37% with Metromile compared to average prices from The General.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Metromile typically offers lower premiums than The General when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 37% per month less with Metromile compared to The General, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around 42% per month.

Is Metromile or The General 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 your monthly rates. Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with more affordable prices since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Metromile or The General report increasing premiums for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Still, Metromile comes out as the cheapest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle every year, with average prices of $150 a month for both.

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

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a substantial impact as well. 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.

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

Those in rural areas can expect to pay about $120 monthly with Metromile compared to The General's $189. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly rate of around $121 with Metromile compared to $225 with The General. In urban areas, Metromile's average rates are about $209 per month compared to The General's $310.

Metromile vs. The General 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 car insurance discounts comes into play.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem difficult to find all the of the ones you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Metromile and The General offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Overall, The General comes out ahead with six discounts to Metromile's four.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like. The General also offers discounts for defensive driver, group discount, homeowner, and more.

On the other hand, Metromile has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like good driving discounts, multi-policy discounts, online quote discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Metromile or The General Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your auto insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, at the end of the day, which insurance company is the best one for you and your specific driver profile?

Metromile might be best for you if....

• You have a speeding ticket on your driving record.
• You're looking for the best premiums on liability only coverage.
• You want to save money while purchasing insurance for a teenager.

The General might be best for you if...

• You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Metromile and The General. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just Metromile and The General. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best car insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Metromile vs. The General FAQs

Is Metromile or The General cheaper?

Metromile is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $150 a month with Metromile and $241 for The General. However, that doesn't mean Metromile will be the cheapest company for each policyholder, since there are a variety of different variables that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance bill.

Who is better, Metromile or The General?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single carrier is necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Metromile and The General offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use quite a few different factors when determining the rates they charge. Variables like age, your driving record, where you live, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Metromile and The General use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

How do I know if Metromile or The General 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 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 insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Metromile or The General 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.