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

Quick Facts

• In general, General Casualty offers significantly cheaper prices than Esurance
• Esurance may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than General Casualty
• General Casualty offers less expensive average rates for single people who will be the only person on the auto insurance policy

Esurance or General Casualty: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering substantial savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Esurance or General Casualty as your top options, but between the two, which carrier has cheaper prices for insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, General Casualty is quite a bit cheaper than Esurance, with rates averaging $139 a month compared to $299 with Esurance.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean General Casualty will be the more affordable option for every driver. Auto insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like how good your credit score is, where you live, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, and a ton of other factors. 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 premiums from both Esurance and General Casualty by several different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

Esurance vs. General Casualty: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Esurance and General Casualty only compete against each other in two states, with General Casualty offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. Ohio has the most noticable difference, where General Casualty premiums are $111 more affordable than car insurance rates at Esurance.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance payment than just your home state. Keep reading to find out more.

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 other group of drivers. That's typically because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 65% less per month by choosing General Casualty over Esurance.

That being said, both companies will reduce prices by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for Esurance policyholders decrease around $500 and General Casualty's premiums drop about $150 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 can find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally reduces their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise premiums.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Esurance and General Casualty? General Casualty gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $108 cheaper than the national average for Esurance.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance rates tend to be less expensive for married couples than they are for those who are single. That's because policies for married drivers typically cover more than one vehicle, which many carriers will give you a discount for.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with General Casualty prices coming in at around half of Esurance's. The advantage for married policyholders with General Casualty is also obvious, where drivers save nearly 50% a month.

Esurance or General Casualty: Average Rates by Gender

Men normally pay more for insurance than women. That's because women are less likely to get into accidents and get speeding tickets, which lowers the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

On average, women see premiums over $20 per month cheaper with Esurance, and almost $15 cheaper with General Casualty when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at overall affordability, General Casualty offers the cheapest average prices for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $163 a month and women save about $156 with General Casualty compared to the average Esurance policyholder.

Esurance vs. General 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.

Car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different coverages 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 (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, General Casualty has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $82. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, General Casualty again has the edge, with policies averaging around $195 per month to Esurance's $396.

Is Esurance or General Casualty Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance carriers offering great prices 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 at-fault accidents lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- Esurance or General Casualty -- has the most affordable premiums for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Esurance for their car insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up about 16% after getting a speeding ticket. General Casualty policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 32%.

Even so, General Casualty tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket, offering prices that are 63% and 54% more affordable, respectively, compared to Esurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Esurance drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums rise by just under 35%, while those who have insurance through General Casualty will see about a 40% increase.

At the end of the day, the less expensive rates come from General Casualty, with average premiums coming in at $146 compared to Esurance's $364.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or speeding ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. On average, General Casualty will increase your prices around 52% after a DUI, while Esurance's average rates climb by nearly 20%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, General Casualty tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $186 to Esurance's $301.

How does Credit Score Impact Esurance and General Casualty Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (for example, Massachusetts and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for lots of policyholders.

The reasoning insurance carriers use is that drivers with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so usually, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with less expensive prices.

Looking specifically at General Casualty and Esurance, which company has the best rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, General Casualty will typically reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, General Casualty comes in more than 51.87 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save around 56% with General Casualty compared to average prices from Esurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

General Casualty typically offers lower rates than Esurance when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 54% a month less with General Casualty compared to Esurance, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of around 54% a month.

Is Esurance or General Casualty 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 pretty big impact on how much auto insurance companies will charge for coverage? Generally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive premiums since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much General Casualty charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for Esurance, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles annually paying about $1 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, for drivers in both categories, General Casualty is the cheaper company.

Esurance or General 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 sizable impact as well. Normally, 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 road where they live, which decreases the chances of an accident.

General Casualty tends to offer the lowest premiums for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around $80 with General Casualty compared to Esurance. People who live in suburban areas pay about $154 less with General Casualty compared to Esurance. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, General Casualty's average rates are around $245 less than Esurance.

Esurance vs. General Casualty 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 with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to find all the ones you can take advantage of or to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Esurance and General Casualty so that you can see which one can save you the most money each month.

Esurance blows General Casualty away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 24 different discounts to General Casualty's 12.

Both carriers offer many of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good driver, and paid in full discounts -- but Esurance also offers discounts for ABS, agency transfer, DRL, and more.

On the other hand, General Casualty has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like distant student discounts, employee discounts, new vehicle discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Esurance or General Casualty Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices 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 when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the best company for you and your specific profile and needs?

General Casualty might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You drive often but have a short commute.

Esurance might be best for you if...

• You are considering moving to another state -- General Casualty only offers policies in eight states.
• You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Esurance and General Casualty and that it aids in making a more informed 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 auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Esurance and General Casualty. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Esurance vs. General Casualty FAQs

Is Esurance or General Casualty cheaper?

General Casualty is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $139 per month with General Casualty and $299 for Esurance. But that doesn't mean General Casualty will be the most affordable company for each driver, since there are lots of different factors (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Esurance or General Casualty?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Esurance and General Casualty offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use a lot of different variables when determining the premiums they charge. Factors like where your home is, gender, where you call home, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Esurance and General Casualty calculate prices using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car insurance carrier 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 does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Esurance or General Casualty 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.