Esurance vs. Gainsco: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Gainsco offers significantly less expensive premiums than Esurance
• Esurance may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than GAINSCO
• Gainsco offers more affordable average rates for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse

Esurance or Gainsco: 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've maybe even narrowed it down to Esurance or Gainsco as potential options, but which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Esurance has average rates that are around 30% a month more expensive than those from Gainsco.

However, Gainsco may not be the most affordable or best option for every single driver out there. Auto insurance companies use all sorts of complex algorithms to determine premiums, so depending on how good your credit score is or how clean your driving record is (among a whole range of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of Esurance or Gainsco is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each carrier broken down by many different rate factors.

Esurance vs. Gainsco: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Esurance and Gainsco only compete against each other in Arizona, where Esurance offers the cheaper average premiums. Esurance drivers tend to pay about $13 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Gainsco for their insurance.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance payment than just the state you live in. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for car insurance than any group out there on the road. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

That being said, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Gainsco for their auto insurance pay over 35% less than those who use Esurance. It's worth noting that Esurance offers car insurance in 11 different states compared to Gainsco's one, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for Esurance policyholders drop about $500 and Gainsco's rates decrease almost $300 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age generally enjoy some of the lowest insurance prices you can find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which normally lowers their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise premiums.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Esurance and Gainsco? Gainsco gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at around $158 a month compared to Esurance's $232.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive auto insurance premiums than married policyholders. That's because policies for married couples typically cover multiple vehicles, which quite a few companies will give you a discount for.

For single drivers, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with Gainsco prices coming in at a third less than Esurance's. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - Gainsco offers the cheapest average rates.

Esurance or Gainsco: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get speeding tickets and get into collisions, they have a lower chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, women tend to pay less for car insurance than men.

On average, men see prices about $20 a month higher with Esurance, and around $14 more with Gainsco.

Looking at overall affordability, Gainsco offers the lowest average premiums for both men and women. On average, women save about $90 per month and men save about $97 with Gainsco compared to the average Esurance policyholder.

Esurance vs. Gainsco: 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 pretty complicated. There are so many different terms and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

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

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Gainsco has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $125. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Gainsco again has the edge, with policies averaging around $285 a month to Esurance's $396.

Is Esurance or Gainsco Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance companies offering great premiums for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and accidents lead to higher prices, but which company -- Esurance or Gainsco -- has the most affordable premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Esurance for their car insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 16% after getting a speeding ticket. Gainsco policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 9%.

But Gainsco tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket -- their rates are around 24% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 29% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Esurance drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices climb by over $100, while those who have insurance through Gainsco will see about a $40 increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Gainsco end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average rates coming in at $227 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 speeding ticket or even a collision. For example, Esurance increases average prices by nearly $60 per month -- that's nearly a 20% increase.

Gainsco has the overall lowest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $203 monthly, but it's worth noting that Esurance's average rates come from 11 states compared to just one for Gainsco, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Esurance and Gainsco Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can come into play when carriers calculate your monthly bill. Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it will come into play for several policyholders.

Auto insurance carriers argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, drivers with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

Looking at Esurance and Gainsco specifically, which company has the best premiums for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, Gainsco will typically reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Gainsco comes in NaN more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save around 23% with Gainsco compared to average prices from Esurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Gainsco typically offers lower premiums than Esurance when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 33% a month less with Gainsco compared to Esurance, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of around 52% per month.

Is Esurance or Gainsco Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a sizable impact on how much insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the fewer miles you put on your car each year, the less likely you are to be in an accident 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 Gainsco charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Esurance, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles yearly paying about $1 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Gainsco is the cheaper carrier.

Esurance or Gainsco: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can have a considerable impact on your monthly car insurance bill. Typically, policyholders who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban drivers since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the roads where they live.

Gainsco boasts the most affordable average prices for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around $75 with Gainsco compared to Esurance. People who live in suburban areas pay about $108 less with Gainsco compared to Esurance. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, GAINSCO's average premiums are around $97 less than Esurance.

Esurance vs. Gainsco Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be challenging to find all the ones you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Esurance and Gainsco so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Esurance knocks Gainsco out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 20 more discounts than Gainsco.

Both carriers offer a lot of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts, discounts for being a homeowner, and paid in full discounts -- but Esurance also offers discounts for ABS, agency transfer, anti-theft, and more.

On the other hand, Gainsco has a proprietary discount of their own -- a renewal discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Esurance or Gainsco Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the factors car insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which insurance carrier is the best one for you and your specific driver profile?

Gainsco might be best for you if....

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• Your credit is less-than-stellar.
• You have a short commute.

Esurance might be best for you if...

• You already have plans to move to another state -- GAINSCO is only available to Arizona residents.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Esurance and Gainsco. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 a handful of carriers, not just Esurance and Gainsco. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Esurance vs. Gainsco FAQs

Is Esurance or Gainsco cheaper?

Gainsco is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $205 per month with Gainsco and $299 for Esurance. However, that doesn't mean Gainsco will be the cheapest carrier for each policyholder, since there are lots of different variables (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Esurance or Gainsco?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Esurance and Gainsco offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use a lot of different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Variables like where you live, age, where you call home, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Esurance and Gainsco calculate rates using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different carriers.

How do I know if Esurance or Gainsco is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several companies 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 quotes from dozens of your local top insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Esurance or Gainsco 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.