Erie auto insurance review: Top-rated regional company
Erie is one of the best and cheapest car insurance companies out there, but it’s not available in every state.
By
Andrew HurstAndrew HurstSenior Editor & Licensed Auto Insurance ExpertAndrew Hurst is a senior editor and a licensed auto insurance expert at Policygenius. His work has also been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, USA Today, NPR, Mic, Insurance Business Magazine, ValuePenguin, and Property Casualty 360.
Edited by
Anna SwartzAnna SwartzSenior Managing EditorAnna Swartz is a senior managing editor who specializes in home, auto, renters, and disability insurance at Policygenius. Previously, she was a senior staff writer at Mic and a writer at The Dodo. Her work has also appeared in Salon, HuffPost, MSN, AOL, and Heeb.
Our proprietary ratings methodology takes multiple factors into account, including customer satisfaction, cost, financial strength, and policy offerings. See the “Ratings methodology” section for more details.
4.9
AM Best rating
AM Best is a global credit rating agency that scores the financial strength of insurance companies on a scale from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor).
A+
Cost
Using a mix of internal and external rate data, we grade the cost of each insurance company's premiums on a scale from least expensive ($) to most expensive ($$$$$).
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The bottom line
Erie has great car insurance coverage for an affordable price. In fact, Erie has some of the cheapest car insurance rates around — as long as you have a clean driving record. It’s often even more affordable than more well-known companies like GEICO, Travelers, and Nationwide.
But what makes Erie one of the best insurance providers are its solid claims satisfaction ratings and useful coverage offerings and perks.
Erie, based in Pennsylvania, only offers car insurance in 13 states (including the District of Columbia). Drivers outside of the Northeast and Midwest states where it operates won’t be able to get an Erie car insurance policy.
Pros
Low car insurance rates
Lots of useful add-ons, like new car replacement
Accident forgiveness automatically included after three years
Cons
Not available in every state
Basic coverages offered
Erie has all the basic types of car insurance most drivers need. Depending on where you live, Erie's basic coverages offerings may change, but generally include:
Bodily injury liability: Covers the cost of injuries to other people after an at-fault accident.
Property damage liability: Covers the cost of other people’s damaged property after an at-fault accident.
Collision coverage: Covers damage to your own car that happens in a collision with another driver or object.
Comprehensive coverage: Covers damage to your own car that’s not caused in a collision, like damage from falling branches, water damage, and vandalism.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist: Covers injuries and property damage caused by drivers who aren't insured or don't have enough car insurance.
Personal injury protection: Covers your injuries, lost wages, and medical care after an accident, regardless of fault (PIP is required in no-fault states).
Medical payments: Covers your injuries after a crash, but usually has lower limits than personal injury protection.
Additional coverages offered
An Erie policy also comes with a few perks that you don’t typically get for free from other companies. Erie drivers may qualify for free upgrades like:
First accident forgiveness: If you’ve gone three years without a claim, there’s no rate increase after your first accident.
Injury coverage for your pet: If your pet is injured in an accident, you can receive up to $500 per pet (up to $1,000 total) for vet bills.
Trip interruption coverage: Covers expenses for food and lodging if you’re stranded after a covered accident or loss.
Erie also offers a number of endorsements, or optional coverage add-ons. Erie’s endorsements are some of the most wide-ranging and helpful of any company. These include:
Erie Rate Lock: With rate lock, your insurance premiums won't change until you add another car or driver to your policy, even after a claim.
Gap insurance: Pays the difference between the remainder of your car's loan or lease and your initial insurance payout after an accident.
New (or better) car replacement: If your car is totaled before it’s more than two years old, this pays to replace it with a new model. You may also be able to get a newer car than your old model if you’ve had your car for more than two years.
Personal item coverage: Covers up to $350 of personal belongings coverage for the items in your car if they’re stolen or damaged.
Rental car reimbursement: Pays for the cost of a rental car while your car is in the shop after a covered accident.
Ridesharing coverage: Provides coverage while you drive for Uber, Lyft, and other ride-sharing apps during the time when the app is on but you don’t yet have a passenger.
Erie also has a premium coverage package called Auto Plus that includes a diminishing deductible perk, 10 days of transportation expense coverage, increased coverage limits, $10,000 in death benefit insurance, and a waived deductible after certain losses.
Ratings methodology
Price
4.6/5
We found the cost of car insurance from Erie by analyzing rates from ZIP codes across every state and the District of Columbia. Our sample driver was a 30-year-old with average credit, a clean driving record, and a 2017 Toyota Camry. We found that Erie car insurance is $38 cheaper per month than average.
Customer experience
4.4/5
Erie scores near the top of the J.D. Power Claims Satisfaction Study (893 versus the average of 873) and near the middle of the J.D. Power Digital Experience Study (686 versus the average of 705). Erie receives slightly more complaints than average, with a complaint index of 1.27 versus 1.0 according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Coverage options
4.7/5
Erie earned points for every type of auto insurance coverage it offers, then we weighed its coverage score against other competitors. We found that Erie has more car insurance coverage options than competitors.
Financial strength
4.0/5
Erie received an A+ financial strength rating from A.M. Best. This means that the chances that Erie won’t be able to pay its claims after a loss are very low, and that the company’s long-term stability is high.
Cost of Erie car insurance
The average cost of car insurance from Erie is $98 per month, or $1,181 per year. That’s $457 cheaper than the national average rate for a full-coverage policy. Erie may even be the cheapest company in your state depending on where you live.
Coverage amount
Average annual rate for Erie
Required state minimum
$370
Full coverage ($50,000/$100,000)
$1,181
Full coverage ($100,000/$300,000)
$1,201
Erie’s cheap car insurance rates mean it’s an affordable alternative to other more well-known insurance companies, especially for drivers with clean records. For example, we found that Erie is cheaper, on average, than other large insurance companies like GEICO, Travelers, Nationwide, and Progressive.
Car insurance discounts from Erie
In addition to its cheap rates, Erie also has a few discounts that can lower your costs even more. Discounts may vary depending on where you live, but include:
Multi-policy discount: Erie offers a discount to drivers who bundle their auto insurance with a life or home insurance policy.
Multi-car discount: Save for insuring more than one car on the same Erie policy
Pay-in-full discount: Erie gives a discount for drivers who pay their entire premium at once at the start of their policy.
Reduced usage discount: This discount is for drivers who don’t plan to use their vehicles for at least 90 days in a row.
Safe vehicle discount: Having a car with anti-lock brakes, anti-theft devices, and crash-avoidance tech can help you lower your rates with Erie.
Student away-from-home discount: Parents can lower their car insurance costs if they have a college-age child attending school away from home without a car.
Erie also has a few discounts only available to drivers who are 21 years old and younger — an age group that usually pays the most for car insurance.
Longevity insured discount: Young drivers can get a discount on their policy if they were previously insured on another person’s (like a parent’s) Erie policy for more than one year.
Youthful driver discount: Available to drivers under 21 who live at home with their parents.
Young driver training discount: Complete a driving safety class and receive a discount from Erie.
Where is Erie car insurance available?
Erie is not available in every state. It’s actually available in just 13 states (including the District of Columbia), mostly in the Midwest and Northeast.
How to get a quote: You can get a quote from the Erie website, through an independent insurance marketplace, or by calling (800) 458-0811 to speak to an Erie agent.
Customer service options: Erie’s customer service number is (800) 458-0811, but drivers can also ask questions through the Erie mobile app, website, or by email.
How to file a claim: Drivers can make a car insurance claim by calling (800) 367-3743 and by contacting their Erie agents. For glass claims, drivers have to make an appointment online.
How to cancel your policy: You have to contact your agent to cancel your Erie car insurance policy.
Erie vs. other car insurance companies
The best way to find the right car insurance for you is by comparing companies. To help you, we’ve made it easy to check how Erie’s rates, service, and financial strength stand up to its competitors.
Erie is one of the best car insurance companies in the country. We recommend it for its affordability, a strong feeling of claims satisfaction among its policyholders, and its useful add-ons.
Is Erie good at paying claims?
Erie has some of the highest auto claims satisfaction ratings in the industry, according to surveys conducted by J.D. Power.
What does insurance cost from Erie?
The average cost of insurance from Erie is $98 per month, but it can be even cheaper depending on where you live. This makes Erie one of the most affordable companies, even compared to larger insurance providers.
Who can get Erie car insurance?
Anyone can get car insurance from Erie as long as they live in one of the 13 states where Erie offers coverage. That said, Erie may deny coverage to high-risk drivers.
Andrew Hurst is a senior editor and a licensed auto insurance expert at Policygenius. His work has also been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, USA Today, NPR, Mic, Insurance Business Magazine, ValuePenguin, and Property Casualty 360.
Anna Swartz is a senior managing editor who specializes in home, auto, renters, and disability insurance at Policygenius. Previously, she was a senior staff writer at Mic and a writer at The Dodo. Her work has also appeared in Salon, HuffPost, MSN, AOL, and Heeb.
