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

Quick Facts

• In general, State National offers significantly more affordable rates than Esurance
• Esurance may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than State National
• State National offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who have a short commute

Esurance or State National: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might have narrowed your search down to Esurance or State National for your next policy, but which one has less expensive prices for car insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, State National has average rates that are around 45% a month cheaper than those from Esurance.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean State National will be the less expensive option for every single driver. Insurance companies vary their rates depending on things like where you live, how good your credit score is, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, and all sorts of other factors, so premiums will vary quite a bit from person to person.

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

Esurance vs. State National: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Esurance and State National only compete against each other in California, where Esurance offers the cheaper average rates. Esurance drivers tend to pay about $11 per month less on average compared to drivers who use State National for their car insurance.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance bill than just where you live. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. Generally, that's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high premiums, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 55% less a month by choosing State National over Esurance. It's worth noting that Esurance offers car insurance in 11 different states compared to State National's one, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. State National offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Esurance's average premiums lower over 65% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Esurance and State National? State National gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older nearly 50% more affordable than the national average for Esurance.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married policyholders tend to get slightly cheaper insurance premiums than single drivers. This usually boils down to married drivers having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something many car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For those who are single, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with State National rates coming in at about half of Esurance's. The advantage for married couples with State National is also obvious, where drivers save around $85 per month.

Esurance or State National: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but men generally pay more for auto insurance than women do. That's because men are more likely to get tickets and get into accidents, which increases the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

On average, men see premiums about $20 a month higher with Esurance; women and men end up paying same monthly prices with State National.

Looking at overall affordability, State National comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average rates $150 less for men and $129 cheaper for women.

Esurance vs. State National: 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 car insurance, but there are so many different terms and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

But most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- alongside liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, State National has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $79. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, State National again has the edge, with policies averaging around $240 per month to Esurance's $396.

Is Esurance or State National Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and accidents lead to higher prices, but which carrier -- Esurance or State National -- has the most affordable premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Esurance for their car insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up about 16% after getting a speeding ticket. State National policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 28%.

That being said, State National is normally the less expensive option for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records. With State National, drivers with a clean record can save about $140 a month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save around $145 per month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Esurance drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices increase by over $100, while those who have insurance through State National will see about a $40 increase.

At the end of the day, the cheaper rates come from State National, with average premiums coming in at $142 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 a collision. On average, State National will climb your prices around 60% after a DUI, while Esurance's average rates rise by nearly 20%.

State National has the overall cheapest prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $252 monthly, but it's worth noting that Esurance's average rates come from 11 states compared to just one for State National, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Esurance and State National Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to determine your monthly auto insurance premiums. This isn't true for everyone (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it will come into play for lots of policyholders.

The reasoning insurance companies use is that drivers with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper rates, while those with poor credit will usually be forced to pay more.

So, which company offers the best prices for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

You'll often be rewarded if you have great credit. Jumping from a "good" credit score to an "excellent" one will generally save Esurance customers about 20%. State National, on the other hand, doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means they most likely don't use credit to calculate your rates.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Having bad credit usually means you'll also see higher premiums with Esurance. As you can see, Esurance customers with poor credit scores pay around 30% a month more than those with fair scores (and even more compared to drivers with good or excellent scores). On the other hand, because State National doesn't have data available for credit scores, they may have better prices for drivers with bad credit over Esurance.

Is Esurance or State National 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 considerable impact on how much car insurance carriers will charge for coverage? Typically, the more milage you put on your car, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

State National tends to be the more affordable option for both remote workers and those taking short commutes. State National's average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about 53% less expensive than Esurance. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay around 40% less with State National over Esurance.

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

Where you live can play a large role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Normally, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the road where they live, which decreases the chances of an accident.

State National tends to offer the lowest premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, State National's average prices are about 56% less than Esurance. People who live in suburban areas pay around 43% less with State National compared to Esurance. Those in rural areas can expect to save about 32% with State National compared to Esurance.

Esurance vs. State National Discounts

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

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

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

Esurance blows State National away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 14 more discounts than State National.

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

On the other hand, State National has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like auto-pilot discounts, distant student discounts, and renewal discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Esurance or State National Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your car insurance rates. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which carrier is the right fit for you?

State National might be best for you if....

• You like the personalized touch of a small, local company.
• Your home is in a busy urban area.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower premiums.

Esurance might be best for you if...

• You have less-than-stellar credit.
• You have above-average credit.
• You're looking for discounts -- Esurance has the most.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Esurance and State National 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from several companies, not just Esurance and State National. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just 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. State National FAQs

Is Esurance or State National cheaper?

State National is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $159 per month with State National and $299 for Esurance. But that doesn't mean State National will be the most affordable carrier for every policyholder, since there are lots of different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Esurance or State National?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for each policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, Esurance is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit, while State National offers less expensive rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Esurance and State National offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use several different variables when determining the premiums they charge. Factors such as gender, where you call home, age, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Esurance and State National use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Esurance or State National 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.