Country Financial vs. Erie: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Country Financial offers slightly less expensive rates than Erie
• Country Financial offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who have a clean driving record, free of collisions, tickets, or DUIs
• Erie may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than COUNTRY Financial

Country Financial or Erie: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Country Financial or Erie, but which carrier will offer you cheaper rates?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Erie is around $15 more a month than Country Financial.

However, Country Financial may not be the lowest or best option for every single driver out there. After all, insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your age, your credit score, where you call home, or even your driving record (among other things), so premiums could differ drastically from person to person.

Wanting to know if Country Financial or Erie is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Country Financial vs. Erie: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Country Financial and Erie only compete against each other in one states, with Country Financial offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all of them. Illinois has the most noticable difference, where Country Financial prices are $16 less expensive than car insurance rates at Erie.

But there's more to auto insurance than just the state you live in. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how car insurance carriers determine your premiums. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for auto insurance than any other group of drivers. That's generally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. As you can see above, teens who use Country Financial save over 20% per month compared to those who use Erie.

But both companies will reduce prices by the time drivers turn 25. Erie offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Country Financial still has the cheapest rates at $139 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the most affordable auto insurance prices you can find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly premiums for insurance.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Country Financial and Erie? Country Financial gets the slight edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older almost 10% more affordable than the national average for Erie.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance premiums tend to be more expensive for those who are single than they are for married drivers. That's because policies for married couples usually cover multiple vehicles, which quite a few carriers will give you a discount for.

If you're in the market for auto insurance, Country Financial tends to have the cheapest average rates regardless of if you're married or single, with prices about $10 cheaper for married policyholders and more than $15 less expensive for single policyholders.

Country Financial or Erie: Average Rates by Gender

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

On average, women see prices around 2% a month less with Country Financial, and about 7% less with Erie when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Country Financial comes out as the lowest option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $18 per month and women save around $10 with Country Financial compared to the average Erie policyholder.

Country Financial 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.

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

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Country Financial has the slight edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $82. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Country Financial again has the edge, with policies averaging about $194 a month to Erie's $215.

Is Country Financial or Erie 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.

At-fault accidents and speeding tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is Country Financial or Erie cheaper for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Country Financial for their car insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up around 23% after getting a speeding ticket. Erie policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 13%.

That being said, Country Financial has more affordable premiums for drivers in both categories, offering rates that are 12% and 1% cheaper, respectively, compared to Erie Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Country Financial can expect to see around an $42 -- or about 29% -- rise in their auto insurance prices. Drivers who use Erie for their car insurance will see a monthly bill around $38 (or 24%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, Country Financial offers the cheapest premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $147 compared to Erie Insurance's $157.

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, Erie will increase your prices about 40% after a DUI, while Country Financial's average premiums climb by more than 35%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Country Financial tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $165 to Erie's $198.

How does Credit Score Impact Country Financial and Erie Rates?

Often times, your credit score can come into play when carriers calculate your monthly bill. 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 a lot of drivers.

Auto 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 Erie and Country Financial, which one has the best rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, Erie will typically reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Erie comes in over 21.55 more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save about 8% with Erie compared to average premiums from Country Financial.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Country Financial typically offers lower prices than Erie when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 15% per month less with Country Financial compared to Erie, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of about 27% a month.

Is Country Financial or Erie Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a sizable impact on your monthly premiums. Generally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive rates since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Country Financial offers cheaper prices than Erie. Erie's average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in $10 more expensive than Country Financial. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay nearly $20 more with Erie over Country Financial.

Country Financial or Erie: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a pretty big impact as well. Usually, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the roads where they live.

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

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 5% with Country Financial compared to Erie. People who live in suburban areas pay about 10% less with Country Financial compared to Erie. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, COUNTRY Financial's average prices are around 10% less than Erie Insurance.

Country Financial vs. Erie Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Country Financial and Erie offer their customers so that you can see which company can save you the most money each month.

Erie blows Country Financial away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 11 more discounts than Country Financial.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, discounts for getting driver training, and passive restraint discounts. Erie also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, COVID-19 relief, and more.

On the other hand, Country Financial has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like good student discounts, group discounts, occupation discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Country Financial or Erie Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is Country Financial or Erie the best one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Country Financial might be best for you if....

• You've received a ticket for speeding recently and don't want to see your premiums rise.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's insurance policy.

Erie might be best for you if...

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- COUNTRY Financial only offers policies in seven states.
• Your credit score is high.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Country Financial and Erie. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 car insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just Country Financial and Erie. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Country Financial vs. Erie FAQs

Is Country Financial or Erie cheaper?

Country Financial is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $138 a month with Country Financial and $153 for Erie. Even so, that doesn't mean Country Financial will be the lowest company for each driver, since there are many different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Country Financial or Erie?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, Erie is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit, while Country Financial offers cheaper rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Country Financial and Erie offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use lots of different variables when determining the premiums they charge. Factors such as age, where your home is, your driving record, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Country Financial and Erie calculate prices using different variables, 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 variety of different companies.

How do I know if Country Financial 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 carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Country Financial 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.