Central Mutual vs. Erie: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Erie offers significantly more affordable prices than Central Mutual
• Erie offers less expensive average rates for policyholders who live in the suburbs
• Erie tends to be a much cheaper option for drivers with a DUI

Central Mutual or Erie: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering big savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might be considering Central Mutual or Erie as your top options, but between the two, which carrier has more affordable premiums for auto insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Erie is quite a bit cheaper than Central Mutual, with rates averaging $153 a month compared to $340 with Central Mutual.

However, that doesn't mean Erie will necessarily be cheaper than Central Mutual for each driver. Car insurance companies use a ton of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on where you live or how old you are (among a bunch of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Central Mutual and Erie by a bunch of different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

Central Mutual vs. Erie: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Central Mutual and Erie only compete against each other in two states, with Erie offering less expensive prices to the average driver in all of them. New York has the most noticable difference, where Erie premiums are $358 cheaper than auto insurance rates at Central Mutual.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance payment than just your home state. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for insurance than any group on the road. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in a car insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. As you can see above, teens who use Erie save over 45% per month compared to those who use Central Mutual.

That being said, with both carriers, you'll see your premiums lower significantly once you turn 25. For example, average prices for Central Mutual policyholders decrease almost 45% and Erie's rates reduce nearly 55% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to car insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the most affordable prices you can find.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Erie gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $159 more affordable than the national average for Central Mutual.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married couples tend to get slightly less expensive auto insurance premiums than those who are single. That's normally because married policyholders tend to own and insure several vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For single drivers, the difference in average rates between these two companies is significant, with Erie prices coming in at around half of Central Mutual's. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - Erie offers the lowest average rates.

Central Mutual or Erie: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get speeding tickets and get into collisions, they run a lower risk of filing a claim with insurance. So, women tend to get cheaper rates than men.

Usually, women see premiums about $15 a month more affordable with Central Mutual, and around $10 cheaper with Erie when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at overall affordability, Erie offers the cheapest average prices for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $189 per month and women save about $186 with Erie compared to the average Central Mutual policyholder.

Central Mutual vs. Erie: 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.

For most people, insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

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

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Erie has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $91. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Erie again has the edge, with policies averaging around $215 a month to Central Mutual's $506.

Is Central Mutual or Erie Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

It's no secret secret that at-fault collisions and speeding tickets lead to higher premiums, but which company -- Central Mutual or Erie -- has the lowest prices for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Central Mutual for their insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up about 26% after getting a speeding ticket. Erie policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 13%.

But Erie is usually the cheaper option for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records, offering premiums that are $123 and $189 less expensive, respectively, compared to Central Mutual Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through Central Mutual can expect to see about an $69 -- or around 22% -- rise in their insurance rates. Drivers who use Erie for their auto insurance will see a monthly bill about $38 (or 24%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their car insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, Erie offers the cheapest premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average prices coming in at $157 compared to Central Mutual Insurance's $311.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly auto insurance bill -- generally a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. For example, Central Mutual increases average rates by nearly $250 per month -- that's nearly a 50% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact Central Mutual and Erie Rates?

Did you know many insurance companies take into account your credit score when determining premiums? This isn't true for everyone (for example, Michigan and Massachusetts are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for lots of drivers.

The reasoning car insurance carriers use is that policyholders with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so typically, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with more affordable prices.

Looking at Central Mutual and Erie specifically, which company has the best rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Central Mutual or Erie Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in how much auto insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the fewer miles you put on your car each year, the less likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Erie tends to be the less expensive option. Central Mutual's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in just under $200 more expensive than Erie. Those who drive 12,000 miles every year can expect to pay nearly $200 more with Central Mutual over Erie.

Central Mutual or Erie: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you call home can have a large impact on your monthly insurance bill. Normally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

Erie boasts the cheapest average prices for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to pay around $115 a month with Erie and $228 with Central Mutual. People in suburban areas pay a monthly rate of about $145 with Erie compared to $263 with Central Mutual. In urban areas, Erie's average rates are around $194 while Central Mutual offers premiums about $529.

Central Mutual vs. Erie Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be challenging to find all the ones you qualify for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Central Mutual and Erie so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Erie blows Central Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 21 different discounts to Central Mutual's 15.

Both carriers offer many of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, distant student discounts, discounts for getting driver training, and paid in full discounts -- but Erie also offers discounts for advance quote, COVID-19 relief, farm, and more.

On the other hand, Central Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like book transfer policy discounts, good student discounts, group discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Central Mutual or Erie Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables car insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is Central Mutual or Erie the right carrier for you and your specific needs?

Erie might be best for you if....

• You've received a ticket for speeding recently and don't want to see your premiums climb.
• You're looking for the best rates on liability only coverage.
• You want to save money while purchasing insurance for a teenager.

Central Mutual might be best for you if...

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

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Central Mutual and Erie. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your car 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 a handful of carriers, not just Central Mutual and Erie. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Central Mutual vs. Erie FAQs

Is Central Mutual or Erie cheaper?

Erie is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $153 a month with Erie and $340 for Central Mutual. Even so, that doesn't mean Erie will be the lowest company for each driver, since there are a variety of different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Central Mutual or Erie?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Central Mutual and Erie offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use a lot of different variables when calculating the premiums they charge. Things such as age, your driving record, gender, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Central Mutual and Erie calculate prices using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different carriers.

How do I know if Central Mutual or Erie is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple companies 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 auto insurance carriers 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 Central Mutual or Erie 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.