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

Quick Facts

• In general, Ohio Mutual offers slightly more affordable prices than Erie
• Erie offers more affordable premiums for couples purchasing auto insurance together
• Ohio Mutual offers more affordable prices for residents in Ohio

Erie vs. Ohio Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering huge discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Erie or Ohio Mutual for your next policy, but which one will offer you cheaper premiums?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Ohio Mutual is about $1 per month less expensive than Erie.

That being said, Ohio Mutual may not be the cheapest or best option for each driver out there. Car insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to calculate rates, so depending on how clean your driving record is or how good your credit score is (among a wide array of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of Erie or Ohio Mutual is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each company broken down by multiple different rate factors.

Erie or Ohio Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Erie and Ohio Mutual only compete against each other in Ohio, where Erie offers the cheaper average rates. For Ohio residents, Erie offers auto insurance for $92 per month on average. Ohio Mutual's average premiums come out to be over 60% more expensive, at $152 monthly.

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

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for car insurance than any other group of drivers. That's generally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. As you can see above, teens who use Ohio Mutual save nearly $25 a month compared to those who use Erie. It's worth noting that Erie offers insurance in 11 different states compared to Ohio Mutual's one, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, with both companies, you'll see your rates drop significantly once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Erie policyholders lower almost 55% and Ohio Mutual's prices decrease around 50% 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 rates you'll ever see.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Ohio Mutual gets the slight edge here, with average rates coming in at about $114 a month compared to Erie's $116. But the difference is only around 5%, so other variables (such as where you live or your driving record) will likely come into play when determining which company has the cheapest prices for you.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married couples tend to get slightly more affordable auto insurance premiums than single policyholders. This usually boils down to married drivers having more than one car on their policy -- something several car insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Ohio Mutual is the winner for those who are single, with rates about $4 per month cheaper than Erie, on average.

Erie vs. Ohio Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men normally pay more for insurance than women. This is because women are less likely to get speeding tickets and get into collisions, which decreases the chances of an insurance claim.

With Erie, men usually pay more than $10 a month more than women, while with Ohio Mutual, the difference is closer to $8 per month.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, Ohio Mutual is the most affordable carrier for men. Rates with Ohio Mutual are $2 less for men, while women can save around $1 with Erie.

Erie or Ohio Mutual: 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. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different coverages and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy.

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

In this case, Ohio Mutual offers the cheapest average premiums for state minimum liability limits, while Erie has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $15 with Ohio Mutual Insurance Company, while full coverage comes out to be about $15 less expensive with Erie Insurance.

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

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Erie policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $18 a month if they get a ticket, while Ohio Mutual generally raises rates around $21 per month, on average.

Even so, Ohio Mutual is normally the more affordable option for drivers both with a speeding ticket and with a clean record, offering premiums that are 29% and 23% cheaper, respectively, compared to Erie Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Ohio Mutual increasing by over $40. Erie has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay just under $40 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, drivers who use Ohio Mutual end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly rates averaging $125 compared to Erie Insurance's $157.

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 auto insurance bill. For example, Ohio Mutual increases average prices by more than $200 a month -- that's over a 70% increase.

Erie has the overall lowest premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $198 monthly, but it's worth noting that Erie's average rates come from 11 states compared to just one for Ohio Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Erie and Ohio Mutual Rates?

Did you know that many car insurance companies take into account your credit score when calculating prices? This isn't always the case (for example, Massachusetts and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect lots of policyholders out there.

The reasoning 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.

Looking specifically at Ohio Mutual and Erie, which company has the best rates for policyholders 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 Erie. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save 7% compared to Ohio Mutual, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $13 or 10% less expensive each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have bad credit, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best prices. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $3 less with Erie than Ohio Mutual, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving about $26 per month with Ohio Mutual.

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

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on your monthly premiums. That's because the more miles you put on your car, the more likely you are to get into a collision and cause an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Ohio Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Erie, with policyholders who drive the least paying around $11 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly.

Erie vs. Ohio Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

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

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Erie tends to offer the lowest option for drivers in rural and suburban areas, while Ohio Mutual wins in urban areas.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay about $115 a month with Erie compared to Ohio Mutual's $147. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $145 with Erie compared to Ohio Mutual's $153 per month. In urban areas, Ohio Mutual's average prices are about $155 while Erie offers rates around $194.

Erie vs. Ohio Mutual Discounts

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

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 qualify for.

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Erie and Ohio Mutual so that you can see which carrier offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Overall, Erie has the advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. Ohio Mutual offers a grand total of 17 discounts, while Erie has 21.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like ABS discounts, anti-theft discounts, distant student discounts, and passive restraint discounts. Erie also offers COVID-19 relief discount, driver training discounts, DRL discounts, and more that Ohio Mutual does not.

On the flip side, Ohio Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- attentive driver discounts, continuous insurance discounts, discounts for being a good student, and more.

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

You've seen the role certain factors have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the right company for you and your specific profile and needs?

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

• You have a clean record.
• You want to save money on your insurance after an accident.
• You're buying auto insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

Erie might be best for you if...

• You are considering moving to another state -- Ohio Mutual Insurance Company is only available in Ohio.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" insurance.
• You don't spend much time in your car.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Erie and Ohio Mutual and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to 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 car insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple companies, not just Erie and Ohio Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Erie vs. Ohio Mutual FAQs

Is Erie or Ohio Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Ohio Mutual is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $152 a month compared to $153 for Erie. But Ohio Mutual won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for each driver, since there are a range of different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Erie or Ohio Mutual?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for every driver -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Erie and Ohio Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at many different factors when determining the prices they charge policyholders. Things like your driving record, where you park your vehicle, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Erie and Ohio Mutual use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of carriers 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 ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Erie or Ohio Mutual 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.