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Erie Car Insurance Rates vs. Competitors
The company Erie is included in Forbes Advisor’s list of best car insurance. See how their costs compare to other companies:
Erie Car Insurance Rate Comparison for Good Drivers
Erie has competitive car insurance prices for good drivers. Its national average rate for good drivers is slightly below the average of $2,026 per year among the companies we analyzed.
| Company | National average annual cost for good drivers |
|---|---|
USAA* | $1,364 |
Nationwide | $1,436 |
Travelers | $1,521 |
Geico | $1,597 |
Erie | $1,642 |
Progressive | $1,826 |
State Farm | $2,025 |
Allstate | $2,896 |
Farmers | $3,093 |
*USAA is available only to the military, veterans and their families.
Erie Car Insurance Cost Comparison for Drivers With a Speeding Ticket
Erie offers pretty good prices for drivers with a speeding ticket. If you have traffic tickets on your record, have insurers compete for your business by getting car insurance quotes from at least three auto insurance companies.
| Company | National average annual cost for drivers with a speeding ticket |
|---|---|
USAA* | $1,661 |
Nationwide | $1,878 |
Erie | $1,899 |
Travelers | $2,062 |
Geico | $2,150 |
State Farm | $2,270 |
Progressive | $2,350 |
Allstate | $3,312 |
Farmers | $3,951 |
*USAA is available only to the military, veterans and their families.
Erie Car Insurance Cost Comparison for Drivers Who Caused an Accident With an Injury
Erie auto insurance rates are some of the cheapest we saw in our analysis of costs for drivers who caused an accident with an injury to someone else. USAA is a bit cheaper but only those with a military connection are eligible to buy a policy with it.
| Company | National average annual cost for drivers causing an accident with injury |
|---|---|
USAA* | $1,958 |
Erie | $2,224 |
Travelers | $2,293 |
Nationwide | $2,337 |
State Farm | $2,428 |
Geico | $2,748 |
Progressive | $2,770 |
Farmers | $4,412 |
Allstate | $4,545 |
*USAA is available only to the military, veterans and their families.
Erie Car Insurance Cost Comparison for Drivers With a DUI
The national average auto insurance cost for drivers with a DUI is $3,363 a year and Erie’s car insurance costs are nearly $700 cheaper, making it worth checking out when getting car insurance quotes after a DUI.
| Company | National average annual cost for drivers with a DUI conviction |
|---|---|
Progressive | $2,307 |
USAA* | $2,604 |
Travelers | $2,610 |
Erie | $2,665 |
State Farm | $2,716 |
Nationwide | $3,083 |
Geico | $3,723 |
Farmers | $4,272 |
Allstate | $4,315 |
*USAA is available only to the military, veterans and their families.
Erie Car Insurance Cost Comparison for Drivers With Poor Credit
Erie’s average auto insurance costs are on the high side for drivers with poor credit compared to some competitors but still below the national average of $3,847 per year. Drivers in this situation can potentially gain huge savings by shopping around for cheaper auto insurance companies.
Insurance companies say that a person’s credit correlates with the chances they’ll make an insurance claim in the future. This correlation leads to higher auto insurance rates for those with bad credit. California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan don’t allow car insurance companies to use a credit history when determining rates.
| Company | National average annual cost for drivers with poor credit |
|---|---|
Nationwide | $2,051 |
USAA* | $2,450 |
Geico | $2,482 |
Travelers | $2,699 |
Progressive | $3,221 |
Erie | $3,701 |
Allstate | $4,531 |
Farmers | $4,889 |
State Farm | $7,961 |
*USAA is available only to the military, veterans and their families.
Erie Car Insurance Cost Comparison for Adding a Teen Driver
Erie car insurance cost to add a teen driver is one of the cheapest among the companies that we evaluated, only being beaten out by Nationwide. Erie’s average annual price is more than $750 below the national average of $2,359 a year.
Putting a teen driver on your car insurance policy can lead to much higher rates. Parents can easily pay more than $2,000 more a year to add a 16-year-old driver to your insurance, so shop around to see if Erie, Nationwide or what company will offer the best rates for your teen driver.
| Company | Increase per year for adding a 16-year-old driver |
|---|---|
Nationwide | $893 |
Erie | $1,606 |
Farmers | $1,900 |
Geico | $1,982 |
Progressive | $2,062 |
USAA* | $2,466 |
State Farm | $2,622 |
Allstate | $2,643 |
Travelers | $2,728 |
*USAA is available only to the military, veterans and their families.
Erie Car Insurance Cost Comparison for Young Drivers Ages 18 to 25
Erie car insurance costs are relatively cheap for drivers between ages 18 and 25. Its annual cost is nearly $1,200 below the national average of $3,113 a year, among the large insurers we analyzed.
The costs below are for young drivers who purchase their own auto insurance policies. Young drivers can normally decrease costs by staying on a parent’s policy as long as possible.
| Company | National average annual cost for young drivers |
|---|---|
Travelers | $1,634 |
Erie | $1,941 |
USAA* | $2,403 |
Geico | $2,408 |
Nationwide | $2,472 |
Progressive | $2,635 |
Farmers | $3,071 |
State Farm | $3,263 |
Allstate | $4,865 |
*USAA is available only to the military, veterans and their families.
Erie Car Insurance Cost Comparison for Senior Drivers Ages 65 to 80
Erie has competitive car insurance prices for drivers ages 65 to 80. The national average senior car insurance cost is $2,150 a year, based on our analysis.
| Company | National average annual cost for senior drivers |
|---|---|
Nationwide | $1,402 |
USAA* | $1,455 |
Travelers | $1,668 |
Geico | $1,793 |
Erie | $1,831 |
Progressive | $1,937 |
State Farm | $2,009 |
Allstate | $2,996 |
Farmers | $3,199 |
*USAA is available only to the military, veterans and their families.
Auto Insurance Complaints Against Erie
Erie auto insurance has a lower level of auto insurance complaints than many large insurers, based on complaints made to state insurance departments across the country. Erie complaints are also low compared to the industry average.
Erie’s auto insurance complaints are related to rates, nonrenewal of policies, claim delays, cancellations and surcharges.
Erie’s Grade from Collision Repair Professionals: A-
In a survey of collision repair professionals by CRASH Network, Erie earned an A- grade, which was the best grade of the auto insurance companies we evaluated.
The survey was based on the opinions of auto body professionals, who see how insurers compare in the use of lower-quality repair parts, whether insurers encourage the use of repair procedures recommended by car makers and whether an insurer’s claims processes lead to quick and satisfactory claims for customers.
Erie’s Grade from Collision Repair Professionals: B+
In a survey of collision repair professionals by CRASH Network, Erie earned a B+ grade, which was tied for third best.
The survey was based on the opinions of auto body professionals, who see how insurers compare in the use of lower-quality repair parts, whether insurers encourage the use of repair procedures recommended by car makers and whether an insurer’s claims processes lead to quick and satisfactory claims for customers.
Does Erie Offer Accident Forgiveness?
Yes, Erie offers accident forgiveness insurance. Erie’s First Accident Forgiveness doesn’t impose a surcharge for the first at-fault accident for Erie customers of at least three years.
The three-year wait isn’t applicable in all states. And First Accident Forgiveness doesn’t apply when the Rate Protection Endorsem*nt is on the policy.
Does Erie Offer New Car Replacement?
Yes, Erie offers new car replacement coverage as an add-on for an additional cost. Erie’s Auto Security program replaces your car with the newest comparable model year (minus the deductible) if it’s totaled and you’ve had it less than two years.
If you’ve had the car longer than two years when it’s totaled, Erie will pay the cost to replace it with a comparable model that’s two years newer (minus the deductible).
If a leased car gets totaled, Erie’s Auto Security pays the difference between the vehicle’s actual cash value and the amount due on the lease.
This coverage isn’t available in all states. You must carry comprehensive and collision coverage on eligible vehicles to get the new car replacement features.
Does Erie Offer Gap Insurance?
Yes, Erie offers loan or lease gap insurance.
Gap insurance works this way: Let’s say you have a relatively new car and it gets totaled in an accident. You still owe $20,000 on the car loan, but the vehicle was only worth $17,000. So, there’s a $3,000 gap between what you owe the lender and what the insurance company will pay you for the totaled car.
Gap insurance would handle the difference between what the car is worth and what you owe the lender.
Does Erie Offer a Diminishing Deductible?
Yes, Erie has a diminishing deductible option through its Auto Plus endorsem*nt. Auto Plus reduces the deductible by $100 for each year that you don’t file a claim, with a maximum deductible decrease of $500. So, if you have a $500 deductible and don’t file a claim for five years, your deductible shrinks to zero if you need to file a claim.
Does Erie Offer SR-22s?
Yes, Eric provides SR-22 insurance. Erie offers an SR-22 certificate, which a state may require for risky drivers, such as drivers with multiple infractions. An SR-22 confirms the driver has adequate car insurance.
Does Erie Offer Usage-Based Insurance?
No, Erie doesn’t have a usage-based insurance program. Many other car insurance companies offer usage-based programs that monitor a person’s actual driving and produce a driving score. These programs typically measure braking, speeding and miles driven. If you score well you can earn a discount.
Does Erie Offer Pay-Per-Mile Insurance?
No, Erie doesn’t offer a pay-per-mile car insurance option. Insurers with pay-per-mile coverage base rates partially on how many miles a person drives.
Additional Erie Car Insurance Options
If you buy a car insurance policy from Erie, you’ll also get nice built-in coverage types such as:
- Pet injury coverage. If your pet is hurt in an accident covered by your policy, Erie will reimburse vet costs up to $500 per pet or $1,000 total.
- Travel expenses. This covers expenses like meals and hotel bills if you can’t drive your car and are stuck away from home because of a problem covered by your policy.
- Windshield repair. If your windshield can be repaired rather than replaced, Erie will waive the deductible on your comprehensive coverage.
Erie sells a number of add-on options for auto insurance such as:
- Erie Auto Plus. This package of benefits includes roadside assistance, transportation expenses for up to 10 days if your car is totaled, a diminishing deductible for every consecutive claims-free year, increased coverage limits, waived deductibles (under certain conditions) and a $10,000 death benefit for you or a relative who dies in a car accident.
- Erie Rate Lock. Your rates won’t increase unless you make a change to your policy, such as adding a car, another driver or moving to a new city.
Erie Auto Insurance Discounts
Erie Insurance offers a number of different ways to save money on auto insurance premiums. Here’s a look at car insurance discounts from Erie.
- Annual payment plan. If you pay the full amount of your premium at one time, you’ll be eligible for a discount.
- Car safety equipment discounts. If you have safety equipment on your car like factory-installed air bags, anti-theft devices and anti-lock brakes, you may qualify for a discount.
- Multi-car discount. You can land a discount if you insure two or more cars.
- Multi-policy discount. Drivers who bundle auto and home insurance with Erie can get a discount of around 20%.
- Reduced usage discount. Only use your car occasionally? If you go at least 90 straight days without using your car, you can qualify for a reduced price.
- Safe driving discount. If you avoid car accidents and traffic violations, you can earn a discount.
- Young driver discount. Does a young driver live with you? If that driver is under age 21 and unmarried, you can save money on your car insurance.
More Insurance from Erie Insurance
Erie sells a variety of other policies to protect your other financial interests and assets. For example, restaurateurs can buy restaurant insurance. And for those who own other types of businesses, Erie offers business insurance and risk control services (including assistance from a risk control consultant).
Other policies Erie offers include:
- Home insurance
- Commercial auto insurance
- Identity theft recovery
- Life insurance
- Long-term care riders
- Medicare supplement
- Personal catastrophe liability insurance
- Wholesale distributors insurance
- Workers compensation insurance
In addition to insurance policies, Erie offers a variety of retirement savings solutions, including annuities and IRAs.
About Erie Insurance
Erie Insurance was founded by Oliver Crawford and Henry Hirt in 1925 in Erie, Pennsylvania. In the decades since, Erie has spread into 12 states and Washington, D.C., and expanded to have over 6,000 employees, over 13,000 independent agents and over six million policies in force.
What States Does Erie Car Insurance Operate In?
Erie is available in 12 states and Washington, D.C.:
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
Methodology
To identify the best car insurance we evaluated each company on its auto insurance rates, the coverage options offered, complaints against the company and its collision repair process.
Auto insurance rates (50% of score): We used data from Quadrant Information Services to find average rates from each company for good drivers, drivers who have caused an accident, drivers with a speeding ticket, drivers with a DUI, drivers with poor credit, drivers caught without insurance, adding a teen driver, senior drivers and young drivers.
Unless otherwise noted, rates are based on a 40-year-old female driver with a Toyota RAV4 and coverage of:
- $100,000 for injuries to one person, $300,000 for injuries per accident and $100,000 of property damage (known as 100/300/100).
- Uninsured motorist coverage of 100/300.
- Collision and comprehensive insurance with a $500 deductible.
Car insurance coverage options (25% of score): Any auto insurance company can provide the basics of liability insurance, collision and comprehensive coverage and other standard offerings. But it’s also important to have access to additional coverage types that can provide greater protection or cost savings. In this category we gave points to companies that offer accident forgiveness, new car replacement, vanishing deductibles, usage-based or pay-per-mile insurance and SR-22s.
Complaints (20% of score): We used complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Each state’s department of insurance is in charge of logging and monitoring complaints against companies operating in their states. Most auto insurance complaints center on claims, including unsatisfactory settlements, delays, and denials. The industry complaint average is 1.00, so companies with a ratio below 1.00 have lower levels of complaints.
Collision repair (5% of score): We incorporated grades of insurance companies from collision repair professionals. We used data provided by CRASH Network, a weekly newsletter covering the collision repair and auto insurance market segments. CRASH Network’s Insurer Report Card used grades from more than 1,100 collision repair professionals to gauge auto insurers on the quality of their collision claims service.
