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Erie Auto Insurance Review: Rare Protections and Top-Notch Customer Service

Review Updated
Kailey Hagen
By: Kailey Hagen

Our Insurance Expert

Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures our experts’ opinions aren’t influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.

This auto insurer is a good fit for: Drivers who want great customer service and those seeking rare auto protections.

Logo for Erie Auto Insurance
Best for predictable pricing year-over-yearErie Auto Insurance
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Bottom Line

Erie stands out for its excellent customer service and rare protections. Drivers can easily customize a policy that suits them and they can even lock in their car insurance rate if they want. When the time comes to file a claim, Erie's customers can rest easy knowing they're working with one of the industry leaders in claims satisfaction.

Pros

  • Great customer service
  • Rare policy features are standard
  • Ridesharing coverage
  • ERIE Rate Lock option

Cons

  • Limited availability

Erie car insurance snapshot

Pricing

Erie auto insurance premiums fall slightly below the national average for many drivers. Those who qualify for one or more of its discounts could earn an especially competitive rate.

Discounts

Erie doesn't offer as many auto insurance discounts as some of its competitors, but the ones it does offer should appeal to a broad base of drivers. Its multi-policy discount is especially beneficial, shaving up to 20% off the policyholder's auto insurance premium.

Perks

Erie offers a number of rare protections, including its Rate Lock feature. This prevents a driver's rates from going up over time, even if they file a claim. The company also offers ridesharing and pet injury coverage.

Customer service

Few other auto insurers can match Erie's customer service. It's also well known for its excellent claims handling.

Full Erie auto insurance review

Erie auto insurance at a glance

Monthly premium costs:

  • 35-year-old female with clean driving record: $157.92
  • 35-year-old male with clean driving record: $151.25
  • 35-year-old female with one accident: $220.58
  • 18-year-old male with clean driving record: $399.67

Coverage options:

  • Bodily injury liability
  • Property damage liability
  • Medical payments
  • Personal injury protection (PIP)
  • Uninsured motorist
  • Underinsured motorist
  • Collision
  • Comprehensive
  • Pet injury
  • Rental car
  • Roadside assistance
  • Personal item
  • Auto glass repair
  • Locksmith services
  • New car protection
  • Better car protection
  • Ridesharing
  • ERIE Rate Lock
  • First accident forgiveness
  • Diminishing deductible
  • ERIE Auto Plus

Top perks

Great customer service

Erie consistently ranks among the best auto insurers in J.D. Power's auto insurance satisfaction surveys. It's also scored highly for claims satisfaction, which should be a huge relief for customers following an accident.

Rare policy features are standard

In addition to all the required legal coverage options, Erie offers a number of rare protections as part of its standard policies. This includes first accident forgiveness for drivers who have been with the company for more than three years and a diminishing deductible option. Drivers can also customize their policies with a number of extras, including pet injury coverage.

Ridesharing coverage

Not all major auto insurers protect drivers who work for ridesharing coverage, but fortunately, Erie does. Erie customers who plan to work for a ridesharing service can add an endorsement to their policy that protects them while they are working.

ERIE Rate Lock

Erie has a unique Rate Lock option which ensures that premiums don't rise over time, even if the driver files a claim. However, rates can still change when adding or removing a driver from a policy or changing the address where the vehicle is kept.

What could be improved

Availability

Erie currently sells auto insurance policies in 13 states and the District of Columbia. Its service area is mostly concentrated in New England, the mid-Atlantic states, and the Midwest. Those who live outside these areas will have to explore other options.

Alternatives to consider

Award Icon 2024 Award Winner
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Best for bundling coverageState Farm
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5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Get a Quote

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Logo for Geico
Best for price conscious consumersGeico
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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When seeking a company that sells policies in all 50 states: State Farm is a great option to consider. Not only are its policies widely available, but it's also known for providing excellent customer service like Erie. However, it doesn't offer some of the rare coverage options that Erie has.

When seeking an insurer that offers affordable rates and plentiful discounts: Geico is a great one to explore. It's one of the most affordable auto insurers around, thanks in part to its long list of auto insurance discounts. However, its customer service isn't rated quite as highly as Erie's.

Monthly premium costs

Erie's monthly auto insurance premiums fall below the national average for many drivers, including young drivers and those with accident histories. Here's a closer look at how much the company charges drivers in several scenarios.

35y, female, clean record 35y, male, clean record 35y, female, one accident 18y, male, clean record
$157.92 $151.25 $220.58 $399.67
Data source: The Ascent's analysis of standardized personas.

Discounts available

Erie's list of auto insurance discounts isn't quite as long as some of its competitors. But it still offers drivers several opportunities to save. Its multi-policy discount, in particular, is pretty substantial.

  • Safe driving
  • Car safety equipment
  • Multi-car
  • Multi-policy
  • Reduced usage
  • Young drivers
  • Annual payment plan

Coverage options

Policy types

  • Auto
  • Motorcycle
  • RV
  • Boat
  • Collector/classic car
  • ATV
  • Snowmobile
  • Golf cart

Erie covers all the major types of vehicles that other major auto insurers do. This makes it a great fit for those who hope to insure several types of vehicles in one place.

Coverage types

  • Bodily injury liability
  • Property damage liability
  • Medical payments
  • Personal injury protection (PIP)
  • Uninsured motorist
  • Underinsured motorist
  • Collision
  • Comprehensive
  • Pet injury
  • Rental car
  • Roadside assistance
  • Personal item
  • Auto glass repair
  • Locksmith services
  • New car protection
  • Better car protection
  • Ridesharing
  • ERIE Rate Lock
  • First accident forgiveness
  • Diminishing deductible
  • ERIE Auto Plus

Erie offers all auto insurance protections required by law as well as collision and comprehensive coverage, which many lenders require. In addition, it has a number of optional protections, including some drivers rarely see elsewhere, like Rate Lock and pet injury coverage.

Customer service and ratings

Erie scored above average in every region it appeared in, in the latest J.D. Power U.S. Auto Insurance Study. It even took the top spot in the North Central and Mid-Atlantic regions. It also fared well in J.D. Power's U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, scoring No. 3 out of 22 companies.

This auto insurer is best for:

Erie is a choice of auto insurance for drivers who:

  • Place a premium on great customer service and claims handling
  • Are interested in rare protections, like Rate Lock coverage
  • Are interested in bundling auto insurance with another type of policy

But those who don't live in Erie's service area may want to take a closer look at State Farm or Geico.

Our Insurance Expert