Esurance vs. Progressive Car Insurance: Compare Reviews and Quotes
Esurance offers cheaper quotes for full-coverage car insurance, but Progressive has lower rates if you're looking for a liability-only policy.
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Drivers can find a better customer service experience with Progressive than Esurance. The company also offers more coverage options and discounts.
There isn't a clear winner when it comes to price, though. Drivers pay less for full-coverage auto insurance from Esurance, and those with a DUI can find great rates, too. On the other hand, Progressive offers cheaper minimum-coverage car insurance and has great rates for young drivers.
Best for | Esurance | Progressive |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| Discounts | ||
| Coverage | ||
| Customer service | ||
| Availability | ||
| Editor's rating | ||
| Our full review | Esurance review | Progressive review |
However, neither insurer offers the cheapest rates, standout coverage options or excellent customer service. That's why we recommend comparing quotes from multiple companies when you're shopping for car insurance.
Esurance vs. Progressive: compare auto quotes
Car insurance quotes from Progressive and Esurance are both cheaper than the national average. However, the best choice for you depends on the type of policy you're shopping for, your driving history and your age.
The cost difference between the two insurers is sometimes as high as $1,339 per year, highlighting the importance of comparing multiple quotes when shopping for auto insurance.
Cheapest for most drivers
Esurance offers more affordable full-coverage insurance than Progressive. A policy from Esurance costs $1,372 per year, or $114 per month, which is $237 per year cheaper than Progressive. It's also less expensive than the national average by $596 per year.
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In contrast, minimum-coverage car insurance from Progressive is cheaper. At $1,372 per year, or $114 per month, a policy from Esurance costs $237 per year less than the same coverage from Progressive.
Esurance vs. Progressive average car insurance rates
Coverage | Esurance | Progressive |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum coverage | $555 | $463 |
| Full coverage | $1,372 | $1,609 |
Cheapest for drivers with prior incidents
Drivers with a recent speeding ticket or DUI citation can find cheaper quotes from Esurance. A full-coverage policy from Esurance costs 55% less than Progressive after a ticket and 11% less for those with a DUI.
However, drivers with an at-fault accident on their record should consider Progressive. The company offers accident forgiveness and doesn't raise rates after your first at-fault accident if the payout is under $500. For that reason, a full-coverage policy from Progressive costs $552 less per year than Esurance.
Esurance vs. Progressive car insurance cost after accident
Incident | Esurance | Progressive |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding ticket | $1,752 | $3,091 |
| Accident | $2,161 | $1,609 |
| DUI | $3,448 | $3,866 |
Cheapest for young drivers
Young drivers will find that Progressive car insurance is cheaper than Esurance. On average, young drivers pay 21% less for a policy from Progressive. That equals a savings of $536 per year.
In addition, young drivers with a minor accident on their record can take advantage of Progressive's accident forgiveness program, which keeps your rate from going up if your claim payout is less than $500. That makes a minimum-coverage policy from Progressive $849 per year cheaper than Esurance after a single accident.
Esurance vs. Progressive car insurance cost for teens
Esurance | Progressive | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum coverage | $1,963 | $1,345 |
| Speeding ticket | $2,329 | $1,737 |
| Accident | $2,194 | $1,345 |
| Full coverage | $4,967 | $4,882 |
Esurance vs. Progressive car insurance discounts
Progressive does not offer a particularly long list of discounts compared to other major insurers. However, Esurance does not provide an overall list of available discounts, and those that they do offer vary by state.
Discount | Esurance | Progressive |
|---|---|---|
| Continuous insurance | ||
| Distant student discount | ||
| Good student | ||
| Homeowner discount | ||
| Multi-car |
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Discounts available to you often differ greatly based on location and driver profile, and insurers may limit the total reduction in your rate. Furthermore, some discounts may be applicable to only specific coverages, such as collision and comprehensive coverage, rather than the entire policy.
Esurance DriveSense vs. Progressive Snapshot
Both Esurance and Progressive offer usage-based insurance discounts. However, there are a few key differences.
Esurance | Progressive | |
|---|---|---|
| Can my rates go up? | No | Yes |
| Can I delete trips? | Yes | No |
| Do I need to track a minimum number of trips? | Yes | No |
| Which behaviors are tracked? | Speed, hard braking, time of day | Handheld phone use, hard braking, fast starts, amount of time driven, time and day, trip regularity |
| Where is it available? | 35 states | 48 states and Washington, DC |
| Average savings | Not provided | $146 per year performance discount plus $47 sign-up bonus |
Esurance vs. Progressive auto insurance coverage options
Progressive has a slight advantage when it comes to coverage options. It offers a few additional benefits that Esurance doesn't: accident forgiveness, custom equipment coverage and a deductible savings bank.
Both Esurance and Progressive offer full-coverage car insurance policies that include common coverages required or recommended in most states. In addition, both insurers offer extras like gap insurance, roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement.
Coverage | Esurance | Progressive |
|---|---|---|
| Accident forgiveness | ||
| Custom equipment coverage | ||
| Deductible savings bank | ||
| Roadside assistance | ||
| Rental reimbursement |
In addition, Progressive offers rideshare insurance in most states, whereas Esurance's rideshare coverage is only currently available in California.
Accident forgiveness
Progressive offers two types of accident forgiveness:
- Small accident forgiveness is automatically included when you sign up for a policy with Progressive in most states. If you cause an accident and the total claim payout is less than $500, your rates won't go up.
- Large accident forgiveness is available to drivers who have been insured with Progressive for five years and remain accident- and violation-free for three consecutive years. Large accident forgiveness is included as a perk of the company's loyalty program and ensures that your rate won't go up, even if you cause an accident with a claim payout over $500.
Esurance does not offer accident forgiveness.
Progressive vs. Esurance: availability by state
Progressive, which is available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, underwrites policies under several subsidiary names, including Progressive Casualty, Progressive Choice, Progressive Direct and more.
Esurance, which offers car insurance in 43 states, is owned by the large national insurer Allstate.
The seven states where you can get Progressive, but not Esurance, are Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire, Vermont and Wyoming.
Esurance vs. Progressive: Customer service reviews and ratings
Progressive delivers drivers a better customer service experience than Esurance.
Industry reviewer | Esurance | Progressive |
|---|---|---|
| Editor's rating | ||
| NAIC Complaint Index | 1.76 | 0.82 |
| A.M. Best Financial Strength Rating | A+ | A+ |
Progressive receives fewer complaints than other insurers of a similar size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). The opposite is true for Esurance, which receives 76% more complaints than expected.
Both companies earned excellent financial stability ratings from A.M. Best, which means that they have the ability to pay out claims, even in tough economic times.
However, neither Progressive nor Esurance earned high ratings from our editors based on their coverage options, customer service reviews and the overall value offered.
Drivers looking for excellent customer service should consider the following alternatives to Esurance and Progressive, both of which earned four stars or better from our editors.
Frequently asked questions
Does Progressive offer gap insurance?
Yes, Progressive offers gap insurance for drivers with a car loan or lease agreement.
Does Esurance do home insurance?
Yes, Esurance offers home insurance, but it is not available in all 50 states.
When was Progressive founded?
Progressive was founded on March 10, 1937, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Does Esurance have gap insurance?
Yes, Esurance has gap insurance available for drivers with a lease or loan on their car.
Is The General insurance owned by Progressive?
No, The General was purchased by American Family Insurance in 2012.
Methodology
This analysis used car insurance quotes from ZIP codes across California. Quotes are based on a 30-year-old male driver with a clean record who drives a 2015 Honda Civic EX, unless otherwise noted.
Coverage levels are as follows:
Coverage | Minimum coverage | Full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $15,000/$30,000 | $50,000/$100,000 |
| Property damage liability | $5,000 | $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.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.