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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Erie offers slightly less expensive rates than Rockford Mutual
• Erie offers more discounts than Rockford Mutual Insurance Company
• Rockford Mutual offers more affordable premiums for residents in Illinois and Wisconsin

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

So, you're considering switching your auto insurance. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering substantial discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to Erie or Rockford Mutual as potential options, but which carrier has more affordable rates for insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Erie is about $16 per month cheaper than Rockford Mutual.

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

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both Erie and Rockford Mutual by a range of different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

Erie or Rockford Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Erie and Rockford Mutual only compete against each other in two states, with Erie offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. Illinois has the most noticable difference, where Erie premiums are over 50% more affordable than car insurance prices at Rockford Mutual.

But there's more to auto insurance than just your home state. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how car insurance companies calculate your premiums. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. It's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use Erie save more than $100 a month compared to those who use Rockford Mutual. It's worth noting that Erie offers insurance in 11 different states compared to Rockford Mutual's two, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

That being said, with both carriers, you'll see your prices reduce significantly by the time drivers turn 25. Rockford Mutual offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Erie's average rates decrease nearly 55% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

When looking at Erie and Rockford Mutual specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Erie gets the slight edge here, with average rates coming in at around $116 monthly compared to Rockford Mutual's $118. But the difference is only about 5%, so other factors will likely come into play when determining which company has the lowest prices for you.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single drivers tend to get offered slightly more expensive insurance rates than married drivers. This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one car on their policy -- something several auto insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Erie is the clear winner for single policyholders, with premiums around $29 per month less expensive than Rockford Mutual, on average. It's not quite so glaring for married couples, where drivers who use Erie save about 1% a month.

Erie vs. Rockford Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get into accidents and get speeding tickets, they raise the chances of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, insurance carriers will tend to charge men more than women.

With Erie, women normally pay over $10 per month less than men, and around $16 less with Rockford Mutual.

Looking at overall affordability, Erie offers the cheapest average prices for both men and women, with average rates 11% less for men and 9% cheaper for women.

Erie or Rockford 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.

Car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs auto 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 bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

In this case, Rockford Mutual offers the most affordable average premiums for state minimum liability insurance, while Erie has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $3 with Rockford Mutual Insurance Company, while full coverage comes out to be about $35 cheaper with Erie Insurance.

Is Erie or Rockford 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.

Tickets and collisions will most likely raise your rates, but is Erie or Rockford Mutual more affordable for drivers with less-than-perfect 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 Rockford Mutual typically raises premiums around $50 per month, on average.

That being said, Erie has cheaper prices for drivers in both categories, offering rates that are 1% and 19% less expensive, respectively, compared to Rockford Mutual Insurance Company.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will raise premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Rockford Mutual climbing by just under $40. Erie has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay nearly $40 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, drivers who use Erie end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly prices averaging $157 compared to Rockford Mutual Insurance Company's $158.

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 a collision. Rockford Mutual drivers usually see a 48% climb in their car insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Erie will generally raise rates by about 40%.

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

How does Credit Score Impact Erie and Rockford Mutual Rates?

Did you know that many insurance carriers take into account your credit score when calculating rates? This isn't always the case (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for many policyholders.

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

Looking specifically at Rockford Mutual and Erie, which company has the lowest prices for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with Erie. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save just under 35% compared to Rockford Mutual, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $30 or 21% more affordable every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have less-than-stellar credit, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best rates. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $22 less with Erie than Rockford Mutual, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving around $29 a month with Rockford Mutual.

Is Erie or Rockford Mutual 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 big impact on how much car insurance carriers will charge for coverage? Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive prices since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Rockford Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Erie, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car yearly paying about $11 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, Erie is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

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

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a pretty big impact as well. Normally, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders because there are a lot fewer vehicles on the road in those areas, which decreases the chances of an accident.

Looking at these companies side-by-side, Erie tends to offer the cheapest option for drivers in rural and urban areas, while Rockford Mutual wins in suburban areas.

In urban areas, Erie Insurance's average premiums are around 17% less than Rockford Mutual Insurance Company. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about 10% less with Rockford Mutual compared to Erie. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save around 20% with Erie compared to Rockford Mutual.

Erie vs. Rockford Mutual Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new car insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you qualify for.

In the section below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Erie and Rockford Mutual so that you can find the one that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

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

Both carriers offer many of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a good driver, and multi-policy discounts -- but Erie also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, and more that Rockford Mutual does not.

On the flip side, Rockford Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- discounts for being a good student, discounts for being a homeowner, and renewal discounts.

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

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the variables insurance companies 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 Erie or Rockford Mutual the right company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Erie might be best for you if....

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• Your neighborhood is in a city.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your car insurance.

Rockford Mutual might be best for you if...

• You like the personalized touch of a small, local company.
• You want basic auto insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Erie and Rockford Mutual. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Erie and Rockford Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Erie vs. Rockford Mutual FAQs

Is Erie or Rockford Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Erie is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $153 per month compared to $169 for Rockford Mutual. Even so, Erie won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for every policyholder, since there are a bunch of different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Erie or Rockford Mutual?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for each driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile. For example, Erie offers less expensive prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their record, while Rockford Mutual is more affordable for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores.

Why do Erie and Rockford Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at quite a few different variables when determining the rates they charge policyholders. Factors like age, where you park your car, your driving record, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Erie and Rockford Mutual calculate prices using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company 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 make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Erie or Rockford 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.