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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, Hastings Mutual offers significantly cheaper prices than Esurance
• Esurance offers more affordable average rates for drivers with a DUI charge on their record
• Hastings Mutual has less expensive premiums for residents of rural areas

Esurance vs. Hastings Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed your search down to Esurance or Hastings Mutual as your top options, but between the two, which carrier will offer you cheaper prices?

As you can see, Esurance has average rates that are about 30% per month more expensive than those from Hastings Mutual when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

But that doesn't mean Hastings Mutual will necessarily be more affordable than Esurance for every driver. After all, insurance companies 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, rates from every company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Esurance or Hastings Mutual is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each carrier broken down by a bunch of different rate factors.

Esurance or Hastings Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Esurance and Hastings Mutual only compete against each other in one states, with Hastings Mutual offering less expensive prices to the average driver in all of them. Ohio has the most noticable difference, where Hastings Mutual rates are over 70% cheaper than car insurance prices at Esurance.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance cost 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 typically pay a lot more for insurance than any group on the road. That's because young, inexperienced 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 that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use Hastings Mutual save nearly $350 a month compared to those who use Esurance.

However, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums once you turn 25. Hastings Mutual offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Esurance's average prices drop more than 65% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Esurance and Hastings Mutual? Hastings Mutual gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older almost 30% more affordable than the national average for Esurance.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance premiums are generally more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married couples? That's because policies for married policyholders typically cover multiple cars, which several companies will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Hastings Mutual is the clear winner for single drivers, with rates around $130 per month cheaper than Esurance, on average. The advantage for married drivers with Hastings Mutual is also obvious, where drivers save over 15% a month.

Esurance vs. Hastings Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, they are more likely to file a claim with insurance. Therefore, insurance carriers will tend to offer men more expensive prices.

With Esurance, men normally pay more than $20 per month more than women, and about $5 more with Hastings Mutual.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Hastings Mutual comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average premiums 31% less for men and 28% cheaper for women.

Esurance or Hastings 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.

It's no secret that insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different terms and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

Even so, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Hastings Mutual usually offers significantly less expensive rates of $142 compared to Esurance's $201. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Hastings Mutual again has the edge, with policies around $100 a month more affordable than Esurance, on average.

Is Esurance or Hastings Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their auto insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

You'll probably end up paying more with collisions and tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the most affordable premiums to drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Esurance policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $45 per month if they get a ticket, while Hastings Mutual generally raises rates about $20 a month, on average.

However, Hastings Mutual has cheaper prices for drivers in both categories. Drivers with a clean record can save around $133 per month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $158 a month with Hastings Mutual Insurance Company.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through Esurance can expect to see around an $122 -- or about 34% -- increase in their auto insurance premiums. Drivers who use Hastings Mutual for their insurance will see a monthly bill around $17 (or 13%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their car insurance carrier.

Overall, Hastings Mutual offers the lowest prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly premiums averaging $126 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. Hastings Mutual drivers usually see a 77% raise in their insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Esurance will normally climb prices by about 20%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, Esurance tends to be the much more affordable option with average rates of $301 monthly compared to $478 from Hastings Mutual.

How does Credit Score Impact Esurance and Hastings Mutual Rates?

Did you know that many auto insurance carriers take into account your credit score when calculating premiums? This isn't always the case (for example, Michigan and Hawaii are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for quite a few drivers.

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 Esurance and Hastings Mutual, which one has the cheapest prices for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Hastings Mutual. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save over 20% compared to Esurance, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $73 or 27% less expensive every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Hastings Mutual typically offers lower rates than Esurance when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $98 per month less with Hastings Mutual compared to Esurance, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around $149 a month.

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

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in your monthly premiums. Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper prices since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision 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 Hastings Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Esurance, with policyholders who drive the least paying about $1 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, Hastings Mutual is the less expensive option for drivers in both categories.

Esurance vs. Hastings Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a considerable role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Generally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

Hastings Mutual tends to offer the lowest rates for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Hastings Mutual offers prices around $291 per month compared to Esurance's $396. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay about $177 a month for Hastings Mutual and $288 for Esurance. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the cheapest rates from both carriers, with average monthly premiums coming in at $164 and $211 for Hastings Mutual and Esurance respectively.

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

Below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Esurance and Hastings Mutual 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 blows Hastings Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 14 more discounts than Hastings Mutual.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a good driver, and discounts for being a good student. Esurance also offers advance quote discounts, agency transfer discounts, DRL discounts, and more that Hastings Mutual does not.

On the flip side, Hastings Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- company car discounts, prior carrier discounts, and workloss exclusion discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Esurance or Hastings Mutual Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your auto insurance prices. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the right company for you and your specific needs?

Hastings Mutual might be best for you if....

• Your driving record contains an at-fault collision.
• You already have a great credit score.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your car insurance.

Esurance might be best for you if...

• You are considering moving to another state -- Hastings Mutual Insurance Company only offers policies in six states.
• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Esurance and Hastings Mutual and that it aids in making a more informed decision about 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 a handful of companies, not just Esurance and Hastings Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Esurance vs. Hastings Mutual FAQs

Is Esurance or Hastings Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Hastings Mutual is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $211 per month compared to $299 for Esurance. But Hastings Mutual won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for each policyholder, since there are multiple different variables that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance bill.

Who is better, Esurance or Hastings Mutual?

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

Why do Esurance and Hastings Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at many different factors when determining the prices they charge drivers. Things like where you call home, where your home is, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Esurance and Hastings Mutual calculate rates using different variables, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several carriers 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 ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Esurance or Hastings 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.