Esurance Auto Insurance Review: Features, Pros & Cons, and Costs
When you look closely at the majority of the mega-sized auto insurance companies, you might be surprised to find out how old they really are. Most insurance providers have been in business for close to a hundred years — if not longer. But then you have an insurer like surance. Founded in 1999, Esurance is like a baby compared to the other car insurance companies. But in this case, being younger might have a few advantages for you. Keep reading our Esurance review to find out if it is worth making a switch to for your auto insurance needs.
What is Esurance auto insurance?
Esurance is an online-only insurance company offering policies for auto, homeowners, renters, and motorcycles. The premise behind Esurance is that by operating almost completely online, you cut out the expensive overhead like insurance agents and physical locations. In turn, the savings can be passed on to the consumer through lower car insurance rates.
While you might not be as familiar with Esurance as other carriers, chances are high you’ve heard of Allstate. A little over eight years ago, Esurance became an Allstate company. As a parent company, Allstate's powerful financial backing and ratings spread to Esurance.
Allstate currently has an impressive A+ (Superior) A.M. Best financial rating, offering reassurance both Allstate and Esurance are financially strong enough to handle insurance claims.
You should also be aware in December 2019, Allstate announced it would phase out the Esurance brand in 2020. Although it hasn’t officially happened yet, as of this publishing Esurance is still operating and offering car insurance quotes and coverage.
How does Esurance work?
As the name implies, everything you need to do to conduct business with Esurance is done either online or through the app. Of course, you can still call customer service if you need to, but the digital tools are designed to make the process flow with the click of a few buttons.
The quote process is completed entirely online. You can call the customer service phone number if you like the idea of talking to someone. Otherwise, answer a few simple questions and you can get your quote in a matter of minutes.
Esurance states most quotes take an average of six minutes to complete online. Perfect for those who are in a hurry and want to get the process going.
How much does Esurance cost?
Getting a price for car insurance depends on several different factors. Esurance is no different than any other auto carrier in that several points of consideration are used to determine your rate. The biggest impact to your rates include:
- Age
- Gender
- Marital status
- Location
- Driving history
- Credit score
- Your vehicle
- Amount of a deductible you carry
- And other factors
Of course, one of the biggest factors with auto insurance is the type of coverage you choose. Esurance divides its policyholder coverage choices into three categories:
Coverage that protects your car, you and your passengers, and your wallet (liability coverage). These options within these categories include:
- Bodily injury liability
- Property damage liability
- Medical and funeral services payments
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist
- Comprehensive and collision
Add-on coverage options include customizing your car insurance policy include:
- Emergency roadside assistance
- Rental car assistance
- Loan/lease GAP coverage
- Personal injury protection (PIP)
As you can see, there are many aspects of your auto insurance policy that can influence how much you pay for your premiums, from how much of a deductible you choose to add an optional feature.
Esurance features
Speaking of features, Esurance has several when it comes to auto insurance coverage.
Several coverage options
Again, you can likely find the coverage you need with either the basic choices or additional options you can add to your policy.
Large number of discounts
For those looking to save as much as possible, Esurance has a wide range of discounts to choose from. Insurance discounts include driver discounts for:
- Obtaining an online quote
- Bundling auto insurance with homeowners insurance or renters insurance for a multi-policy discount
- Paying your annual premium at once
- Multiple vehicles
- Being a claim-free good driver, with no DUI or DWI violations, for five years
- Being a homeowner
- Avoiding traffic violations
- Good student discount
- An approved defensive driving course
- Safety features on your car (anti-theft device, airbags, anti-lock brakes)
- PAC-12 discount - if you’re affiliated with a PAC-12 school, either as an attendee or alum.
In addition to the number of discounts offered, Esurance has the DriveSense program. The Esurance mobile app tracks your driving habits and provides feedback (referred to as telematics). You don’t have to be an Esurance customer to use the app, but if you are, you might earn an additional discount on your premiums, if you’ve maintained safe driving habits.
Highly-rated app
The app gives you access to all the things you need to take care of your Esurance car insurance. You can file a claim, track your claim, make a payment, call for roadside assistance, and watch the progress of your repair. In other words, the app pretty much does it all. The app has a notable rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars, where users highlight how easy it is to use.
Who is Esurance best for?
Tech-savvy users
If you prefer an app or online experience, then Esurance is sure to please. You can complete all your insurance tasks from A to Z either through the app or online.
If you love a wide range of discounts
Esurance offers the typical carrier discounts, but plenty of other opportunities to save as well. Chances are high you’ll be able to pile on the savings on top of Esurance’s competitive rates.
Who shouldn’t use Esurance?
The additional savings and helpful digital tools may not mean Esurance is the right fit for you.
If customer service is one of your top priorities
Esurance is mixed when it comes to customer service reviews. While the NAIC complaint index features a normal range for a company of its size, there are other reviews that aren’t as positive. Esurance ranked below the industry average in the JD Power 2020 Auto Claims Overall Customer Satisfaction Survey.
Those who prefer to work with an agent
If you love working with a local agent, then you should pass on Esurance. Your interactions will only be with the generic customer service number, in addition to the website and app.
Pros & cons
Uses the latest technology to make the process fast
Purchasing insurance, filing a claim, calling for roadside assistance — all these tasks are completed as quickly as possible with Esurance because of the technology behind the website and app.
Pay-per-mile option
If you drive your car on a very limited basis (less than 10,000 miles per year) then you might be interested in the pay-per-mile option from Esurance. This is insurance based on the number of miles you drive per year and where a lower mileage is rewarded with a lower insurance cost.
Convenient extras
If you purchase collision and comprehensive coverage, roadside assistance is automatically included in your coverage. No more worrying about being stranded on the side of the road! Esurance makes it super-simple for you to take advantage of this too. You can request assistance via the website or the mobile app.
Other extras include being able to use the app for photo claims, so you don’t have to do anything in-person for a claim. You can also use a feature called RepairView, where you get to watch your car if it’s an Esurance-approved repair shop. This allows you to see daily photos and updates on your repair if you’ve been in an accident.
We also love that you can pay with PayPal. Esurance is one of the few carriers offering this convenient payment option. You might even get an additional discount by using PayPal.
Esurance versus competitors
Esurance claims to be able to save the average consumer $462 annually on their auto insurance. But how does Esurance stack up when we compare it to other brands? Here’s a snapshot of annual premiums for drivers in their twenties.
| Insurer | Average premium |
|---|---|
| Esurance | $1,937 |
| State Farm | $1,685 |
| USAA | $1,261 |
| Nationwide | $1,582 |
| Geico | $2,134 |
| Progressive | $2,287 |
| American Family | $1,685 |
| Farmers | $2,020 |
| Allstate | $2,636 |
| Liberty Mutual | $2,686 |
Average premium for driver in 20s
FAQs
How much will I pay for my policy with Esurance?
The best way to answer this question is through a personal quote online or via the Esurance app. Every quote is dependent on your details and driving history.
Can I purchase Esurance insurance in any state?
No, Esurance currently offers auto insurance in 43 states.
How can I lower my premiums?
In addition to discounts, improving your credit score can have a positive impact on rates. You can do this by paying your bills on time, lowering your debt-to-income ratio, and checking your credit report periodically for discrepancies. Another option is to raise your deductible to lower your premiums.
The bottom line
Esurance offers a wide range of coverage options with an even wider range of discounts. If you like the idea of working with a reputable auto insurance carrier online or on a highly-rated mobile app, then Esurance is definitely worth a serious look.
For more information visit esurance.com.
Contact
| General Support |
|---|
| 800-378-7262 |
| P.O. Box 5250, Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5258 |