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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Root offers significantly less expensive rates than Esurance
• Esurance offers more discounts than Root Insurance
• Root has more affordable premiums for policyholders who haven't received any speeding tickets or been in an accident in the last few years

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

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering big discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Esurance or Root as your top options, but between the two, which company has cheaper rates for car insurance?

As you can see, Root has average rates that are about 80% per month less expensive than those from Esurance when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

But Root may not be the cheapest or best option for every single driver out there. Car insurance companies use all sorts of complex algorithms to calculate prices, so depending on how clean your driving record is or where you live (among numerous other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

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

Esurance or Root: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Esurance and Root only compete against each other in Arizona, where Root offers the cheaper average prices. For Arizona residents, Root offers auto insurance for $65 per month on average. Esurance's average premiums come out to be over 70% more expensive, at $192 monthly.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance bill than just where you live. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance rates of any group on the road. That's generally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance prices. As you can see above, teens who use Root save more than $500 a month compared to those who use Esurance. It's worth noting that Esurance offers insurance in 11 different states compared to Root's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both carriers will reduce rates by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for Esurance policyholders decrease nearly $500 and Root's premiums lower around $85 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 lowest prices you'll ever see.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Esurance and Root? Root gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older over 75% more affordable than the national average for Esurance.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single policyholders tend to get offered slightly more expensive auto insurance prices than married policyholders. This usually boils down to married couples having several cars on their policy -- something several car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Root is the clear winner for those who are single, with rates about $285 per month less expensive than Esurance, on average. The advantage for married drivers with Root is also obvious, where drivers save more than 75% a month.

Esurance vs. Root: 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 charge men more than women.

Women usually pay over $20 per month less than men with Esurance, and around $2 cheaper with Root when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at overall affordability, Root comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $243 a month and women save about $224 with Root compared to the average Esurance policyholder.

Esurance or Root: 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.

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

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, Root normally offers significantly more affordable premiums of $46 compared to Esurance's $201. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Root again has the edge, with policies around $300 per month cheaper than Esurance, on average.

Is Esurance or Root 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.

Tickets and accidents will most likely raise your rates, but is Esurance or Root less expensive for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Esurance policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $45 a month if they get a ticket, while Root typically raises prices about $10 per month, on average.

That being said, Root is generally the cheaper option for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket. Drivers with a clean record can save around $185 a month and drivers with a ticket can save about $220 per month with Root Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Esurance can expect to see around an $122 -- or about 34% -- increase in their auto insurance premiums. Drivers who use Root for their car insurance will see a monthly bill around $22 (or 28%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their insurance company.

Overall, the more affordable prices come from Root, with monthly rates averaging $79 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 a collision or speeding ticket. Esurance drivers usually see a 20% climb in their car insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Root will typically increase rates by about 0%.

Root has the overall most affordable premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $57 a month, but it's worth noting that Esurance's average rates come from 11 states compared to just one for Root, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Esurance and Root Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to determine your monthly insurance prices. Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it will come into play for many drivers.

The reasoning auto insurance carriers use is that policyholders with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so normally, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with cheaper premiums.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Root. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save just under 75% compared to Esurance, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $206 or 77% more affordable each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Root typically offers lower prices than Esurance when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $239 a month less with Root compared to Esurance, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around $345 per month.

Is Esurance or Root 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 sizable impact on your monthly rates? Normally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive 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 Root charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Esurance, with policyholders who drive the least paying about $1 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, Root is the more affordable option for drivers in both categories.

Esurance vs. Root: 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 insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a pretty big impact as well. Generally, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

Root tends to offer the most affordable rates for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Root offers prices around $77 monthly compared to Esurance's $396. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay about $60 per month for Root and $288 for Esurance. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the cheapest premiums from both companies, with average monthly rates coming in at $58 and $211 for Root and Esurance respectively.

Esurance vs. Root 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.

The challenging part is finding all of the discounts you can take advantage of, since it can feel sometimes like every carrier has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

In the table below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Esurance and Root so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Esurance knocks Root out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 19 more discounts than Root.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Esurance also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, agency transfer discounts, and more that Root does not.

On the flip side, Root has a unique discount of its own -- a auto-steer discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Esurance or Root Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each company offers. But, at the end of the day, which insurance carrier is the best carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

Root might be best for you if....

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You live in an urban area.
• You're buying car insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

Esurance might be best for you if...

• You're thinking about moving to another state -- Root Insurance only offers policies to Arizona residents.
• You care about discounts (Esurance offers the most).

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Esurance and Root and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to 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 several carriers, not just Esurance and Root. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Esurance vs. Root FAQs

Is Esurance or Root cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Root is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $65 a month compared to $299 for Esurance. But Root won't necessarily be the most affordable company for each policyholder, since there are multiple different factors that come into play when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, Esurance or Root?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Esurance and Root offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at lots of different variables when calculating the rates they charge policyholders. Things such as age, where you park your vehicle, your driving record, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Esurance and Root calculate prices differently, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

How do I know if Esurance or Root 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, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information 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 best premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Esurance or Root 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.