Donegal Mutual vs. Esurance: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Donegal Mutual offers slightly cheaper rates than Esurance
• Donegal Mutual offers more affordable prices for drivers who have received a ticket within the last few years
• Esurance offers more affordable average premiums for policyholders who drive fewer than 12,000 miles annually

Donegal Mutual vs. Esurance: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering big discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might be considering Donegal Mutual or Esurance, but between the two, which one will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Donegal Mutual is about $9 per month less expensive than Esurance.

But Donegal Mutual may not be the cheapest or best option for every single driver out there. After all, car insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your age, your credit score, or even your driving record (among other things), so prices could change drastically from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Donegal Mutual or Esurance is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each company broken down by several different rate factors.

Donegal Mutual or Esurance: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Donegal Mutual and Esurance only compete against each other in two states, with Esurance offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. Maryland has the most noticable difference, where Esurance premiums are over 10% less expensive than insurance rates at Donegal Mutual.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance cost than just the state you live in. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

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

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance prices. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of nearly $70 less a month by choosing Donegal Mutual over Esurance.

Even so, both companies will drop rates by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for Donegal Mutual policyholders reduce almost $400 and Esurance's prices lower around $500 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age usually enjoy some of the lowest auto insurance premiums you'll ever see. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which normally decreases their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase rates.

When looking at Donegal Mutual and Esurance specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Donegal Mutual gets the slight edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $20 cheaper than the national average for Esurance.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married policyholders tend to get slightly less expensive car insurance rates than single policyholders. That's because policies for married drivers usually cover multiple cars, which many carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Donegal Mutual is the winner for those who are single, with prices about $17 per month cheaper than Esurance, on average.

Donegal Mutual vs. Esurance: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and get speeding tickets. That means when it comes to auto insurance men will typically end up paying a little more.

Usually, men see premiums nearly $20 a month higher with Donegal Mutual, and around $21 more with Esurance.

Looking at overall affordability, Donegal Mutual comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $7 per month and men save about $10 with Donegal Mutual compared to the average Esurance policyholder.

Donegal Mutual 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.

Car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different coverages and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy.

However, the 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 their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside liability coverage).

In this case, Donegal Mutual offers the cheapest average prices for state minimum limits for liability insurance, while Esurance has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $30 with Donegal Mutual Insurance Company, while full coverage comes out to be around $15 more affordable with Esurance.

Is Donegal Mutual 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.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Donegal Mutual policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $47 a month if they get a ticket, while Esurance generally raises rates about $45 per month, on average.

Even so, Donegal Mutual is normally the cheaper option for both drivers who have a recent speeding ticket and those with clean records, offering premiums that are 19% and 15% more affordable, respectively, compared to Esurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Esurance increasing by over $100. Donegal Mutual has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay just under $50 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, the less expensive premiums come from Donegal Mutual, with monthly prices averaging $245 compared to Esurance's $364.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. For example, Donegal Mutual increases average rates by nearly $300 a month -- that's just under a 60% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact Donegal Mutual and Esurance Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when companies calculate your monthly bill. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it does affect lots of policyholders out there.

Car insurance companies argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time every month, which increases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

Looking specifically at Esurance and Donegal Mutual, which company has the best prices 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 Donegal Mutual 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 pretty big impact on your monthly rates? That's because the more miles you drive, the more likely you are to get into a collision and cause an insurance claim.

Looking specifically at Donegal Mutual and Esurance, Donegal Mutual is the more affordable option for people who work from home, while Donegal Mutual has better premiums for those with short commutes. Esurance's average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in more than $25 more expensive than Donegal Mutual. Those who drive 12,000 miles each year can expect to pay just under $10 more with Donegal Mutual over Esurance.

Donegal Mutual vs. Esurance: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

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

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Donegal Mutual boasts the lowest average premiums in rural and suburban areas, while Esurance wins in urban areas.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save around $27 with Donegal Mutual compared to Esurance. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about $48 less with Donegal Mutual compared to Esurance. In urban areas, Esurance's average rates are around $49 less than Donegal Mutual Insurance Company.

Donegal Mutual vs. Esurance Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new auto 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 car insurance discounts as you can.

The challenging part is finding all of the discounts you can take advantage of, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Donegal Mutual and Esurance so that you can see which one can save you the most money each month.

Overall, Esurance comes out ahead with 24 discounts to Donegal Mutual's 20.

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 discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company. Esurance also offers agency transfer discounts, DRL discounts, education discounts, and more that Donegal Mutual does not.

On the flip side, Donegal Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- discounts for getting driver training, family discounts, hybrid vehicle discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Donegal Mutual or Esurance Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors auto insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, is Donegal Mutual or Esurance the right company for you and your specific driver profile?

Donegal Mutual might be best for you if....

• You've received a ticket for speeding recently and don't want to see your premiums increase.
• You want to save money on your insurance after an accident.
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.

Esurance might be best for you if...

• You already have plans to move to another state -- undefined only offers policies to residents.
• Your home is in a busy urban area.
• You have a short commute.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Donegal Mutual and Esurance. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your auto 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Donegal Mutual and Esurance. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Donegal Mutual vs. Esurance FAQs

Is Donegal Mutual or Esurance cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Donegal Mutual is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $290 per month compared to $299 for Esurance. But Donegal Mutual won't necessarily be the cheapest company for every driver, since there are many different variables that are considered when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, Donegal Mutual or Esurance?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, Esurance offers less expensive prices for drivers with a recent DUI, while Donegal Mutual is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit.

Why do Donegal Mutual and Esurance offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies take a look at quite a few different factors when calculating the premiums they charge policyholders. Variables such as your driving record, age, gender, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Donegal Mutual and Esurance use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different carriers.

How do I know if Donegal Mutual or Esurance is right for me?

The only way to find the car 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, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Donegal Mutual 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.