21st Century vs. Esurance: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, 21st Century offers significantly less expensive premiums than Esurance
• 21st Century has cheaper rates for single people who will be the only person on the insurance policy
• Esurance may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than 21st Century Insurance

21st Century or Esurance: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering huge savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to 21st Century or Esurance for your next policy, but which carrier will offer you more affordable prices?

Looking at nationwide averages, 21st Century is quite a bit cheaper than Esurance, with rates averaging $146 a month compared to $299 with Esurance.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean 21st Century will be the less expensive option for each driver. Auto insurance carriers use all sorts of complex algorithms to determine premiums, so depending on how clean your driving record is or how good your credit score is (among an array of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

Wanting to know if 21st Century or Esurance is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average rates can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

21st Century vs. Esurance: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

21st Century and Esurance only compete against each other in one states, with Esurance offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all of them. California has the most noticable difference, where Esurance prices are $58 cheaper than car insurance premiums at 21st Century.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance payment than just where you call home. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- typically pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. Generally, that's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. As you can see above, teens who use 21st Century save almost 65% per month compared to those who use Esurance.

But with both companies, you'll see your rates drop significantly by the time you turn 25. Esurance offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, 21st Century still has the most affordable premiums at $144 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll usually enjoy the lowest auto insurance prices you'll ever see. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly rates for car insurance.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between 21st Century and Esurance? 21st Century gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $110 more affordable than the national average for Esurance.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance prices are normally less expensive for married couples than they are for single policyholders? That's because policies for married drivers typically cover more than one vehicle, which a lot of carriers will give you a discount for.

For those who are single, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with 21st Century prices coming in at around half of Esurance's. The advantage for married policyholders with 21st Century is also obvious, where drivers save over 40% a month.

21st Century or Esurance: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, they have a decreased chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, insurance carriers will often charge women less than men.

Women and men end up paying same monthly rates with 21st Century, and about $21 less with Esurance.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, 21st Century comes out as the cheapest option for both genders, with average premiums 53% less for men and 49% cheaper for women.

21st Century vs. Esurance: Compare State Minimum vs. Full Coverage Rates

*State minimum value indicates liability-only policies at each state's minimum bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) limits

**Full coverage indicates state minimum BI/PD limits with collision and comprehensive coverages added to policy.

It's no secret that auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different limits and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

However, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which usually refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, 21st Century has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $79. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, 21st Century again has the edge, with policies averaging around $212 per month to Esurance's $396.

Is 21st Century or Esurance Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and collisions lead to higher prices, but which company -- 21st Century or Esurance -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use 21st Century for their car insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Esurance policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 16%.

That being said, 21st Century tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with a ticket and with a clean record, offering prices that are 62% and 59% cheaper, respectively, compared to Esurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

21st Century drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates rise by over 45%, while those who have insurance through Esurance will see about a 35% increase.

At the end of the day, 21st Century offers the most affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $173 compared to Esurance's $364.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple speeding ticket or even a collision. On average, 21st Century will climb your premiums around 54% after a DUI, while Esurance's average prices climb by nearly 20%.

How does Credit Score Impact 21st Century and Esurance Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to calculate your monthly auto insurance premiums. This isn't true for everyone (for example, Massachusetts and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for several policyholders.

Car insurance companies argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, drivers with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

So, which carrier offers the cheapest rates for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Normally, if you have excellent credit, you can expect to be rewarded. With Esurance, improving your score from "good" to "excellent" will normally save you about $50. On the other hand, 21st Century doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means they most likely don't use credit to calculate your prices.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Having bad credit generally means you'll also see higher rates with Esurance. If your credit score is in the "poor" range, at Esurance, you may pay around $100 more a month compared to those with "fair" scores (and even more compared to drivers with good or excellent scores). On the other hand, 21st Century doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means drivers with bad credit might find better rates with 21st Century over Esurance.

Is 21st Century or Esurance Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

Did you know that the amount of time you spend in your car have a large impact on how much insurance carriers will charge for coverage? Typically, the more milage you put on your car, the more you can expect to pay for auto insurance.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, 21st Century offers more affordable premiums than Esurance. 21st Century's average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in just under 55% cheaper than Esurance. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay nearly 50% less with 21st Century over Esurance.

21st Century or Esurance: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your vehicle can play a big role in how much you pay for insurance. Normally, drivers who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural policyholders due to the number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

21st Century boasts the cheapest average prices for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about $70 with 21st Century compared to Esurance. People who live in suburban areas pay around $143 less with 21st Century compared to Esurance. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, 21st Century Insurance's average premiums are about $245 less than Esurance.

21st Century vs. Esurance Discounts

You want to save as much money as you can, right? The best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to find all the ones you can take advantage of or to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both 21st Century and Esurance so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Esurance blows 21st Century away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 24 different discounts to 21st Century's 13.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like advance quote discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good driver, and multi-policy discounts. Esurance also offers discounts for agency transfer, DRL, education, and more.

On the other hand, 21st Century has a few proprietary discounts of their own like deluxe discounts and seat belt discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is 21st Century or Esurance Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your insurance rates. We've broken down the different discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the best one for you and your specific driver profile?

21st Century might be best for you if....

• Your driving record contains an at-fault accident.
• Your neighborhood is in a city.
• You want to save money while purchasing car insurance for a teenager.

Esurance might be best for you if...

• You're worried about the impact your credit score will have on your premiums.
• Your credit score is high.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between 21st Century and Esurance and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just 21st Century and Esurance. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

21st Century vs. Esurance FAQs

Is 21st Century or Esurance cheaper?

21st Century is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $146 per month with 21st Century and $299 for Esurance. But that doesn't mean 21st Century will be the most affordable company for every policyholder, since there are a bunch of different variables that are considered when it comes to your car insurance cost.

Who is better, 21st Century or Esurance?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No one carrier is "better" for each policyholder -- it all boils down to your unique insurance profile. For example, Esurance is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit, while 21st Century offers less expensive rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do 21st Century and Esurance offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use many different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Things like your driving record, where you call home, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both 21st Century and Esurance use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different companies.

How do I know if 21st Century or Esurance is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't 21st Century or Esurance at all, but another you hadn't even thought of!

Methodology

All of the data referenced in this article has been gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. We analyzed more than 2.5 million rows of carrier-reported data to calculate the average rates referenced above. All rates are based on an insurance profile of a single-vehicle policy for a driver that owns a 2016 Honda Accord. For more information on how we calculate rates, please reference our data methodology.