Erie Insurance Group is the 12th-largest insurer in the United States. It operates in only 12 states, but the company consistently earns top marks for customer service in the states where it operates.1
Foremost Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Farmers Insurance, and it operates in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.2 But the insurer has received an above-average number of complaints, and its coverage costs are more than Erie’s on average.
When deciding between Erie and Foremost, it’s important to consider the big picture, including rates, discounts, policies offered, restrictions on eligibility, customer service, coverage options, and limits. Here’s what you need to know about Erie and Foremost so you can find the best policy for your needs.
Erie’s average premiums are far lower than Foremost’s, coming in at less than half the cost. The insurer also received a below-average number of complaints with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) compared with an above-average number for Foremost.3 Its affordable rates and top marks for customer service from clients make Erie the better choice if you live in one of the states where it’s available.
Foremost is known for covering high-risk drivers. People with poor credit history or a DUI may find Foremost to be a better option than Erie.
The table below provides a detailed comparison between Erie and Foremost, including their Insurify Quality (IQ) Score, third-party ratings, and average liability rates.
Erie offers coverage in 12 states but has received favorable reviews, and it charges affordable premiums. Erie also boasts a below-average number of consumer complaints on the NAIC complaint index and the highest ratings of any insurer in several markets in J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Auto Insurance Study.
Foremost typically charges higher premiums and has a higher-than-average number of consumer complaints with the NAIC. But it has a wider range of availability than Erie. Foremost also specializes in offering coverage to high-risk drivers and clients with poor credit, who might otherwise struggle to find coverage.
Erie’s YourTurn is a mobile app that monitors driving behavior to see how safe you are behind the wheel. You’ll receive a score based on two weeks of data that takes into account factors such as smoothness of driving, speed traveled, and driver distraction.
Erie also allows you to earn monetary rewards if you have a high driver safety score. But Erie doesn’t adjust your premiums based on your performance on YourTurn, so it won’t directly affect your insurance rates.
Foremost doesn’t offer a telematics program, so if this is a feature you want in an insurance company, Erie would be a better choice.
Erie charges much lower premiums than Foremost, on average. Erie charges $86 for liability coverage and $120 for full coverage, while Foremost averages $118 for liability only and $274 for full coverage.
Erie’s costs are also competitive with the national average of $103 per month for liability insurance.
But it’s important to remember that insurers price policies based on each driver’s unique profile. Factors that affect your quote include your location, driving record, gender, credit history, and more.
In the sections that follow, you’ll see how rates fluctuate based on different driver profiles.
Erie Insurance has much lower average premiums for drivers with a clean record than Foremost. Erie is a good option for drivers looking for an affordable rate.
Erie’s average premiums for drivers with a speeding ticket are much less than Foremost’s, as you can see in the table below.
Teen drivers pay the highest car insurance rates due to a lack of experience behind the wheel. But Erie offers lower rates for teen drivers than Foremost.
Erie’s average premiums for drivers with bad credit are considerably lower than Foremost’s, as the table shows.
Most senior drivers will find Erie’s rates to be much lower than Foremost’s.
Both Erie and Foremost offer standard coverage options, such as bodily injury liability, property damage liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, collision coverage, and comprehensive coverage.
But Erie offers many unique options most insurers, including Foremost, don’t offer. With Erie’s coverage for pets and personal items in your vehicle, as well as locksmith coverage, you’ll be protected from many losses that would otherwise come out of your pocket. Here, you can see the coverage options available from each insurer.
Both Erie and Foremost offer many opportunities to save, but Foremost offers a few more discounts than Erie does, including a good student discount and special savings for being a homeowner.
You can see a collection of the discounts each insurer offers in the table below.
Still have questions about Erie and Foremost? Here are some more details about these two insurers so you can decide which one best meets your specific needs.
Foremost has been offering auto insurance for 65 years, and the business is licensed to operate nationwide, so it’s a legitimate insurer. But it has received a higher-than-average number of complaints with the NAIC, which suggests some customers haven’t had positive experiences with the company.
No. Foremost is a subsidiary of the Farmers Insurance Group, and Farmers is pulling out of Florida. But Foremost will continue to sell policies in the Sunshine State.4
The Farmers Insurance Group acquired Foremost in 2000. It’s a subsidiary of the Farmers Casualty Insurance Company.
Erie offers more affordable average premiums than Foremost and has a lower number of complaints with the NAIC. But Erie offers coverage in only 12 states, while Foremost covers drivers nationwide.
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7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
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