Erie Car Insurance Review – Exclusive Coverage in the U.S.
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When compared to its competitors, Erie’s auto insurance policies are more expensive than some.
8/10
Cost
7.5/10
Features
8/10
Ease of use
9/10
Services
8.5/10
I don’t know about you, but every six months, when it’s time to renew my car insurance, I almost go into a panic. Suddenly, I’m searching articles, getting insurance quotes, and reviewing coverages as if I’ve never seen them. You never know when an accident could happen, so it’s important to understand your coverage now so you don’t have to worry about it later.
Whether you’re a day away from renewing your policy now or just thinking about your options for later, here’s what you need to know about Erie Car Insurance.
In this article
What is Erie car insurance?
Erie car insurance (also known as auto insurance) is a product that Erie Insurance Group offers. The company has provided insurance coverage since 1925 and has over 13,000 agents nationwide. The company provides other auto and auto insurance types, including homeowners, life, and business insurance.
Auto insurance policies offer a set of coverages to protect you financially in many scenarios in which you may be involved in an automobile accident. It can help cover medical costs, car repairs, and more. Auto insurance is required in most states, and some states require specific coverages to be included in an auto insurance policy.
Erie Insurance ranked second in the 2023 J.D. Power U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study.
How does Erie Car Insurance work?
If you’re considering purchasing a car insurance policy from Erie Insurance, the first step is to get a quote. You can start this process with just a few clicks on the Erie Insurance website.
The company offers a few different types of insurance, so be sure you’re requesting an auto insurance quote, not another type.
After you’ve input your insurance type and zip code, you’ll be brought to a screen to enter more information about yourself.
Then you’ll be asked for information about the vehicles you want your auto insurance policy to cover.
If you have multiple vehicles, you can add them after inputting the first one. When you’ve finished adding information about each car you want coverage for, you can click on the “Continue” button.
Your name and vehicle info will automatically be added to the driver’s information. You can also enter additional information, including the age when you earned your license.
As with the vehicles, you can add drivers to the policy. When you’ve finished adding all the drivers you want coverage for, you can click this “continue” button.
The next step is to enter your contact information. You’ll also be asked a few additional questions, including the date you need your auto insurance coverage to become effective.
After you’ve submitted these final details, you’ll be given your quote if you qualify for a policy from Erie Insurance.
This quote is just an estimate based on the coverage options that Erie Insurance has generated for you. You’ll need to review the coverage options to ensure that you’re comfortable with what’s included in your policy.
These are the coverage amounts that were included in the quote that I received:
You can change your coverage amounts and “re-rate” your quote. This will rerun the selection based on the new coverage amounts. For example, when I changed my bodily injury liability coverage amount, I clicked on the re-rate quote button and received this:
You can do this as often as you’d like to review the costs for each coverage amount.
Erie will also provide you with information for a local agent on this page. You can contact the agent to discuss your coverage options and complete an auto insurance policy application.
Save $1,604 (or more) per year on car insurance today.
- 2-minute quote
- State minimum coverage
- Full coverage
- Explore top brands
How much does Erie car insurance cost?
As with any auto insurance policy, the pricing of a policy from Erie Insurance will depend on several factors. Factors considered include your age, where you live, and your driving record. If you have other drivers on the policy, their information will also be considered. Aside from these factors, the amount of coverage you purchase can raise or lower your price.
In the first quote that I received, my premium would have been $95.50/month for the following:
- Bodily injury liability: $100,000 for one person, $300,000 for the total incident
- Property damage liability: $100,000
- Supplementary uninsured/underinsured motorists bodily injury: $25,000 for one person, $50,000 for the total incident
- Optional basic economic loss: $25,000
- Personal injury protection: $50,000
- Collision deductible: $500
- Comprehensive deductible: $500
- Roadside and rentals: Class 2 - Traditional Sedan
Lowering just one of these coverage amounts changed my quote. I reduced the bodily injury liability coverage to $25,000 for one person and $50,000 per incident, which lowered my monthly premium to $88.50.
You might not want to go for the lowest amounts possible to lower your insurance premium. If you are involved in an accident, you may pay far more than the few dollars you saved on your premium. You can speak with your insurance agent to get personalized recommendations on coverage amounts. Still, ultimately, it comes down to what’s required in your state and the level of risk you’re comfortable with taking.
Another way you may lower your premium is to take advantage of Erie Insurance’s auto insurance discounts. When you receive a quote, some of these discounts may be included. Even so, you should speak with an agent to see if you might qualify for additional discounts. Some discounts Erie Insurance offers are the safe-driving discount, multi-car discount, and multi-policy discount.
Erie Car Insurance features
An Erie auto insurance policy has several sections. First, let’s examine the six essential components.
Liability coverages
Almost every state in the U.S. requires drivers to carry liability coverage. Each state has a minimum coverage amount—your agent can help advise you on how much you need.
Bodily injury liability
If you’re at fault for an accident, this coverage will help pay for the costs related to another person’s injuries. It can also cover damages if sued due to someone else’s injuries or death.
Property damage liability
If your vehicle damages someone else’s property, this coverage can help pay for the damages.
Pet coverage
Erie will cover vet treatment costs up to $500 per pet if a furry friend sustains injuries in an accident. The total limit is $1,000.
Comprehensive coverage
States do not require comprehensive coverage, but your lender may need it if you lease or finance your vehicle. It can cover damages to your car from various circumstances, including theft, fire, hail, or vandalism.
Comprehensive coverage comes with a deductible. So, if a covered situation damages your car, you’ll need to pay your deductible out of pocket before your insurance company will pay you for the damages.
Collision coverage
This is another type of coverage your lender might require if you lease or finance your vehicle. It can help cover damage to your car if you are involved in a fault accident with another car or an object, such as a fence.
Collision coverage also comes with a deductible, which you must meet before your insurance company pays for covered collision damages.
Personal injury protection
This coverage can help you pay for your medical expenses following an accident. It may also cover additional costs from your accident, such as lost income or childcare expenses.
Personal injury protection is required in some states and not available in others.
Coverage add-ons
Erie also offers additional coverages that you can add to your policy.
Erie Auto Plus
This optional package provides benefits that can enhance a basic auto insurance policy. It includes a diminishing deductible, meaning that your deductible is reduced for each year you remain claims-free. It also provides increased coverage limits to help cover emergency travel costs and personal items. This package may allow you to waive your deductible overall in certain situations. It can also pay for up to 10 additional days of transportation expenses if your vehicle is totaled. A death benefit is also included in this package, offering $10,000 if you or a relative passes away due to a bodily injury from an auto accident.
Erie Rate Lock Feature
This allows you to lock in your insurance rate and avoid increases even if you file a claim. Your rate would change if you enabled this feature if you added or removed a vehicle/driver from the policy or if your vehicle's address changed.
Motorcycle insurance
If you have a motorcycle, you can add coverage to your auto policy at a competitive price. The coverage includes $3,000 for damage to accessories, gear, and safety riding apparel. Unfortunately, this coverage is not available in every state.
New car replacement
Adding this coverage will provide you with the actual replacement cost of your vehicle if it’s totaled. Without this coverage, if your car is totaled, you will only receive the depreciated value of your car.
Related: Your Car Is Totaled. Now What?
Rental car coverage
If your car is in the shop due to an accident, this coverage can ensure you’ll have alternative transportation. You can choose from five classes of rental car options, and the annual cost of this coverage is typically less than an average one-day car rental.
Roadside & rentals bundle
This package includes roadside service and transportation expense coverage for collision and comprehensive losses. This can provide you with reasonable towing and labor costs and coverage for a rental car. This coverage varies by state, but your agent can help you review your options.
Ridesharing
If you work with a private company such as Uber or Lyft, you can add this optional coverage to protect your vehicle when transporting passengers.
Save $1,604 (or more) per year on car insurance today.
- 2-minute quote
- State minimum coverage
- Full coverage
- Explore top brands
Who is Erie car insurance best for?
- People with cars and motorcycles. Sure, you can purchase an entirely separate motorcycle insurance policy. But with Erie, you can save money by adding this coverage to your auto policy.
- Drivers with multiple cars. Erie makes it easy and affordable to add multiple vehicles to your policy.
- Safe drivers. If you have a sound insurance history, an insurance company that rewards you can be beneficial. Erie offers discounts and a decreasing deductible to reward claims-free drivers. Plus, the longer you’re a customer, the more benefits you may be eligible for. With a typical Erie auto policy, after you’ve been a customer for three years, your first accident can be forgiven at no surcharge.
Who shouldn’t use Erie car insurance?
- People who don’t want to work with a local agent. While you can receive a quote online, you cannot purchase an auto insurance policy online. Instead, Erie recommends that local agents help you finalize your auto insurance application and purchase. So, if you’re looking for an insurer where you can get quick coverage online, Erie isn’t for you.
- People who live in the western half of the United States. Erie only offers auto coverage in some states, so it may not be available to you, depending on where you live. Erie covers states within the Northeast and Midwestern parts of the country, including New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, Illinois, and Indiana.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Erie offers personalized customer support through its independent agents.
- Erie offers several types of insurance, making it easy to bundle multiple policies and save money.
- Erie offers extensive coverage options, including ridesharing coverage.
Cons
- Erie only offers auto insurance in select states.
- Some coverages are limited, depending on the state that you live in.
- You cannot purchase an auto insurance policy online.
Erie car insurance vs. competitors
I used my information and coverages to compare Erie Insurance with other insurance providers, as in the quote walkthrough above.
Insurer | Additional coverage options | Availability |
Erie car insurance | Erie Auto Plus, motorcycle insurance, new car replacement, rental car coverage, roadside & rentals bundle, rideshare coverage, personal items coverage | Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin |
GEICO | Emergency road service, rental reimbursement, mechanical breakdown insurance | All 50 states and Washington D.C. |
Farmers Insurance | Towing and roadside service, rental car reimbursement, rideshare, loss of use, guaranteed value, customized equipment, spare parts coverage, new car replacement coverage, full windshield, and glass repair coverage | All 50 states and Washington D.C. |
GEICO
GEICO offers auto insurance in all 50 states, making it an attractive option, especially if you’re the transient type. Its auto insurance policies provide all of the standard coverage you would expect, including liability coverage, uninsured motorist coverage, collision, and comprehensive coverage. It also offers additional coverages, such as emergency roadside assistance and rental reimbursement.
GEICO offers discounts for various people, including students, federal employees, members of the armed forces, and multi-policy customers. You can also benefit from savings, such as the Five-Year Accident-Free Good Driver Discount for safe drivers. GEICO allows you to get your quote and complete your auto insurance purchase online, allowing you to get your policy quickly without any additional steps.
Farmers Insurance
Farmers Insurance is also available nationwide. The quote I received was the most expensive of the three insurers, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be a good option. Farmers offer several optional coverages that might make a few extra dollars worth it, especially if you have a classic or collector car and need spare parts coverage.
Like most insurers, Farmers offers discounts as well. The first discount you might see when getting a quote is its early shopping savings discount. You can qualify for this if you’re shopping for a policy that will start seven or more days after you get your quote. You can earn safe driving discounts, bundling policies, and accident forgiveness. You must call and speak with a Farmers representative to purchase a policy from Farmers.
FAQs
Does Erie Insurance offer good customer service?
When considering car insurance companies, you might be wondering about the customer service you’ll receive. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) gave Erie Insurance a customer complaint score of 0.9, which is exceptional compared to the average of 1. Erie has a good reputation for customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction as well.
Does Erie Insurance offer a mobile app?
Yes, Erie customers can manage their online accounts and access policy information from its mobile app.
What auto insurance products do I need?
The auto insurance coverages that you need will depend on where you live and your circumstances. With Erie, you can work with your agent to select the coverages that are right for you.
The bottom line
Erie Insurance is a good auto insurance provider but is unavailable everywhere. In addition to standard coverage, you can add several optional coverages and features to enhance your policy. Policyholders can also benefit from discounts and rewards like diminishing deductibles for remaining claims-free.
Erie’s auto insurance policies are more expensive than some competitors'. That being said, looking at the total value instead of just the insurance rate is important when deciding which policy is right for you. For example, if you’re an Uber driver on the weekends, you’ll need to find an insurance provider that offers rideshare coverage.
If you live in one of the areas Erie serves, it’s worth getting a quote to review your coverage and rate options. Erie’s independent agents can help you select the right policy and remove the guesswork from auto insurance.
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Ashley Hart is a lead copywriter and digital marketing expert covering finance, law, real estate, music, entertainment, health and wellness.
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