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

Quick Facts

• In general, Metromile offers significantly cheaper prices than Esurance
• Esurance may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Metromile
• Metromile offers more affordable average rates for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods

Esurance or Metromile: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering large savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to Esurance or Metromile for your next policy, but which one will offer you cheaper premiums?

As you can see, Metromile has average rates that are around 50% a month less expensive than those from Esurance when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

But Metromile may not be the cheapest or best option for every single driver out there. Auto insurance carriers use a ton of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on where you live or how good your credit score is (among a range of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

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

Esurance vs. Metromile: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Esurance and Metromile only compete against each other in Arizona, where Metromile offers the cheaper average rates. Metromile drivers tend to pay about $42 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Esurance for their car insurance.

But there's more to calculating insurance premiums than just where you live. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance rates of any other group of drivers out there on the road. That's generally because teen 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. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Metromile for their insurance pay almost 55% less than those who use Esurance. It's worth noting that Esurance offers car insurance in 11 different states compared to Metromile's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both companies will drop prices once you turn 25. For example, average rates for Esurance policyholders decrease over 65% and Metromile's premiums lower nearly 65% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Esurance and Metromile? Metromile gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $103 more affordable than the national average for Esurance.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance rates tend to be more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married couples. That's typically because married policyholders tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Metromile rates coming in at about half of Esurance's. For married drivers, the advantage is clear again - Metromile has the edge when it comes to average prices.

Esurance or Metromile: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get speeding tickets and get into accidents. That means when it comes to insurance men will normally end up paying a little more.

Men usually pay around $20 a month more than women with Esurance, but surprisingly, with Metromile, men generally pay about $4 per month less than women.

Looking at overall affordability, Metromile comes out on top for both men and women, with average premiums $161 less for men and $136 cheaper for women.

Esurance vs. Metromile: 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.

For most people, auto insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are several different coverages that account for multiple different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

That being said, the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Metromile has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $99. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Metromile again has the edge, with policies averaging around $201 a month to Esurance's $396.

Is Esurance or Metromile Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their car insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

At-fault accidents and speeding tickets will most likely raise your premiums, but is Esurance or Metromile less expensive for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Esurance for their auto insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up about 16% after getting a speeding ticket. Metromile policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 22%.

However, Metromile tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket. With Metromile, drivers with a clean record can save about $127 per month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save around $139 a month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Esurance can expect to see about an $122 -- or around 34% -- rise in their auto insurance prices. Drivers who use Metromile for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $56 (or 33%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their car insurance company.

At the end of the day, the cheaper premiums come from Metromile, with average prices coming in at $171 compared to Esurance's $364.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly auto insurance bill -- usually a lot more than an accident or ticket. Esurance drivers usually see a 20% increase in their insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Metromile will typically raise premiums by around 31%.

Metromile has the overall cheapest prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $167 per month, but it's worth noting that Esurance's average rates come from 11 states compared to just one for Metromile, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Esurance and Metromile Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can come into play when companies calculate your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it might come into play for quite a few drivers.

Car insurance carriers argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time every month, which raises the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, Metromile will generally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Metromile comes in nearly 44.86 more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save about 48% with Metromile compared to average prices from Esurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Metromile typically offers lower rates than Esurance when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 49% per month less with Metromile compared to Esurance, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of about 55% a month.

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

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on your monthly insurance bill. Usually, those who drive less will end up with cheaper 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 Metromile charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Esurance, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car each year paying around $1 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, Metromile is the less expensive company.

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

Where your home is can have a big impact on your monthly car insurance cost. Generally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Metromile normally comes out as the lowest option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

In urban areas, Metromile's average prices are about $209 a month compared to Esurance's $396. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly rate of around $121 with Metromile compared to $288 with Esurance. Those in rural areas can expect to pay about $120 monthly with Metromile and $211 with Esurance.

Esurance vs. Metromile Discounts

No matter 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 you can, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many insurance discounts as possible.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Esurance and Metromile so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Esurance knocks Metromile out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 24 different discounts to Metromile's four.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a good driver, online quote discounts, and paperless discounts. Esurance also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, agency transfer, and more.

Metromile's discounts come through just a few categories, including Good Driving, Multi-Policy, Online Quote, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Esurance or Metromile Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your auto insurance rates. We've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, is Esurance or Metromile the right company for you and your specific needs?

Metromile might be best for you if....

• You don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault collisions on your record.
• You live in a rural area.

Esurance might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance company.
• You're looking for discounts -- Esurance has the most.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Esurance and Metromile. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your car 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 several carriers, not just Esurance and Metromile. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Esurance vs. Metromile FAQs

Is Esurance or Metromile cheaper?

Metromile is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $150 per month with Metromile and $299 for Esurance. Even so, that doesn't mean Metromile will be the most affordable carrier for each policyholder, since there are a bunch of different factors that come into play when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, Esurance or Metromile?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Esurance and Metromile offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use a lot of different variables when determining the rates they charge. Things such as your driving record, gender, age, where you park your vehicle, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Esurance and Metromile calculate prices using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of 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 area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Esurance or Metromile 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.