Esurance vs. Geico Car Insurance: Reviews and Quotes
Geico is a better choice than Esurance for most drivers — it's slightly more expensive for some, but offers better customer service.
Geico offers drivers better customer service, more coverage options and discounts, as well as wider availability than Esurance. Many times, drivers can find cheaper car insurance from Geico, too. A minimum-coverage policy from Geico costs $396 per year, which is 29% cheaper than Esurance.
There are a few instances where rates from Esurance are more affordable than Geico. However, a slight savings may not be worth sacrificing on customer service.
Best for | Esurance | Geico |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| Discounts | ||
| Coverage | ||
| Customer service | ||
| Availability | ||
| Editor's rating | ||
| Our full review | Esurance review | Geico review |
Esurance vs. Geico: which is cheaper?
On average, Geico offers cheaper car insurance than Esurance. However, rates from Esurance may be more affordable for some drivers.
Cheapest for most drivers
Geico has better rates for minimum-coverage car insurance than Esurance. A policy from Geico costs $396 per year, or $33 per month — $159 per year cheaper than Esurance.
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Drivers looking for full coverage will find cheaper rates with Esurance. However, at $1,380 per year, a policy from Esurance is only $8 cheaper than Geico — that's a savings of less than $1 per month.
Esurance vs. Geico average car insurance rates
Coverage | Esurance | Geico |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum coverage | $555 | $396 |
| Full coverage | $1,372 | $1,380 |
Cheapest for drivers with prior incidents
Esurance offers cheaper rates for drivers with a speeding ticket on their record than Geico. A full-coverage policy costs $1,752 per year, which is $406 cheaper than Geico.
If you've been involved in an at-fault accident, Geico's rates are much more affordable. At $1,380 per year for full-coverage, Geico costs $781 less than Esurance. In fact, Geico charges drivers with a single at-fault accident the same rate as those with a clean record.
Drivers with a DUI will find fairly comparable rates from Esurance and Geico. A policy from Esurance is only $3 cheaper per month.
Esurance vs. Geico car insurance cost after incidents
Incident | Esurance | Geico |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding ticket | $1,752 | $2,158 |
| Accident | $2,161 | $1,380 |
| DUI | $3,448 | $3,484 |
Cheapest for young drivers
Young drivers can save money by choosing Geico over Esurance. Car insurance rates for an 18-year-old driver are 30% to 46% cheaper from Geico. That's a difference of between $65 and $124 per month.
Geico's rates are especially affordable for young drivers with an accident on their record. Drivers with a single at-fault accident pay the same rate as those with a clean record.
Esurance vs. Geico car insurance cost for teens
Esurance | Geico | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum coverage | $1,963 | $1,186 |
| Speeding ticket | $2,329 | $1,333 |
| Accident | $2,194 | $1,186 |
| Full coverage | $4,967 | $3,484 |
Esurance vs. Geico auto insurance discounts
Geico offers the standard car insurance discounts you would expect from a major insurer, along with a few extra ways to save. Esurance does not provide a list of discounts, citing that they vary widely from state to state. That makes it difficult to compare its offerings.
Discount | Esurance | Geico |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based insurance | Available in 35 states | Available in 25 states and Washington, D.C. |
| Anti-theft devices | ||
| Multi-policy | ||
| Defensive driving | ||
| Deployment |
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Geico was originally established as an insurance company for government employees, and several of its discounts reflect that. It offers a deployment discount, federal employee discount and military discount, all of which can help lower its rates even further.
Geico vs. Esurance: compare coverage options
Most coverages offered by Esurance and Geico are the same. The main differences are that Geico provides accident forgiveness and mechanical breakdown coverage, whereas Esurance does not. On the other hand, Esurance offers gap insurance, which is not available at Geico.
Both Esurance and Geico offer full-coverage car insurance policies that include the standard coverages required or recommended in most states, plus additional types of coverage.
Lyft references rideshare insurance from Geico, but we were unable to find additional information about this coverage from Geico.
Geico vs. Esurance: state availability
Auto insurance from Geico is available in all 50 states. Esurance is owned by the national insurer Allstate, but its policies are only available in 43 states.
Drivers who live in the following areas can purchase a policy from Geico, but not Esurance:
Esurance vs. Geico: customer service reviews
Geico has better customer service scores and a higher financial strength rating than Esurance.
Industry reviewer | Esurance | Geico |
|---|---|---|
| Editor's rating | ||
| NAIC Complaint Index | 1.76 | 0.79 |
| AM Best financial strength rating | A+ | A++ |
According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), Geico receives fewer complaints than expected for a company of its size. On the other hand, Esurance scored higher than the national median of 1.00, which indicates the insurer received more complaints than expected.
The most common complaints against Esurance were related to claims processing delays and unsatisfactory settlements.
Geico also earned a much higher rating from our editors, meaning we believe it's a better company overall. Our rating takes into account a company's rates, coverage offerings and customer service scores.
Frequently asked questions
Is Esurance part of Allstate?
Esurance is owned by Allstate, but the two insurers operate independently. Rates, coverage options, discounts and availability vary between the two, so drivers should consider getting a quote from both companies when comparing car insurance.
Is Esurance cheaper than Geico?
Esurance is cheaper than Geico in some instances. A full-coverage policy from Esurance costs $1,372 per year, which is $8 less than Geico. Drivers with a recent DUI will also find cheaper rates from Esurance. However, Geico offers more affordable rates for young drivers and those looking for a minimum-coverage policy.
Is Esurance good auto insurance?
Esurance is a good auto insurance company. It offers all of the standard coverages you would expect from a major insurer and has a solid financial stability score from A.M. Best. However, drivers may be able to find cheaper rates and better customer service elsewhere.
Methodology
This analysis used car insurance quotes from both Esurance and Geico across thousands of ZIP codes in California.
Our sample driver is a 30-year-old man with a clean record who drives a 2015 Honda Civic EX, unless otherwise noted. Young driver quotes are based on an 18-year-old man.
Quotes are based on the following coverage levels:
Coverage type | Minimum coverage | Full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $15,000/$30,000 | $50,000/$100,000 |
| Property damage liability | $5,000 per accident | $25,000 |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury | waived | $50,000/$100,000 |
| Comprehensive and collision | waived | $500 deductible |
ValuePenguin's analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only — your own quotes may be different.