Esurance is an Allstate company that operates 100% online. Licensed to sell car insurance in 43 U.S. states, Esurance’s technology helps drivers buy and manage their policies quickly and with little fuss. That said, Allstate actually writes Esurance policies — and Esurance no longer sells new policies.
Progressive operates in all 50 U.S. states plus Washington, D.C., and is America’s third-largest property and casualty insurance company.1 While Progressive has an extensive selection of coverages, its chatbot isn’t very intuitive, and live customer service can be difficult to reach.
Read on to learn more about each of these insurers to determine if either is the right fit for you.
Esurance policies are underwritten by Allstate and are generally cheaper than Progressive policies. But Esurance doesn’t actively seek new business, and Progressive offers more discounts and policy options. Progressive has an Insurify Quality (IQ) Score of 8.7 out of 10, compared to Esurance’s score of 8.9.
The average rate for full coverage from Progressive is $177 per month. The average rate for liability coverage is $102. Esurance’s policies are written by Allstate, and the average rate for full-coverage insurance from Allstate is $134. The average rate for liability coverage is $71 per month.
Esurance coverage is relatively basic, but the company also offers gap coverage. Progressive’s loan/lease payoff coverage is less comprehensive than gap coverage, but it has a wider range of options, including rental car reimbursement.
Progressive also has better discounts, and more of them than Esurance, which only offers bundling discounts with renters insurance and discounts for using its telemetrics program.
Progressive has those plus a long list of additional discounts.
Progressive also ranked 19th in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Survey, but Allstate, which writes Esurance’s policies, ranked eighth.2
Esurance doesn’t have its own listing in market-share data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), nor does it rank for customer satisfaction in J.D. Power surveys, but the Better Business Bureau (BBB) gives it a B+.3
Progressive is the second-largest writer of private passenger policies in the U.S. While it’s not a top performer in J.D. Power’s customer satisfaction surveys overall, it does rank in the top 10 or 11 companies in most regions of the U.S. and the top 20 nationwide.
DriveSense and Snapshot are telematics programs that record data about your driving habits. If the data shows you to be a safe driver, you can earn discounts on your car insurance policy.
DriveSense is an app-based technology available in 35 of the 43 states where Esurance is available. Esurance will enroll you automatically when you start a rate quote and send you a link to download the app. You’ll get a discount for enrolling, but after that, you must record at least 50 trips per term to earn ongoing discounts.
To participate in Progressive’s Snapshot program, first request a quote. You can then enroll and choose to use either the mobile app or plug-in dongle. You’ll receive an average discount of $94 for signing up and a discount of $231 upon completion of the program, which usually lasts six months. But you should know that about 20% of drivers get a rate increase because of their high-risk driving.
Allstate, which writes policies for Esurance, offers cheaper rates than Progressive, on average. But your unique situation can affect your car insurance rates dramatically.
Car insurance companies look at a wide range of factors to determine your premiums, including your age, gender, marital status, driving record, and more. This is why it’s important to compare quotes from several insurers to find the best policy for you.
Drivers without any incidents, like speeding tickets or at-fault accidents, typically pay lower rates for Esurance policies written by Allstate. Below, you can see how liability-only rates compare for drivers with a clean record.
A speeding ticket on your record will negatively affect your insurance rates. If you have a ticket on your record, Esurance policies, written by Allstate, tend to be lower for liability coverage.
Teen drivers pay some of the highest rates in the marketplace, but Esurance policies, written by Allstate, tend to be more affordable than Progressive.
Esurance offers cheaper rates for senior drivers than Progressive. Here, you can see the average rates below.
Most states allow insurers to review your credit history during the underwriting process, and this means drivers with poor credit histories tend to pay more for car insurance than drivers with strong credit histories.
If you have a poor credit history, an Esurance policy, written by Allstate, tends to be more affordable than one written by Progressive.
Both Progressive and Esurance offer standard coverage options, like bodily injury liability, property damage liability, personal injury protection, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, collision, and comprehensive coverage.
But there are some differences in each company’s extra coverage options. For example, Esurance offers rideshare coverage in only a few states, while Progressive has a wider offering. Esurance also offers conventional gap insurance, while Progressive offers loan/lease payoff coverage.
The table below breaks down some of the optional coverages available from either insurer.
Both Esurance and Progressive offer a range of discounts to drivers.
But Progressive drivers have access to more discounts than Esurance drivers. While both insurance companies offer a bundling discount, Progressive offers many more policy types than Esurance.
For example, Progressive goes beyond renters insurance, homeowners insurance, and motorcycle insurance to offer boat insurance, business insurance, ATV insurance, pet insurance, flood insurance, life insurance, and more.
The table below illustrates which discounts are available to you through each insurance company.
If you’re still trying to decide whether Esurance or Progressive is the right insurer for you, consult the answers below.
It depends on what’s more important to you. Esurance no longer writes new policies, but you can seek coverage through its parent company, Allstate. Allstate rates are generally lower than Progressive. But Progressive offers more coverage options and discounts than Esurance.
Allstate, which owns Esurance, has an AM Best financial strength rating of A+ (Superior), which means the company is able to reliably pay out claims.
In addition, 69% of Esurance customers who file a photo claim see their claim approved for payment in just one day, according to the company.
“Better” depends on the number of discounts applicable to you, but it’s important to note that Progressive offers more discounts than Esurance.
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