Esurance vs. First American Property & Casualty: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, First American Property & Casualty offers significantly less expensive rates than Esurance
• Esurance offers more affordable prices for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit
• First American Property & Casualty offers cheaper average premiums for residents of suburban areas

Esurance vs. First American Property & Casualty: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might have narrowed your search down to Esurance or First American Property & Casualty as your top options, but between the two, which company will offer you more affordable rates?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Esurance is quite a bit more expensive than First American Property & Casualty, with prices averaging $299 per month compared to just $167 with First American Property & Casualty.

But First American Property & Casualty may not be the lowest or best option for every driver out there. Auto insurance carriers use a ton of complex algorithms to calculate rates, so depending on how good your credit score is or where you live (among a wide array of other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

Wanting to know if Esurance or First American Property & Casualty is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average rates can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Esurance or First American Property & Casualty: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Esurance and First American Property & Casualty only compete against each other in California, where Esurance offers the cheaper average prices. For California residents, Esurance offers insurance for $148 monthly on average. First American Property & Casualty's average premiums come out to be over 10% more expensive, at $167 a month.

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

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance premiums of any group on the road. It's because young, inexperienced 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 prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. As you can see above, teens who use First American Property & Casualty save more than $350 a month compared to those who use Esurance. It's worth noting that Esurance offers auto insurance in 11 different states compared to First American Property & Casualty's one, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

However, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums once you turn 25. For example, average prices for Esurance policyholders drop nearly $500 and First American Property & Casualty's premiums lower over $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

So, which company offers the best premiums to retired drivers? First American Property & Casualty gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at about $121 per month compared to Esurance's $232.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance prices are usually more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married couples? This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one car on their policy -- something many auto insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, First American Property & Casualty is the clear winner for single drivers, with rates around $168 per month cheaper than Esurance, on average. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - First American Property & Casualty offers the cheapest average premiums.

Esurance vs. First American Property & Casualty: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men tend to pay more for car insurance than women? This is because women are less likely to get into accidents and get tickets, which decreases the chances of an insurance claim.

Men generally pay about $20 a month more than women with Esurance; everyone gets the same monthly prices regardless of gender with First American Property & Casualty.

Looking at overall affordability, First American Property & Casualty comes out as the lowest option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $142 per month and women save around $121 with First American Property & Casualty compared to the average Esurance policyholder.

Esurance or First American Property & Casualty: 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 isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are many different coverages that account for a range of different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (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 -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, First American Property & Casualty typically offers significantly less expensive rates of $70 compared to Esurance's $201. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, First American Property & Casualty again has the edge, with policies about $150 a month more affordable than Esurance, on average.

Is Esurance or First American Property & Casualty Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their car 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 at-fault collisions will most likely raise your prices, but is Esurance or First American Property & Casualty cheaper for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Esurance policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $45 per month if they get a ticket, while First American Property & Casualty generally raises prices around $26 a month, on average.

Even so, First American Property & Casualty is usually the more affordable option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket -- their rates are around 51% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 49% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Esurance increasing by over $100. First American Property & Casualty has a less extreme raise, but you can still expect to pay more than $25 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, the more affordable rates come from First American Property & Casualty, with monthly prices averaging $145 compared to Esurance's $364.

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 ticket or even an accident. On average, First American Property & Casualty will climb your premiums about 54% after a DUI, while Esurance's average rates rise by just under 20%.

First American Property & Casualty has the overall cheapest prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $256 monthly, but it's worth noting that Esurance's average rates come from 11 states compared to just one for First American Property & Casualty, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Esurance and First American Property & Casualty Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can come into play when companies calculate your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it might come into play for lots of drivers.

Auto insurance carriers argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time each month, which lowers the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have excellent credit, Esurance will normally reward you. With Esurance, improving your score from "good" to "excellent" will generally save you around $50. Because First American Property & Casualty, doesn't have data available for credit scores, they most likely don't use credit to calculate your premiums.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Having bad credit can cost you with Esurance. As you can see, Esurance customers with poor credit scores pay about 30% per month more than those with fair scores (and even more compared to drivers with good or excellent scores). First American Property & Casualty, on the other hand, doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means drivers with bad credit may find better rates with First American Property & Casualty over Esurance.

Is Esurance or First American Property & Casualty Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a big impact on how much insurance companies will charge for coverage. Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive rates since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

For both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles annually, as well as those who average twice that figure, First American Property & Casualty offers more affordable prices than Esurance. Esurance average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in around $157 more expensive than First American Property & Casualty. Those who drive 12,000 miles every year can expect to pay about $107 more with Esurance over First American Property & Casualty.

Esurance vs. First American Property & Casualty: 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 car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a pretty big impact as well. Normally, drivers who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural policyholders because there are a lot more vehicles on the road in those areas, which increases the chances of an accident.

First American Property & Casualty tends to offer the most affordable rates for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest premiums from both carriers, but First American Property & Casualty comes out on top with average prices around $140 per month. First American Property & Casualty also has less expensive average rates for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $224 and $100 a month respective difference when compared to Esurance drivers in similar areas.

Esurance vs. First American Property & Casualty 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.

The hard 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.

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Esurance and First American Property & Casualty offer their customers so that you can see which one can save you the most money each month.

Esurance blows First American Property & Casualty away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 14 more discounts than First American Property & Casualty.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a good student, group discounts, and multi-policy discounts. Esurance also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, agency transfer discounts, and more that First American Property & Casualty does not.

On the flip side, First American Property & Casualty has a couple unique discounts of its own -- distant student discounts and renewal discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Esurance or First American Property & Casualty Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your auto insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, at the end of the day, which insurance carrier is the right company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

First American Property & Casualty might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing insurance by yourself.
• You have an at-fault accident on your record.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your auto insurance.

Esurance might be best for you if...

• You have less-than-stellar credit.
• You already have a great credit score.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Esurance and First American Property & Casualty. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your car 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 several carriers, not just Esurance and First American Property & Casualty. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do 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.

Esurance vs. First American Property & Casualty FAQs

Is Esurance or First American Property & Casualty cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, First American Property & Casualty is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $167 per month compared to $299 for Esurance. That being said, First American Property & Casualty won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for everyone, since there are multiple different variables (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Esurance or First American Property & Casualty?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for each driver -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, First American Property & Casualty offers more affordable prices for policyholders with an at-fault collision on their record, while Esurance is cheaper for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores.

Why do Esurance and First American Property & Casualty offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at quite a few different factors when calculating the premiums they charge drivers. Variables such as where you park your car, where your home is, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Esurance and First American Property & Casualty calculate prices differently, 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 a variety of different carriers.

How do I know if Esurance or First American Property & Casualty is right for me?

The only way to find the car 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, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest rate. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Esurance or First American Property & Casualty 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.