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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Esurance offers slightly cheaper rates than Southern
• Esurance has more affordable prices for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods
• Southern offers less expensive average premiums for policyholders whose driving record contains an at-fault collision

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

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering huge savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Esurance or Southern for your next policy, but between the two, which one will save you the most?

As you can see, Southern is around $23 more a month than Esurance when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

However, Esurance may not be the lowest or best option for each driver out there. Car insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to determine rates, so depending on where you live or how old you are (among many other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

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

Esurance vs. Southern: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Esurance and Southern only compete against each other in one states, with Esurance offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. Georgia has the most noticable difference, where Esurance rates are $185 less expensive than insurance premiums at Southern.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your auto 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 typically pay a lot more for car insurance than any group on the road. The reason is that teen 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 teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of 1% less per month by choosing Southern over Esurance.

Even so, with both companies, you'll see your rates drop significantly once you turn 25. For example, average prices for Esurance policyholders decrease about $500 and Southern's rates reduce almost $450 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Esurance and Southern? Esurance gets the slight edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older nearly 10% more affordable than the national average for Southern.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance premiums are normally more expensive for single drivers than they are for married drivers? This usually boils down to married couples having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something quite a few car insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For those who are single, the difference in average rates between these two companies is not very significant, with Esurance premiums coming in at around 5% less than Southern's. The advantage for married policyholders is more obvious, where drivers who use Esurance save over 10% a month.

Esurance or Southern: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but auto insurance is usually cheaper for women than it is for men. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and file an insurance claim, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

With Esurance, women normally pay about $20 per month less than men, and more than $35 with Southern.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Esurance offers the most affordable average premiums for both men and women, with average rates 9% less for men and 5% cheaper for women.

Esurance vs. Southern: 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 car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

But the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which typically refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside liability coverage).

When it comes to state minimum liability insurance, Southern has the edge, while Esurance offers the lowest average prices for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Policyholders looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $10 with Southern Insurance Company of Virginia, while full coverage comes out to be around $55 cheaper with Esurance.

Is Esurance or Southern Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance carriers offering great premiums 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 collisions and speeding tickets lead to higher rates, but which company -- Esurance or Southern -- has the cheapest prices for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers who use Esurance for their car insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up about 16% after getting a speeding ticket. Southern policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 7%.

However, Southern tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket, offering rates that are $26 and $54 more affordable, respectively, compared to Esurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through Esurance can expect to see about an $122 -- or around 34% -- rise in their insurance prices. Drivers who use Southern for their car insurance will see a monthly bill about $77 (or 26%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Southern end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average premiums coming in at $293 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 accident or speeding ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. For example, Southern increases average prices by nearly $350 a month -- that's more than a 60% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Esurance tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $301 to Southern's $548.

How does Credit Score Impact Esurance and Southern Rates?

Did you know many car insurance companies take your credit score into account when determining premiums? This isn't true for everyone (for example, are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect a lot of policyholders out there.

Auto insurance carriers argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, drivers with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

So, which company offers the best rates for policyholders 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 Southern 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 insurance cost. Typically, those who drive fewer miles will end up with more affordable premiums since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

Esurance tends to be the cheaper option for both remote workers and those taking short commutes. Southern's average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in 3% more expensive than Esurance. Those who drive 12,000 miles every year can expect to pay over 10% more with Southern over Esurance.

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

Where you live can have a sizable impact on your monthly auto insurance bill. Usually, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas since there are a lot fewer cars on the road where they live, which lowers the chances of an accident.

Southern normally comes out as the less expensive option for drivers in urban and suburban areas, while Esurance wins in rural areas.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay about $211 a month with Esurance and $298 with Southern. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly rate of around $279 with Southern compared to $288 with Esurance. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Southern's average premiums are about $390 while Esurance offers rates around $396.

Esurance vs. Southern Discounts

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

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be hard 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.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Esurance and Southern so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Looking at the total number of discounts, Esurance comes out ahead with 24 discounts to Southern's 20.

Both companies offer lots of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good driver, and discounts for being a homeowner -- but Esurance also offers discounts for agency transfer, DRL, education, and more.

On the other hand, Southern has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like driver training discounts, experienced operator discounts, family discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Esurance or Southern Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your insurance prices. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, is Esurance or Southern the right carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Esurance might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.
• You have a short commute.

Southern might be best for you if...

• You have a speeding ticket on your driving record.
• Your driving record contains an at-fault collision.
• You want to save money while purchasing auto insurance for a teenager.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Esurance and Southern and that it aids in making a more informed 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple carriers, not just Esurance and Southern. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Esurance vs. Southern FAQs

Is Esurance or Southern cheaper?

Esurance is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $299 per month with Esurance and $322 for Southern. But that doesn't mean Esurance will be the most affordable carrier for each driver, since there are a variety of different factors that are considered when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, Esurance or Southern?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile. For example, Esurance is cheaper for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while Southern offers less expensive rates for policyholders with an at-fault accident on their record.

Why do Esurance and Southern offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use lots of different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Factors like age, where your home is, your driving record, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Esurance and Southern use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several 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 quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Esurance or Southern 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.