Esurance Auto Insurance Review: Features and Costs

Name: Esurance Auto Insurance Review: Features and Costs
Item: Esurance Auto Insurance
Rating: 9

Written By:

Last Updated:March 12, 2024

Esurance Auto Insurance Review: Features and Costs

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Esurance offers a wide range of coverage options with an even wider range of discounts.

9/10

Cost

9/10

Features

8/10

Ease of use

9/10

Services

8.5/10

When you look closely at most 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 nearly a hundred years — if not longer. But then you have an insurer like Esurance. 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. Keep reading our Esurance review to determine if it is worth switching to for your auto insurance needs.

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What is Esurance auto insurance?

Esurance is an online-only insurance company offering auto, homeowners, renters, and motorcycle insurance policies. The premise behind Esurance is that by operating almost completely online, you cut out the expensive overhead like insurance agents and physical locations. 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 that you’ve heard of Allstate. A little over ten years ago, Esurance became an Allstate company. Allstate's powerful financial backing and ratings spread to Esurance as a parent company.

Allstate announced it would phase out the Esurance brand in 2020. Although it wasn't until 2022 that Esurance car insurance quotes and coverage were redirected to Allstate.

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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. If you prefer to talk to someone, you can call the customer service phone number. Otherwise, answer a few simple questions, and you can get your quote in minutes.

Esurance states most quotes take an average of six minutes to complete online. Perfect for those in a hurry who want to complete the process. However, if, for whatever reason, Esurance doesn't think it has a suitable policy for you, it'll direct you to a company within the Allstate brand. If that happens, you'll have answered all the questions, which was frustrating.

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 is used to determine your rate. The biggest impact on your rates includes the following:

Age
Gender
Marital status
Location
Driving history
Credit score
Your vehicle
Amount of deductible you carry
And other factors

Of course, one of the biggest factors with auto insurance is your chosen coverage. 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 payments and funeral services payments
Uninsured and underinsured motorists
Comprehensive coverage and collision coverage

Add-on coverage options include customizing your car insurance policy through:

Emergency roadside assistance
Rental car assistance
Loan/lease GAP coverage
Personal injury protection (PIP)

As you can see, many aspects of your auto insurance policy can influence how much you pay for your premiums, from how much of a deductible you choose to adding an optional feature.

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Examples of premium costs

For a real quote example, I got a quote based on a married, college-educated male renting a home in Illinois and driving a 2018 Toyota Camry as of February 15, 2023. I received the minimum and full-coverage options.

Minimum coverage includes:

Bodily injury: $25k/$50k
Property damage: $20k
Uninsured motorist bodily injury: $25k/$50k

Full coverage includes:

Bodily injury: $100k/$300k
Property damage: $50k
Uninsured motorist bodily injury: $100k/$300k
Collision deductible: $1k
Comprehensive deductible: $1k

I was quoted a down payment of $67.35 and five payments of $70.53 per month.

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 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 offers a wide range of discounts. 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 (called 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 everything you need to manage your Esurance car insurance. You can file a claim, track your claim, make a payment, call roadside assistance, and monitor the progress of your repair. In other words, the app pretty much does it all. The app has a notable rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars, and 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 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. You’ll likely 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 make Esurance the right fit for you.

If customer service is one of your top priorities

Esurance is mixed when it comes to customer service reviews. The NAIC complaint index is higher than the industry baseline. In addition, the company wasn't rated in the J.D. Power 2023 auto claims satisfaction survey.

Those who prefer to work with an agent

If you love working with a local agent, you should pass on Esurance. Your interactions will only be with the generic customer service number, website, and app.

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 by company courtesy of Bankrate.

Insurer	Monthly minimum coverage premium
State Farm	$56
USAA	$36
Nationwide	$62
Geico	$39
Progressive	$49
American Family	$44
Farmers	$76
Allstate	$56

Save on Auto Insurance with Bankrate

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Save up to $610 Per Year on Car Insurance
See Quotes in Minutes
Compare 30+ Insurance Providers
Switch Online or Speak to a Licensed Agent
No Fees to Check Rates, Ever

Click to See How Much You Can Save

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's user-friendly website is ideal for those who like a hands-on approach to managing their policies. You don't even have to work with an agent to get a quote – that can be achieved through the company's website. However, the company only offers auto insurance policies in 43 states, and its consumer satisfaction score leaves more to be desired. In addition, it boasts higher-than-usual complaints on the NAIC complaint index.

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Sara Coleman is a former corporate gal turned creative entrepreneur. She began writing professionally several years ago and now contributes to multiple websites, blogs, and magazines. She’s also an avid reader and can’t resist a great historical fiction novel. Sara holds a BA in journalism from the University of Georgia and can be found supporting her Bulldogs every chance she has. She resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her wonderfully supportive husband and three children. When she’s not ushering her kids to sports and dance lessons, she can be found creating content for her own website, TheProperPen.com.

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