Erie Auto Insurance Reviews

Key Points:

• Erie Insurance sells auto coverage in 12 states and Washington, D.C.
• The company performs well in J.D. Power consumer studies.
• Erie Insurance offers competitive rates for all types of driver profiles.

Erie Insurance is a regional provider that serves 12 states and Washington, D.C. The company has been in business for nearly 100 years and has a reputation for outstanding customer service and affordable rates. In this review, we take a closer look at Erie’s car insurance coverage options, average costs, and customer reviews to help you decide if it’s the right choice for you.

Our team of experts has researched and ranked the best car insurance companies based on cost, coverage, reliability, and service. We encourage you to compare car insurance quotes from multiple providers before deciding on an auto insurance company.

Erie Car Insurance Review

Our team gives Erie Insurance 4.5 out of 5.0 stars overall and our award for Best Basic Coverage. Competitive pricing and a large selection of coverage options fuel the healthy ratings we give the company. Erie Insurance is also in excellent financial standing, so you can be confident that it can cover any claim you might have.

Erie Insurance Ratings

Here’s the full breakdown of how we rated Erie Insurance:

*Ratings are determined by our editorial review team. Learn more about our scoring methodology below.

Is Erie Insurance Good?

If you live in the areas Erie Insurance serves, it’s a fine option for affordable and reliable auto coverage. Along with standard car insurance products, the company offers a host of add-on coverages for additional peace of mind.

Pros And Cons Of Erie Insurance

Available in: 12 states and Washington, D.C.

Founded in: 1925

Coverage: Auto, homeowners, renters, life, business, flood, and more

Erie Insurance Company Overview

According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), Erie Insurance is the 13th largest auto insurer in the United States. The company wrote about $3.6 billion in direct premiums in 2022 and owns a little over one percent of the market share.

About Erie Insurance

Erie Insurance Group was founded in 1925. Its policies are available in Washington, D.C. and the following states:

• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Maryland
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Tennessee
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin

How Does Erie Insurance Stand Out?

Erie Insurance has a few options that set it apart from the competition. One is the Erie Rate Lock^Ⓡ, which helps you avoid a rate increase even if you have a claim after an accident.

Another standout feature from Erie is Diminishing Deductible. This means your deductible gets reduced by $100 for each consecutive policy year you don’t file a claim, up to a maximum of $500.

Erie Insurance also stands out by having more than 13,000 agents spread across its service area. So it’s easy to find an independent local agent who can help you find the right coverage for your needs.

Erie Insurance Industry Reviews

Erie Insurance gets high marks from both the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and credit rating agency AM Best. The company has an A+ rating from both organizations. Erie’s A+ rating from AM Best puts it in the “Superior” financial strength category.

Erie Insurance Customer Reviews

There aren’t many customer reviews for Erie Insurance online. Customers on the BBB’s site rate Erie Insurance only 1.1 out of 5.0 stars on average. Trustpilot reviews paint a more positive picture, with the company receiving an average of 2.9 out of 5.0 stars.

In general, positive Erie auto insurance reviews focus on the provider’s affordable rates and strong customer service. Negative reviews often refer to issues with the claims process and dealing with repair shops.

Erie Insurance Reviews: J.D. Power

The J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study℠ covered every phase of the auto coverage shopping experience, with more than 10,000 customers giving their feedback. For the second year in a row, Erie Insurance ranked second among midsize insurers, racking up 878 points out of 1,000.

Erie Insurance also performed well in the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study℠. This study polled more than 8,000 customers who had settled auto insurance claims within the last six months. Erie Insurance ranked third out of 21 providers of all sizes. The company received 893 out of 1,000 points, 20 more than the industry average.

Erie Auto Insurance Claims Reviews

In August 2022, our team conducted a survey of nearly 7,000 auto insurance customers. About one percent of respondents were Erie Insurance policyholders. Our survey found that about 44 percent of Erie policyholders had filed claims. These respondents gave the company a 4.5-star rating out of 5.0 for customer service during the claims process.

For satisfaction with the claims outcome or settlement, Erie customers gave the company 4.4 stars.

Erie Insurance Customer Satisfaction Survey

Here’s how the company scored in our consumer survey compared to the average scores of all providers:

*Each rating is out of 5.0 points.

Erie Car Insurance Coverage

Erie offers all standard types of car insurance, including:

Other Erie Coverage Options

Beyond the standard auto insurance products Erie offers, you can also purchase these optional coverages:

• Roadside assistance: This option includes towing, fuel delivery, jump-starts, and lockout assistance.
• Pet coverage: Get up to $500 per pet (up to $1,000 total) for veterinarian costs after an accident.
• Erie Auto Plus^Ⓡ: This package includes the company’s diminishing deductible, a $10,000 death benefit, and increased allowances for transportation expenses.
• First accident forgiveness: If you’ve been with Erie Insurance for at least three years, your first accident will be forgiven.
• New car replacement: If your vehicle is totaled at less than 24 months old, this pays for a replacement from the latest model year.
• Better car replacement: Your totaled car is replaced with a model that’s two years newer.

Rental Car Insurance Options

Erie Insurance offers six classes of rental car coverage, each of which comes with its own rate. Here are some details on these options, along with example vehicles:

• Class 1: Compact sedans that seat up to four, such as a Nissan Versa or Toyota Yaris
• Class 2: Traditional sedans that seat up to five, such as a Ford Fusion or Chevrolet Impala
• Class 3: Small SUVs or pickups that typically seat up to five, such as a Ford Escape or Chevrolet Silverado
• Class 4: Minivans and midsize SUVs that typically seat up to six or seven, such as a Jeep Grand Cherokee or Chrysler Town & Country
• Class 5: Luxury sedans and large SUVs that typically seat up to six, such as the Cadillac DTS or Chevrolet Tahoe
• Class 6: Vehicles designed to be operated by or accessible to people with disabilities

Erie Car Insurance Cost

According to Quadrant Information Services, a full-coverage auto policy from Erie Insurance costs about $1,238 per year or $103 per month on average. This is about 28 percent less than the national averages of $1,730 per year or $144 per month, which makes Erie one of the cheapest car insurance providers for many drivers.

*These rates are based on the profile of a 35-year-old married driver with good credit and a clean driving record.

Erie Car Insurance Rates By Age

The table below shows that the average full-coverage rates for Erie Insurance are lower than the national averages for drivers of all ages:

Erie Car Insurance Rates By Driving Profile

Violations such as speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, and DUIs have significant impacts on car insurance rates. Here are some average Erie auto insurance rates for drivers with three types of black marks on their records:

*Rates apply to the profile of a 35-year-old male driver.

Erie Car Insurance Discounts

Erie offers plenty of opportunities for drivers to save on their car insurance premiums. Here are a few of the company’s discounts:

• Safe driving discount: Although Erie Insurance doesn’t have a telematics program, you can earn a discount by going certain amounts of time without claims or traffic violations.
• Safety equipment discount: Erie provides discounts for drivers whose cars have safety features such as anti-theft devices and factory-installed air bags.
• Multi-car discount: Insuring more than one car on your Erie auto insurance policy can unlock discounts.
• Multi-policy discount: Bundling your Erie car insurance with a life or homeowners policy can save you money.This discount can’t be combined with the Erie Rate Lock add-on.
• Young drivers: In every state except North Carolina, unmarried drivers under 21 can get a discount on their Erie car insurance policies.
• Annual payment plan: You can save money with Erie Insurance by paying your premium annually instead of through monthly payments.

Factors That Affect Car Insurance Rates

The following are some of the key criteria auto insurers evaluate when they set coverage rates in most states:

• Driving record: If you have a clean driving history, you’ll pay much less than drivers who have at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, or DUI violations on their records.
• Location: Living in a densely populated area means higher auto insurance rates because there are more claims and accidents than in rural areas.
• Age: Car insurance rates are much higher for teen drivers than for more experienced motorists.
• Marital status: Married drivers usually pay less for auto coverage than single drivers.
• Vehicle: Newer, higher-value cars are generally more expensive to insure than older models.
• Gender: The gender on your driver’s license affects your car insurance rates. Those who identify as male typically pay the highest premiums.

Erie Home Insurance

Erie also provides homeowners insurance policies that include the following coverage types:

• Dwelling insurance: This covers damage to your home from fires, storms, and other events.
• Personal property coverage: This insurance product protects your personal items if they’re damaged or stolen.
• Loss of use coverage: With this protection, your living expenses are covered if you’re displaced because your house is being repaired.
• Liability coverage: This pays medical costs for people who are injured in your home, as well as expenses if you damage someone’s property.

In addition to these standard types of home insurance, Erie offers these options:

• Earthquake insurance
• Flood insurance
• Water-backup coverage
• Protection for identity theft
• Protection for valuables such as jewelry and firearms

Erie Life Insurance

Erie offers term, whole, and universal life insurance policies. Term life policies have terms of:

• 10 years
• 15 years
• 20 years
• 30 years

One option for Erie’s whole-life insurance policies is an accelerated death benefit that pays for long-term care if you’re unable to take care of yourself late in life. Universal life policies through Erie have cash value and flexible payment options.

Erie also has its Eriexpress Life program, which helps customers get coverage quickly. This policy provides up to $500,000 in life insurance at affordable rates.

Erie Auto Insurance Reviews: Conclusion

Erie Insurance can be a solid option for auto coverage if you live in its service area. Competitive rates and a good variety of policy add-ons make the company a good fit for just about any driver. Erie Insurance also performs well in J.D. Power studies on auto insurance shopping and claims satisfaction.

Other Recommended Car Insurance Companies

Whether or not you live in Erie’s coverage area, we recommend comparing car insurance quotes from multiple providers to get the best price. State Farm and Geico are two of our top-ranked providers, and they’re ideal places to begin your shopping journey.

State Farm: Best Overall Provider

The largest auto insurer in the U.S., State Farm is also our pick for Best Overall Provider thanks to its generally low rates and strong customer service. The company offers roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement, and rideshare insurance alongside standard auto coverage products.
Drive Safe & Save™, State Farm’s well-reviewed telematics program, can save good drivers up to 30 percent when they renew their policies.

Geico: Best for Discounts

In our review of auto insurance providers, we gave Geico our Best for Discounts award. Many of the discounts the company offers can save drivers 15 percent to 25 percent on their premiums.

We also like that Geico offers mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI), which is rare for an auto insurer. This protection is similar to an extended warranty, covering key vehicle components against breakdowns that occur through normal use.

Erie Auto Insurance Reviews: FAQ

How We Rate Insurers

Our review process aims to deliver consistent and unbiased assessments of car insurance providers. While there are multiple qualities that make a car insurance company successful, our review team focuses on those we believe are the most important for consumers:

• Cost: Cost can be difficult to compare between insurers because so many factors impact annual premiums. The cheapest insurer for one driver may not be the cheapest for another. To determine our cost score, we look at insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services, discount opportunities, and consumer reports.
• Coverage: To determine our coverage score, we look at the number of coverage options available as well as coverage limits and deductible options. Our ratings also take into account additional services and benefits like roadside assistance.
• Reliability: It’s important that an auto insurer is able to meet its claims obligations. Companies with a strong financial strength rating from AM Best score best in this category. Established insurers with a long history of reliable service also receive positive marks.
• Service: We comb through customer reviews on sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to learn about customer experiences. Insurers with a low volume of complaints score well in this area. We also consider the claims process, giving higher ratings to car insurance providers that offer easy-to-use claims apps.

*Data accurate at time of publication.