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Buying insurance can be a complicated and time-consuming process. If you want to comparison-shop for the lowest insurance, that means going to each insurance provider, getting a quote and comparing against the other providers.
Even though many of us are working from home, you’ll still need to set aside a large chunk of time to find the best insurance savings.
But Esurance makes the insurance purchasing process painless. They're an online insurance provider backed by Allstate. You don't need to visit an office location to get a quote. It can all be done right from your home. Esurance has also streamlined the quote process to remove a lot of the confusion about getting an insurance quote. In this article, we'll look at what Esurance has to offer and who they might best fit.
Esurance Details | |
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Product Name | Esurance |
Insurance Types | Car, motorcycle, home, renters |
Purchase Process | Online or by phone |
Claims Process | Online or by phone |
Extra Perks | DriveSense ShareSmart® coverage E-star repairs |
Promotions | None |
What Is Esurance?
Esurance is a direct-to-consumer auto insurance company or insurtech. Formally, it is called Esurance, an Allstate Company. It was founded in 1998 and was the first company to sell policies directly to consumers over the internet. Esurance is based in San Francisco, CA. Allstate is headquartered in Northfield Township, IL. In 2019, Allstate was the fourth-largest auto insurance underwriter in the U.S.
Allstate bought Esurance in 2011 for $1 billion. Esurance has remained a standalone brand since Allstate acquired it. However, in 2019, Allstate mentioned that it was dropping the Esurance brand in 2020. That still hasn't happened. For now, the Esurance brand remains intact under Allstate and the company hasn't announced any other changes regarding removing it.
What Does It Offer?
With insurance to cover cars, motorcycles, homeowners, and renters, Esurance could be your one-stop-shop for insurance. In addition, the online quote process will save you a lot of time. It's very convenient since you don't have to visit a physical location or get on the phone to speak with an insurance agent.
Esurance wants to make the process of buying and maintaining insurance painless. You can see this in how easy their website and mobile app are to use. Filing a claim has also been made fairly simple. You don’t even need to call an agent. It can all be done through the website or app.
Car Insurance
Esurance has everything you’d expect for auto insurance:
- Collision coverage
- Comprehensive coverage
- Emergency roadside assistance coverage
- Rental car coverage
- Loan/lease gap coverage
You and your passengers:
- Medical payments coverage
- Personal injury protection (PIP) coverage
Liability protection:
- Bodily injury (BI) liability coverage
- Property damage (PD) liability coverage
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury liability
- Underinsured motorist bodily injury liability
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage
Motorcycle Insurance
Motorcycle coverage includes:
- Bodily injury
- Property damage coverage
Just as with a car, you can also add comprehensive and collision.
Renters Insurance
Even if you don’t own a home, you can still protect your valuables. That’s where renters insurance comes in. Esurance renters insurance starts at $14 per month. It covers the following:
- Personal property
- Personal liability
- Medical payments to others
- Additional living expenses
Homeowners Insurance
Esurance homeowners insurance can cover you for things like:
- Fires, lightning, and wind
- Explosions
- Vehicles crashing into your home
- Theft or vandalism
- Falling objects
- Weight of ice, snow, or sleet
These are just a few examples. The specifics of the types of events that are covered will depend on the type of insurance coverage that you choose (HO-3, HO-4, HO-3, etc.)
DriveSense
By installing the Esurance DriveSense mobile app, you might be able to get a discount on your Esurance car insurance. DriveSense tracks and grades your driving. Good drivers can expect to receive a discount. Even if you aren’t an Esurance customer, you can still use DriveSense to see how safe your driving is.
ShareSmart
ShareSmart is ridesharing insurance gap coverage. Ridesharing companies provide their drivers with some insurance coverage. Then the driver’s auto insurance provides other coverage. However, the two insurances may not cover everything. That’s where ShareSmart comes in.
Even though you’ll have Esurance auto insurance and SmartShare, you won’t pay two deductibles. There’s still just your one Esurance deductible. You also get the lowest comprehensive and collision coverage. To qualify for ShareSmart, you’ll need comprehensive and collision auto insurance coverage.
How Do I File A Claim?
Filing a claim is easy with Esurance. You can file the claim from the mobile app or on their website. Just follow these steps to file a claim:
- Start a claim from the mobile app or website
- Take photos of the incident (if damage is minor)
- Get a recommended repair shop from the E-Star Repair Program
- Get paid within one day by using a photo claim
Claims can also be filed through the Esurance 800 phone number. An Esurance claims rep will contact you about your claim. From there, you can also track your claim using the mobile app.
If you do need an inspection, your claims agent will schedule an appointment for an appraiser to come out. This process will, of course, take longer than a photo claim. You can choose which repair shop to use. But if you stay with an E-Star Repair shop, the work will be guaranteed for as long as you own the car.
If you have the option for a rental car in your insurance package, Esurance will help get you going. If not, Esurance can help find a rental car at a competitive rate using their preferred agencies.
Are There Any Fees?
Yes, but only for the insurance that you're getting. There are too many variables to determine a general rate. The best thing is to get a quote for free. Payments can be made by checking/savings account, debit card, or credit card.
How Do I Contact Esurance?
You can contact Esurance by phone at 1-800-ESURANCE (1-800-378-7262), anytime from 6 am — 12 am CT, 7 days a week. They can also be contacted by email using this form https://www.esurance.com/contact-email. Expect a response within 24 hours.
If you prefer to engage via social media, Esurance can be reached on Twitter at @Esurance and Facebook at Facebook. If you prefer snail mail, Esurance’s physical address is:
Esurance Customer Service
P.O. Box 5250
Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5258
Customer Service Ratings
- Consumer Affairs — 4 out of 5 stars from 1314 ratings
- BBB — Not accredited. 301 complaints in last three years, 104 closed in the last 12 months.
- Trustpilot — 2.4 out of 5 stars from 10 reviews.
How Does Esurance Compare?
Esurance offers a nice mix of the most common insurance types and a simple online process. But a per-mile car insurance policy, like the ones offered by Metromile, might be a better option for low-mileage drivers.
Meanwhile, if you're wanting to compare rates from multiple insurers at once, you'll need to visit an insurance marketplace like Insurify instead. Here's a closer look at how Esurance compares.
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Motorcycle Insurance | |||
Home Insurance | |||
Renters Insurance | |||
Compares Multiple Insurers | |||
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How Do I Get A Quote?
You can visit the Esurance website to get started with a quote. From there, you’ll complete the process in several steps by filling in the following:
- Address info
- Info on your cars
- Info about drivers
- Current insurance
After the above has been completed, you’ll receive a quote. You should be able to complete all of the information necessary for a quote in about 6 minutes.
Is It Safe And Secure?
Esurance is an established company backed by a leading insurance provider — Allstate. So yes, your money is safe. The Esurance website and mobile app both use encryption, and payments are encrypted as well.
Is It Worth It?
If you're internet-savvy and value your time, Esurance is likely a good fit for you. In addition, those who want an interactive online experience vs. having to sit in an insurance office or on the phone will find that Esurance fits the bill.
For those who want to talk through insurance options and need more guidance, Esurance may still be what you're looking for. They have an 800 number so you can speak to someone. Once you're set, you may find that all the online and mobile functionality means you don't need to call in for help.
Those who need a local office they can walk into and speak with an insurance agent are out of luck with Esurance. And even if that's not something you need, you'll still want to compare your Esurance quote with a few other insurance providers.
Esurance Features
Insurance Types |
|
Purchase Process | Online or by phone |
Claims Process | Online or by phone |
Extra Perks | DriveSense E-star repairs |
Multi-Policy Discount | Yes |
Digital ID Cards | Yes |
Photo Claims | Yes |
Online Account Management | Yes |
Physical Branches | None |
Policy Underwriter | Allstate |
AM Best Rating | A+ (Allstate's rating) |
Availability | 43 states (homeowner's insurance is available in fewer states) |
Customer Service Phone Number | 1-800-ESURANCE (1-800-378-7262) |
Customer Service Hours | 6 AM — 12 AM (CT), 7 days a week |
Mailing Address | Esurance Customer Service |
Mobile App Availability | iOS and Android |
Promotions | None |
Esurance Review
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Summary
Esurance offers a fully-digital shopping and claims process for car, motorcycle, renters, and home insurance. But there are no local offices and some of its most unique features aren’t available in every state.
Pros
- Average savings of $462/yr for drivers
- Earn extra discounts with DriveSense
- File a claim by uploading photos
- Lots of coverage configuration options
Cons
- No physical offices
- SmartShare only available in California, Illinois, and New Jersey
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Robert Farrington is America’s Millennial Money Expert® and America’s Student Loan Debt Expert™, and the founder of The College Investor, a personal finance site dedicated to helping millennials escape student loan debt to start investing and building wealth for the future. You can learn more about him on the About Page or on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.
He regularly writes about investing, student loan debt, and general personal finance topics geared toward anyone wanting to earn more, get out of debt, and start building wealth for the future.
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Editor: Clint Proctor Reviewed by: Chris Muller