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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, Esurance offers significantly less expensive rates than Encompass
• Encompass may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Esurance
• Esurance offers more affordable prices for policyholders who drive fewer than 6,000 miles yearly

Encompass or Esurance: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Encompass or Esurance for your next policy, but which one will offer you more affordable premiums?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Esurance has average rates that are around 35% a month cheaper than those from Encompass.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean Esurance will be the less expensive option for every single driver. After all, insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your driving record, your credit score, where you call home, or even your age (among other things). So, at the end of the day, prices from each carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Encompass 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.

Encompass vs. Esurance: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Encompass and Esurance compete against each other in 10 states, with Esurance offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all but four of them. If you live in Maryland, New York, Ohio, or Texas, Encompass is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at the overall average prices, but Esurance is the cheaper option in most of the others.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance cost than just where you live. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for car insurance than any other group of drivers out there on the road. The reason is that teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use Esurance save almost 40% per month compared to those who use Encompass.

Even so, both companies will drop prices by the time drivers turn 25. Esurance offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Encompass's average rates reduce over 65% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age typically enjoy some of the cheapest car insurance premiums you can find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which normally reduces their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise prices.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Encompass and Esurance? Esurance gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older more than 30% more affordable than the national average for Encompass.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married policyholders tend to get slightly cheaper auto insurance prices than those who are single. That's usually because married couples tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Esurance rates coming in at a third less than Encompass's. The advantage for married drivers with Esurance is also obvious, where drivers save about $100 a month.

Encompass or Esurance: Average Rates by Gender

Men tend to pay more for insurance than women. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and file an insurance claim, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

On average, men see rates around $25 per month higher with Encompass, and over $20 with Esurance.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Esurance offers the most affordable average premiums for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $168 a month and women save about $166 with Esurance compared to the average Encompass policyholder.

Encompass 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.

But the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- alongside liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Esurance has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $201. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Esurance again has the edge, with policies averaging around $396 per month to Encompass's $629.

Is Encompass or Esurance Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

Speeding tickets and collisions will most likely raise your rates, but is Encompass or Esurance less expensive for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Encompass for their insurance can normally 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%.

If you have gotten a ticket, Esurance tends to offer the best prices at about 0% more affordable, while Encompass has the edge for drivers with a clean record.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Encompass drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums rise by over $100, while those who have insurance through Esurance will see around a $100 increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Encompass end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average rates coming in at $328 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 collision or speeding ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. For example, Encompass increases average premiums by more than $500 a month -- that's nearly a 80% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Esurance tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $301 to Encompass's 1020.

How does Credit Score Impact Encompass and Esurance Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly car insurance prices. This isn't true for everyone (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it will come into play for lots of policyholders.

The reasoning auto insurance carriers use is that drivers with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper premiums, while those with poor credit will typically be forced to pay more.

So, which company offers the best prices for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, Esurance will generally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Esurance comes in just under 38.86 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save around 33% with Esurance compared to average rates from Encompass.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Esurance typically offers lower premiums than Encompass when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 35% per month less with Esurance compared to Encompass, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of around 34% a month.

Is Encompass 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 sizable impact on your monthly prices? Typically, those who drive less will end up with more affordable 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, Esurance offers less expensive prices than Encompass. Esurance's average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about $167 cheaper than Encompass. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay around $168 less with Esurance over Encompass.

Encompass or Esurance: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a substantial role in how much you pay for car insurance. Usually, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers since there are a lot more cars on the road where they live, which increases the chances of an accident.

Esurance boasts the most affordable average rates 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 48% with Esurance compared to Encompass. People who live in suburban areas pay around 34% less with Esurance compared to Encompass. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Esurance's average premiums are about 29% less than Encompass Insurance.

Encompass vs. Esurance Discounts

You want to save as much money as you can, right? The best way to do that is by utilizing as many 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 qualify for or to nail down the company 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 Encompass and Esurance so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

Overall, Encompass has a slight advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. Esurance offers a grand total of 24 discounts, while Encompass has 26.

Both companies offer many of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, DRL discounts, and discounts for being a good student -- but Encompass also offers discounts for distant student, driver training, EFT, and more.

On the other hand, Esurance has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like agency transfer discounts, education discounts, mature driver discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Encompass or Esurance Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors auto insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is Encompass or Esurance the best company for you and your specific needs?

Esurance might be best for you if....

• Your credit score is high.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles every year.

Encompass might be best for you if...

• You have a clean driving record, free of accidents, tickets, or DUIs.
• You want to save money on your insurance after an accident.
• You're looking for discounts -- Encompass has the most.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Encompass and Esurance and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to 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 companies, not just Encompass and Esurance. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Encompass vs. Esurance FAQs

Is Encompass or Esurance cheaper?

Esurance is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $299 a month with Esurance and $466 for Encompass. Even so, that doesn't mean Esurance will be the cheapest company for each driver, since there are many different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Encompass or Esurance?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". Neither carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, Esurance is cheaper for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while Encompass offers more affordable rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their record.

Why do Encompass and Esurance offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use several different factors when determining the prices they charge. Variables like age, gender, your driving record, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Encompass 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 a bunch of different companies.

How do I know if Encompass 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 several carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Encompass 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.