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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Esurance offers significantly less expensive prices than Utica National
• Esurance offers cheaper average premiums for policyholders who live in urban areas
• Utica National has more affordable prices for policyholders whose driving record contains an at-fault collision

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

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering considerable savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might be considering Esurance or Utica National for your next policy, but between the two, which one will offer you less expensive rates?

As you can see, Utica National is around $95 more a month than Esurance when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

But that doesn't mean Esurance will necessarily be cheaper than Utica National for every driver. After all, auto insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your driving record, your age, your credit score, or even where you call home (among other things), so premiums could differ drastically from person to person.

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

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

Esurance and Utica National only compete against each other in New York, where Utica National offers the cheaper average prices. Utica National drivers tend to pay about $361 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Esurance for their insurance.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your car insurance bill than just the state you live in. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for auto insurance than any group out there on the road. Generally, that's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance premiums. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 3% less a month by choosing Utica National over Esurance. It's worth noting that Esurance offers car insurance in 11 different states compared to Utica National's one, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

However, both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Esurance policyholders reduce more than 65% and Utica National's rates drop over 45% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest premiums you'll ever see.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Esurance and Utica National? Esurance gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at about $232 monthly compared to Utica National's $312.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance premiums are normally more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married policyholders? That's typically because married drivers tend to own and insure multiple vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For single drivers, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with Esurance premiums coming in at around 15% less than Utica National's. The advantage is also clear for married couples - Esurance offers the lowest average prices.

Esurance or Utica National: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim, which means they'll generally end up paying more for auto insurance than women.

Typically, women see rates about 7% per month less with Esurance, and around 7% less with Utica National when compared to their male counterparts.

When it comes to the cheapest premiums for each gender, Esurance comes out on top for both men and women, with average prices 24% less for men and 24% cheaper for women.

Esurance vs. Utica 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.

Car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are several different coverages that account for a variety of 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.

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

When it comes to state minimum limits for liability insurance, Utica National has the edge, while Esurance offers the most affordable average rates for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Policyholders looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $4 with Utica National, while full coverage comes out to be about $200 more affordable with Esurance.

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

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance companies offering great premiums for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers who use Esurance for their insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 16% after getting a speeding ticket. Utica National policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 16%.

Even so, Esurance is usually the cheaper option for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records, offering rates that are 20% and 21% more affordable, respectively, compared to Utica National.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Esurance raising by around 34%. Utica National has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay more than 15% more than you were prior to your first collision.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Utica National end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average prices coming in at $362 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 car insurance bill -- typically a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. On average, Utica National will increase your rates about 45% after a DUI, while Esurance's average prices climb by nearly 20%.

Esurance has the overall lowest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $301 per month, but it's worth noting that Esurance's average rates come from 11 states compared to just one for Utica National, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Esurance and Utica National Rates?

Often times, your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it will come into play for several policyholders.

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 company offers the best premiums for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, Esurance will usually reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Esurance comes in over 45.69 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save around 32% with Esurance compared to average rates from Utica National.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have less-than-perfect credit, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best premiums. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 23% less with Esurance than Utica National, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving around 7% a month with Utica National.

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

How much you drive can have a big impact on your monthly auto insurance cost. Normally, those who drive less will end up with cheaper prices since there's less of a chance of causing an accident 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 Utica National 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, for drivers in both categories, Esurance is the less expensive carrier.

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

Where you live can have a sizable impact on your monthly insurance payment. Typically, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders due to the small number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

Esurance boasts the cheapest average premiums for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Esurance's average prices are around $137 less than Utica National. People who live in suburban areas pay about $28 less with Esurance compared to Utica National. Those in rural areas can expect to save around $122 with Esurance compared to Utica National.

Esurance vs. Utica National 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 auto insurance discounts as possible.

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be hard to find all the ones you qualify for.

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

Esurance knocks Utica National out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering six more discounts than Utica National.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, DRL discounts, discounts for being a good student, and multi-policy discounts. Esurance also offers discounts for advance quote, agency transfer, education, and more.

On the other hand, Utica National has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like driver training discounts, EFT discounts, ESC discounts, and more.

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

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the best one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Esurance might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the insurance policy.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's auto insurance policy.

Utica National might be best for you if...

• You want to save money on your insurance after a collision.
• You're looking for the best rates on liability only coverage.
• You want to save money while purchasing car insurance for a teenager.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Esurance and Utica National and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from several companies, not just Esurance and Utica National. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Esurance vs. Utica National FAQs

Is Esurance or Utica National cheaper?

Esurance is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $299 per month with Esurance and $394 for Utica National. However, that doesn't mean Esurance will be the lowest company for each policyholder, since there are a range of different factors that are considered when it comes to your insurance cost.

Who is better, Esurance or Utica National?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". One carrier is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Esurance and Utica National offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use lots of different variables when determining the rates they charge. Factors such as where you call home, gender, age, where you park your vehicle, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Esurance and Utica National calculate prices using different variables, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different companies.

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

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of carriers 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 companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Esurance or Utica 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.