Esurance Auto Insurance Review: Good Customer Service, but It Comes at a Price

This auto insurer is a good fit for: Drivers who want to bundle coverage with their renters insurance or who will download and use the DriveSense app to score discounted premiums.

Esurance Car Insurance Snapshot

Pricing
The premiums are a bit higher than average in some markets, but Esurance is still not the highest-priced insurance company on the market.

Discounts
Esurance offers the standard discounts common in the industry, including those for good students and for safety devices on vehicles. It's also possible to save by installing the DriveSense app and using it for trips.

Perks
Esurance offers easy online account management and has high rankings for customer satisfaction. It also offers additional savings opportunities for motorists willing to have their driving monitored by an app.

Customer Service
Esurance provides customer service online and via phone rather than through an in-person agent network. Insurance claims can be made either via the internet or by phone. The insurer received top marks in California in an older J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey. It is also part of the Allstate Family, which earned high customer satisfaction ratings in a number of regions, according to J.D. Power. However, there were mixed reviews on the Better Business Bureau website, with some customers reporting issues getting claims paid although others had a positive experience.

Esurance auto insurance at a glance

Monthly premium costs:

• 35-year-old female with clean driving record: $281.22/month
• 35-year-old male with clean driving record: $257.40/month

Coverage options:

• Bodily injury liability
• Collision
• Comprehensive
• Emergency roadside assistance
• Rental car coverage
• Loan/lease gap coverage
• Medical payments
• Personal injury protection
• Uninsured motorist
• Underinsured motorist
• Customized parts and equipment

Top perks

Top-notch customer service

Esurance has received top marks for customer service from J.D. Power. So has Allstate, and Esurance is an Allstate Company. The company also received 3.2 out of 5 stars on Consumer Affairs, with many five-star reviews reporting excellent claims handling.

Simple online account management

It's possible to get a quote from Esurance online in a matter of minutes and to sign up for coverage online. Esurance can provide digital proof of coverage and account details can be managed online. It's also possible to initiate claims on the company website.

Savings opportunities for good drivers

Esurance provides a discount for downloading DriveSense, which is a free app that tracks driving habits. Motorists who log at least 50 trips during the policy term can qualify for customized discounts.

What could be improved

More options for bundling coverage

Esurance only provides auto and renters insurance. Those who are interested in obtaining multiple policies from the same insurer to save by bundling coverage will have limited opportunities to do so.

Lower premiums

Esurance policy premiums tend to be a bit higher than average across most markets in the United States. While there are opportunities for discounts, these are standard across the industry and don't make a noticeable difference in reducing costs to a more competitive level.

When looking for an auto insurer who offers lower premiums: Geico offers lower premiums than Esurance in many markets, and is known for rock-bottom pricing. But keep in mind, Geico's customer service ratings are below Esurance in some markets, according to J.D. Power.

Esurance offered coverage for a 35-year-old Florida female for $3,374.64 annually, according to an online quote. This is just above the national average of $3,111.00 for a person with this demographic profile. Esurance was also around $50 above the $3,040 Florida average for a 35-year-old male.

Esurance offers a number of discounts including savings for:

• Installing and using the DriveSense app
• Bundled coverage
• Homeownership
• Anti-theft devices on a vehicle
• Anti-lock brakes
• Vehicle safety devices
• Good students

Policy types

• Car insurance
• Renters insurance

Esurance only offers vehicle insurance and renters insurance. This is a much narrower range of policies than many competitors offer. This limits the ability of policyholders to bundle their coverage and save.

Coverage types

Esurance offers a full range of coverage options, most of which are standard in the industry. There are also some unique offerings, including customized parts and equipment coverage that can pay for up to $4,000 in accessories or add-ons such as expensive stereo systems.

• Bodily injury liability
• Collision
• Comprehensive
• Emergency roadside assistance
• Rental car coverage
• Loan/lease gap coverage
• Medical payments
• Personal injury protection
• Uninsured motorist
• Underinsured motorist
• Customized parts and equipment

Esurance was the highest ranked insurance brand in California in 2019, according to J.D. Power's auto satisfaction claims survey. Esurance is also part of the Allstate family, and Allstate has also received above-average customer satisfaction ratings in many areas including the Central Region, the Florida region, and the New England region.

Esurance is well suited for people who:

• Can bundle auto with renters insurance to score discounted premiums
• Are willing to download the DriveSense app to save on premiums
• Want to easily manage their application process and account online