Auto-owners vs. Esurance: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Auto-owners offers significantly less expensive premiums than Esurance
• Auto-owners tends to be a much more affordable option for couples purchasing auto insurance together
• Auto-owners offers more affordable rates for residents of urban areas

Auto-owners vs. Esurance: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering large discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Auto-owners or Esurance as your top options, but between the two, which one will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, Esurance has average rates that are about 40% per month more expensive than those from Auto-owners.

Even so, Auto-owners may not be the lowest or best option for every driver out there. Car insurance companies use all sorts of complex algorithms to calculate premiums, so depending on how old you are or where you live (among an array of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

Wanting to know if Auto-owners 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.

Auto-owners or Esurance: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Auto-owners and Esurance compete against each other in five states, with Esurance offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Arizona or Missouri, Esurance is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at the overall average premiums. Auto-owners is the less expensive option in Colorado, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance bill than just where you call home. Continue reading to learn more about how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

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

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use Auto-owners save more than $300 a month compared to those who use Esurance.

That being said, both companies will lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for Auto-owners policyholders reduce nearly 60% and Esurance's rates decrease over 65% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to auto insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest prices you'll ever see.

When looking at Auto-owners and Esurance specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Auto-owners gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $99 cheaper than the national average for Esurance.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance premiums are normally more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married couples? That's because policies for married policyholders usually cover multiple cars, which many carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Auto-owners is the clear winner for single drivers, with rates around $150 per month less expensive than Esurance, on average. The advantage for married drivers with Auto-owners is also obvious, where drivers save almost $80 a month.

Auto-owners vs. Esurance: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into an accident or get pulled over for speeding. That means when it comes to car insurance men will normally end up paying a little more.

Normally, men see premiums about 6% per month higher with Auto-owners, and around 7% more with Esurance.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Auto-owners comes out on top for both men and women, with average prices $124 less for men and $114 cheaper for women.

Auto-owners or 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.

Auto insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different terms and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to what you get with liability).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Auto-owners usually offers significantly more affordable premiums of $99 compared to Esurance's $201. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Auto-owners again has the edge, with policies about $150 a month cheaper than Esurance, on average.

Is Auto-owners or Esurance Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance companies offering great rates for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and accidents on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the lowest prices to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Auto-owners policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $44 per month if they get a ticket, while Esurance generally raises prices around $45 a month, on average.

However, Auto-owners tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket -- their rates are around 50% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 43% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will increase premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Esurance climbing by over $100. Auto-owners has a less extreme rise, but you can still expect to pay more than $45 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, Auto-owners offers the most affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly rates averaging $168 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 ticket or even an accident. On average, Auto-owners will raise your premiums about 54% after a DUI, while Esurance's average prices climb by just under 20%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, Auto-owners tends to be the much cheaper option with average rates of $264 per month compared to $301 from Esurance.

How does Credit Score Impact Auto-owners and Esurance Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can come into play when carriers determine your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it does affect a lot of drivers out there.

Car insurance companies argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with less expensive prices.

Looking specifically at Esurance and Auto-owners, which company has the best premiums for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with Auto-owners. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save over 55% compared to Esurance, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $137 or 52% more affordable each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Auto-owners typically offers lower rates than Esurance when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $129 per month less with Auto-owners compared to Esurance, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around $107 monthly.

Is Auto-owners 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 considerable impact on your monthly premiums? Normally, the more miles you put on your vehicle, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

For both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles yearly, as well as those who average twice that figure, Auto-owners offers cheaper prices than Esurance. Auto-owners's average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in nearly 40% more affordable than Esurance. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay just under 40% less with Auto-owners over Esurance.

Auto-owners vs. Esurance: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your car can play a sizable role in how much you pay for insurance. Usually, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

Auto-owners tends to offer the most affordable premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Auto-owners offers rates about $205 a month compared to Esurance's $396. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay around $169 a month for Auto-owners and $288 for Esurance. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the lowest premiums from both carriers, with average monthly prices coming in at $164 and $211 for Auto-owners and Esurance respectively.

Auto-owners vs. Esurance Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new car insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many auto insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem challenging to find all the of the ones you qualify for.

In the section below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Auto-owners and Esurance so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

You can find offers for advance quote discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, education discounts, and group discounts from both companies.

Final Thoughts: Is Auto-owners or Esurance Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is Auto-owners or Esurance the right company for you and your specific driver profile?

Auto-owners might be best for you if....

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• Your neighborhood is in a city.
• You're buying car insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

Esurance might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Auto-owners and Esurance. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your insurance.

But, at the end of the day, there's only one way to know for sure that you're getting the best possible deal on auto insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple companies, not just Auto-owners and Esurance. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Auto-owners vs. Esurance FAQs

Is Auto-owners or Esurance cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Auto-owners is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $179 per month compared to $299 for Esurance. But Auto-owners won't necessarily be the cheapest company for every driver, since there are a variety of different factors that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

Who is better, Auto-owners or Esurance?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one carrier is "better" for each driver -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Auto-owners and Esurance offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at lots of different variables when calculating the prices they charge policyholders. Factors like where you call home, age, gender, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Auto-owners and Esurance calculate premiums differently, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different companies.

How do I know if Auto-owners or Esurance is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several 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 free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Auto-owners or Esurance at all!

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.