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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Erie offers cheaper prices than Progressive
• Erie offers more affordable rates for single people who will be the only person on the car insurance policy
• Progressive may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Erie Insurance

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

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering big savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Erie or Progressive, but which carrier will offer you more affordable prices?

Looking at nationwide averages, Progressive is around $27 more a month than Erie.

But Erie may not be the lowest or best option for every driver out there. Insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like how clean your driving record is, where you live, how old you are, how good your credit score is, and a variety of other factors, so rates will vary quite a bit from person to person.

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

Erie vs. Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Erie and Progressive compete against each other in 11 states, with Erie offering less expensive premiums to the average driver in all of them. If you live in, undefined is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at the overall average prices, but Progressive 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 typically pay a lot more for car insurance than any group on the road. That's normally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 30% less per month by choosing Erie over Progressive.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums once you turn 25. For example, average prices for Erie policyholders lower nearly 55% and Progressive's premiums reduce almost 70% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest rates you'll ever find.

When looking at Erie and Progressive specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Erie gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at about $116 per month compared to Progressive's $131.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married drivers tend to get slightly less expensive auto insurance rates than those who are single. This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something quite a few insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For single policyholders, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with Erie rates coming in at a quarter less than Progressive's. But for married couples, that advantage is much less clear - Erie offers the most affordable average premiums , but the difference is only $5.

Erie or Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into a collision, which means they'll generally end up paying more for car insurance than women.

With Erie, women usually pay around $10 a month less than men, and about $5 with Progressive.

When it comes to the cheapest prices for each gender, Erie comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $25 per month and women save around $31 with Erie compared to the average Progressive policyholder.

Erie vs. Progressive: 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.

Auto insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different limits and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

However, the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which normally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Erie has the edge, with average monthly premiums 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 a month to Progressive's $250.

Is Erie or Progressive Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their 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 collisions and speeding tickets lead to higher prices, but which company -- Erie or Progressive -- has the lowest rates 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. Progressive policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 17%.

That being said, Erie is usually the cheaper option for drivers both with a ticket and with a clean record -- their rates are around 20% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 24% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Erie drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums rise by just under $40, while those who have insurance through Progressive will see around a $65 increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Erie end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average rates coming in at $157 compared to Progressive's $214.

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 speeding ticket or even an accident. On average, Erie will climb your prices about 40% after a DUI, while Progressive's average rates increase by more than 15%.

How does Credit Score Impact Erie and Progressive Rates?

Did you know many car insurance companies take your credit score into account when determining premiums? Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it does affect a lot of policyholders out there.

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

So, which carrier offers the most affordable rates for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Erie or Progressive 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 considerable impact on your monthly prices? That's because the more milage you put on your car each year, 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 Progressive charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Erie, with policyholders who drive the least paying around $11 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Erie is the less expensive company.

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

Where you call home can have a large impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Typically, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the road where they live, which lowers the chances of an accident.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Erie generally comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to pay about $115 a month with Erie compared to Progressive's $154. People in suburban areas pay around $145 with Erie compared to Progressive's $179 monthly. In urban areas, Erie's average prices are about $194 while Progressive offers premiums around $207.

Erie vs. Progressive 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.

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible for, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Erie and Progressive so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Progressive knocks Erie out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 13 more discounts than Erie.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like advance quote discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, discounts for being a defensive driver, and discounts for being a good driver. Progressive also offers discounts for advanced safety feature, agency transfer, continuous insurance, and more.

On the other hand, Erie has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like driver training discounts, farm discounts, pay plan discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Erie or Progressive Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, when it comes down to it, is Erie or Progressive the best fit for you?

Erie might be best for you if....

• You have an at-fault collision on your record.
• Your neighborhood is in a city.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower prices.

Progressive might be best for you if...

• You already have plans to move to another state -- undefined is only available in.
• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You care about discounts (Progressive offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Erie and Progressive. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple carriers, not just Erie and Progressive. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Erie vs. Progressive FAQs

Is Erie or Progressive cheaper?

Erie is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $153 per month with Erie and $180 for Progressive. Even so, that doesn't mean Erie will be the cheapest carrier for each driver, since there are a variety of different factors (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Erie or Progressive?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all boils down to your unique insurance profile. For example, Erie is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit, while Progressive offers less expensive premiums for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Erie and Progressive offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use many different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Factors like gender, age, your driving record, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Erie and Progressive calculate premiums differently, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

How do I know if Erie or Progressive 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 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 information once 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 cheapest price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Erie or Progressive 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.