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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, Erie offers cheaper premiums than Omni
• Erie offers more affordable prices for policyholders who drive fewer than 12,000 miles yearly
• Omni offers more affordable average rates for policyholders who live in suburban areas

Erie or Omni: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might have narrowed it down to Erie or Omni for your next policy, but which company will offer you less expensive premiums?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Erie has average rates that are around 15% a month cheaper than those from Omni.

That being said, that doesn't mean Erie will necessarily be more affordable than Omni for each driver. Insurance companies vary their prices depending on things like how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, how old you are, where you live, and all sorts of other factors, so premiums will change quite a bit from person to person.

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

Erie vs. Omni: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Erie and Omni only compete against each other in one states, with Erie offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. Pennsylvania has the most noticable difference, where Erie premiums are $11 more affordable than auto insurance prices at Omni.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your car insurance payment than just the state you live in. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance rates of any other group of drivers. That's normally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Erie for their insurance pay over 35% less than those who use Omni.

Even so, with both carriers, you'll see your premiums reduce significantly once you turn 25. For example, average rates for Erie policyholders lower almost 55% and Omni's premiums decrease more than 70% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age usually enjoy some of the lowest car insurance prices you'll ever see. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally reduces their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise rates.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Erie and Omni? Erie gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at about $116 monthly compared to Omni's $132.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

For single policyholders, the difference in average rates between these two companies is significant, with Erie premiums coming in at a quarter less than Omni's. But for married couples, that advantage is much less clear - Erie has the edge when it comes to average prices , but the difference is only $5.

Erie or Omni: Average Rates by Gender

Women generally to pay less for car insurance than men. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into a collision or get pulled over for speeding, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

Men usually pay around $10 per month more than women with Erie, but with Omni, the difference is closer to $15 a month.

When it comes to the most affordable prices for each gender, Erie comes out as the cheapest option for both genders, with average premiums $31 less for men and $27 cheaper for women.

Erie vs. Omni: 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.

Insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are several different coverages that account for a variety of different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

But most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which normally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Erie has the 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 about $215 per month to Omni's $258.

Is Erie or Omni Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their car insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Erie for their auto insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up around 13% after getting a speeding ticket. Omni policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 4%.

However, Erie tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records, offering prices that are $49 and $38 cheaper, respectively, compared to Omni Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Erie climbing by around 24%. Omni has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay more than 15% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, Erie offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average prices coming in at $157 compared to Omni Insurance's $203.

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 insurance bill -- generally a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. For example, Erie increases average premiums by nearly $80 a month -- that's nearly a 40% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Omni tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $178 to Erie's $198.

How does Credit Score Impact Erie and Omni Rates?

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

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

So, which company offers the cheapest rates for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Erie or Omni 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 large impact on how much auto insurance carriers will charge for coverage? That's because the more milage you put on your car, the more likely you are to be in a collision and file an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Omni charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Erie, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles annually paying around $11 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, for drivers in both categories, Erie is the less expensive carrier.

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

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

Erie tends to offer the most affordable option for drivers in rural and urban areas, while Omni wins in suburban areas.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Erie Insurance's average rates are about 27% less than Omni Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay around 1% less with Omni compared to Erie. Those in rural areas can expect to save about 14% with Erie compared to Omni.

Erie vs. Omni Discounts

No matter 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 you can, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many insurance discounts as possible.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem difficult to find all the of the ones you're eligible for.

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

Erie knocks Omni out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering eight more discounts than Omni.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Erie also offers discounts for ABS, COVID-19 relief, distant student, and more.

On the other hand, Omni has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like agency transfer discounts, cellphone safety discounts, group discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Erie or Omni Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your car insurance premiums. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which insurance carrier is the best fit for you?

Erie might be best for you if....

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You're looking for discounts -- Erie has the most.
• You are purchasing your auto insurance with a spouse.

Omni might be best for you if...

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You live in an suburban area.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Erie and Omni and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your 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 several carriers, not just Erie and Omni. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Erie vs. Omni FAQs

Is Erie or Omni cheaper?

Erie is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $153 per month with Erie and $181 for Omni. Even so, that doesn't mean Erie will be the lowest company for each policyholder, since there are multiple different factors (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Erie or Omni?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for every policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Omni is less expensive for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while Erie offers more affordable rates for policyholders with an at-fault accident on their record.

Why do Erie and Omni offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use lots of different variables when determining the premiums they charge. Things like where your home is, gender, where you park your vehicle, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Erie and Omni use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Erie or Omni 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.