Allstate vs. Erie: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Erie offers significantly cheaper prices than Allstate
• Allstate may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Erie Insurance
• Erie has more affordable premiums for policyholders whose driving record contains an at-fault collision

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Allstate or Erie: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering huge savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Allstate or Erie as potential options, but between the two, which one will offer you less expensive rates?

Looking at nationwide averages, Allstate is around $46 more a month than Erie.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Erie will be the cheaper option for each driver. Insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, how old you are, where you live, and tons of other factors, so prices could change drastically from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Allstate or Erie is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each carrier broken down by lots of different rate factors.

Allstate vs. Erie: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Allstate and Erie compete against each other in 10 states, with Erie offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all but one of them. If you live in New York, Allstate is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at the overall average prices, but Erie is the cheaper option in most of the others.

There's a lot more that goes into your car insurance cost than just where you call home. Read on to find out more.

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Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for insurance than any other group of drivers. Generally, that's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance premiums. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 30% less per month by choosing Erie over Allstate.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for Allstate policyholders reduce nearly 65% and Erie's prices lower almost 55% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the cheapest auto insurance rates out there. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly premiums for insurance.

When looking at Allstate and Erie specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Erie gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $36 less expensive than the national average for Allstate.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married couples tend to get slightly more affordable car insurance rates than those who are single. This usually boils down to married drivers having several vehicles on their policy -- something lots of auto insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Erie rates coming in at a quarter less than Allstate's. The advantage for married policyholders with Erie is also obvious, where drivers save about $35 a month.

Allstate or Erie: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women usually pay less for car insurance than men? That's because women are less likely to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, which decreases the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

Typically, men see prices nearly $10 per month higher with Allstate, but with Erie, the difference is closer to $11 a month.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Erie comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average premiums $45 less for men and $47 cheaper for women.

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Allstate vs. Erie: 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.

For most people, insurance can be pretty complicated. There are a range of different coverages that account for several 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 end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Erie has the edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $91. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Erie again has the edge, with policies averaging around $215 per month to Allstate's $289.

Is Allstate or Erie 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with collisions and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the cheapest rates to drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Allstate for their insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up about 15% after getting a speeding ticket. Erie policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 13%.

However, Erie has less expensive premiums for drivers in both categories, offering rates that are 24% and 25% cheaper, respectively, compared to Allstate.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Allstate drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums increase by just under $75, while those who have insurance through Erie will see about a $40 increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Erie end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average prices coming in at $157 compared to Allstate's $229.

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 -- generally a lot more than an accident or ticket. For example, Erie increases average premiums by nearly $80 a month -- that's nearly a 40% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Erie tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $198 to Allstate's $227.

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How does Credit Score Impact Allstate and Erie Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance carriers take your credit score into account when determining prices? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as an auto insurance factor, but it will come into play for quite a few policyholders.

Car 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.

Looking at Allstate and Erie specifically, which company has the best rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, Erie will usually reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Erie comes in more than 37.24 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save about 35% with Erie compared to average prices from Allstate.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Erie typically offers lower premiums than Allstate when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 26% per month less with Erie compared to Allstate, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of about 6% per month.

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Is Allstate or Erie 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 how much auto insurance companies will charge for coverage? Usually, the more milage you put on your vehicle each year, the more you can expect to pay for insurance.

Erie tends to be the more affordable option for both remote workers and those taking short commutes. Allstate's average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in $50 more expensive than Erie. Those who drive 12,000 miles every year can expect to pay more than $40 more with Allstate over Erie.

Allstate or Erie: 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 auto insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a big impact as well. Generally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

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

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 34% with Erie compared to Allstate. People who live in suburban areas pay about 27% less with Erie compared to Allstate. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Erie Insurance's average prices are around 13% less than Allstate.

Allstate vs. Erie Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new 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 car insurance discounts as possible.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Allstate and Erie offer their customers so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

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

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Allstate also offers discounts for agency transfer, alert driving, annual mileage, and more.

On the other hand, Erie has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like pay plan discounts, prior bi limit discounts, reduced usage discounts, and more.

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Final Thoughts: Is Allstate or Erie Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, when it comes down to it, is Allstate or Erie the right company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Erie might be best for you if....

• Your credit is less-than-stellar.
• You have above-average credit.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower premiums.

Allstate might be best for you if...

• You care about discounts (Allstate offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Allstate and Erie and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to 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 a handful of carriers, not just Allstate and Erie. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

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Allstate vs. Erie FAQs

Is Allstate or Erie cheaper?

Erie is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $153 a month with Erie and $199 for Allstate. But that doesn't mean Erie will be the most affordable carrier for each policyholder, since there are a bunch of different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Allstate or Erie?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique insurance profile.

Why do Allstate and Erie offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use a lot of different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Factors such as your driving record, age, gender, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Allstate and Erie calculate premiums using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. 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 Allstate or Erie 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, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Allstate or Erie at all, but another you hadn't even thought of!

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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.