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

Quick Facts

• In general, Progressive offers significantly less expensive premiums than Esurance
• Progressive offers more affordable rates for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record
• Progressive has cheaper premiums for drivers who have received a ticket within the last few years

Esurance vs. Progressive: 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 large discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to Esurance or Progressive as your top options, but between the two, which one has more affordable prices for car insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Progressive has average rates that are about 40% per month cheaper than those from Esurance.

That being said, Progressive may not be the cheapest or best option for every single driver out there. Insurance companies use tons of complex algorithms to calculate rates, so depending on how old you are or where you live (among multiple other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Esurance and Progressive by lots of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Esurance or Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Esurance and Progressive compete against each other in nine states, with Progressive offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. Ohio has the most noticable difference, where Progressive premiums are over 70% less expensive than auto insurance rates at Esurance.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance payment than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- normally pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. It's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance premiums. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of more than $250 less a month by choosing Progressive over Esurance.

However, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for Esurance policyholders decrease over 65% and Progressive's premiums lower nearly 70% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to car insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the most affordable rates you can find.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Esurance and Progressive? Progressive gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at around $131 monthly compared to Esurance's $232.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance prices tend to be 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 quite a few car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Progressive is the clear winner for those who are single, with rates about $140 per month cheaper than Esurance, on average. The advantage for married drivers with Progressive is also obvious, where drivers save around $90 a month.

Esurance vs. Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

Women tend to pay less for insurance than men. This is because men are more likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, which increases the chances of an insurance claim.

With Esurance, women generally pay more than $20 per month less than men, and about $5 less with Progressive.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Progressive offers the lowest average premiums for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $126 a month and women save around $110 with Progressive compared to the average Esurance policyholder.

Esurance or Progressive: 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.

Auto insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different terms and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy.

Even so, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which typically refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Progressive usually offers significantly less expensive rates of $111 compared to Esurance's $201. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Progressive again has the edge, with policies about $150 per month more affordable than Esurance, on average.

Is Esurance or Progressive 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with accidents and tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the most affordable prices to drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Esurance policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $45 a month if they get a ticket, while Progressive typically raises prices around $31 per month, on average.

However, Progressive is normally the less expensive option for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket, offering premiums that are $93 and $107 more affordable, respectively, compared to Esurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Esurance drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their prices increase by over $100, while those who have insurance through Progressive will see about a $65 increase.

Overall, drivers who use Progressive end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly rates averaging $214 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 ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. On average, Esurance will increase your premiums around 20% after a DUI, while Progressive's average rates climb by over 15%.

How does Credit Score Impact Esurance and Progressive Rates?

Did you know that many car insurance companies take into account your credit score when calculating premiums? Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it will come into play for many policyholders.

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

So, which carrier offers the lowest prices for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

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

How much you drive can have a big impact on how much insurance carriers will charge for coverage. Generally, those who drive less will end up with cheaper premiums since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident 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 Progressive charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for Esurance, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles annually paying about $1 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles each year. Still, Progressive is the more affordable option for drivers in both categories.

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

Where you park your vehicle can play a large role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Usually, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

Progressive boasts the lowest average prices for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest rates from both companies, but Progressive comes out on top with average premiums around $154 per month. Progressive also has cheaper average rates for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 48% and 38% a month respective difference when compared to Esurance policyholders in similar areas.

Esurance vs. Progressive Discounts

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

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

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Esurance and Progressive offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Progressive blows Esurance away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 34 different discounts to Esurance's 24.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and discounts for being a good driver. Progressive also offers advanced safety feature discounts, continuous insurance discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, and more that Esurance does not.

On the flip side, Esurance has a couple unique discounts of its own -- good payer discounts, residency discounts, time at residence discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Esurance or Progressive Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your insurance premiums. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is Esurance or Progressive the best carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

Progressive might be best for you if....

• You value the experience that comes with a large national car insurance carrier.
• Your home is in a busy urban area.
• You've started working from home and don't have much of a commute.

Esurance might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Esurance and Progressive and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your auto 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 car insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple carriers, not just Esurance and Progressive. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Esurance vs. Progressive FAQs

Is Esurance or Progressive cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Progressive is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $180 per month compared to $299 for Esurance. Even so, Progressive won't necessarily be the most affordable company for every policyholder, since there are many different factors that come into play when it comes to your insurance cost.

Who is better, Esurance or Progressive?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for each driver -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do Esurance and Progressive offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at several different variables when determining the rates they charge drivers. Factors like gender, your driving record, where you call home, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Esurance and Progressive calculate prices differently, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Esurance or Progressive 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.