Erie Insurance Review & Complaints: Auto, Home, Life, Marine & Business Insurance (2023)

Serving 12 states and the District of Columbia, Erie Insurance is a major regional insurer offering all the basics of personal and commercial lines along with a selection of specialty policies.

Approaching their 100th year in business, Erie has created a strong reputation, and as they advertise, they take insurance seriously.

What is Erie Insurance?

Erie Insurance Group was founded in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1925, originally selling auto insurance. A few years later they expanded to Pittsburgh, and in 1953 out of Pennsylvania and into Maryland. They expanded into fire and inland marine, adding homeowner’s insurance in 1961, and then added life insurance options in 1967. They have since added more products and types of coverages, including commercial lines.

Erie Insurance is currently available in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Although they do not insure in every state, Erie has managed to secure a position just out of the top ten auto insurance companies in the nation, sitting at number 13 according to a 2014 Insure.com study. Erie has also secured a position in the Fortune 500, sitting currently at number 382.

Erie Insurance policies are sold through a network of independent insurance agents across the states they currently serve. Online quotes for auto insurance are available online, but it will require you to choose an agent as part of the process and to complete the purchase. Other lines of business can only be quoted through an agent. While they have a strong internet presence, Erie’s approach to selling policies remains very agent-driven.

What types of insurance products are offered?

Erie has a fairly basic lineup of insurance products, including the big three in the personal lines market – auto, home, and life insurance coverage – and a few other personal lines products as well as commercial products for small businesses. Their product lineup lacks a wide variety when compared to some other national insurers, but the products they offer are solid and have some interesting features and perks.

Can you get auto insurance?

Erie started as an auto insurer in 1925, therefore it is not surprising that they have a comprehensive auto insurance program. They offer all of the basics for standard coverage – liability, comprehensive, and collision – as well as some added benefits and additional coverage that come on all of their auto policies. Some of the more unusual added benefits are:

• Pet coverage, or pet injury protection
• Post-collision transportation costs including rental car or bus fare
• Travel expenses if you are unable to reach your destination due to a covered loss
• Personal property coverage for items in your vehicle
• Waiver of deductible when both drivers in a collision are insured with Erie

It’s important to note that some of these added benefits require that you have purchased certain underlying insurance coverage – generally collision coverage – in order to be applied to the policy. Still, this is an impressive list of added coverage for a full coverage policy. In addition to these benefits, there are other insurance optional coverages that can be added for an extra premium.

Auto Plus is an optional package that increases your coverage limits in several areas, including transportation expenses, personal property, and sound equipment. It also adds an increased death benefit. Auto Plus also comes with a diminishing deductible plan for claim-free years and a deductible waiver if a collision involves your home and it is insured by Erie. It’s nice to see an optional package that adds real value and not just gimmicks.

New vehicle waiver of depreciation, rental car coverage, and roadside assistance are all options as well.

Discounts

Erie Insurance offers a decent list of discounts, including some more unusual ones. There are a series of discounts for young drivers, including a College Student Discount and a Youthful Longevity Discount. There are also 55+ discounts for older drivers, and of course the basics such as safety features and multi-vehicle.

First Accident Forgiveness – Erie’s version on a pretty common and somewhat gimmicky offering from many major insurance companies. The difference here is that Erie generally offers it without the need to purchase an upgraded insurance package or pay a fee for the privilege. In most states, it kicks in after three years claim-free. At that point, your first at-fault accident will not be charged against your policy.

Feature 15 – This discount takes it a step further and really makes Erie stand out. This benefit is automatic as well – after an auto policy is in force continuously for 15 years, Erie will not surcharge you for any accident – ever. While this benefit varies by state, it’s a pretty impressive loyalty reward.

And there’s more – in addition to a good list of discounts, Erie offers another unique method of keeping auto insurance rates affordable:

Erie Rate Lock – A feature that actually locks in your insurance premiums whether or not you have an accident, as long as you don’t make certain changes to the policy. The rate stays locked in until you make a change of vehicle, add or remove a driver, or change your primary residence. Other than that, the plan promises you will not see a rate increase, even if you have a claim.

Of course, there is fine print attached to the Rate Lock plan – it differs by state and you’ll have to meet certain underwriting guidelines, so it’s best to consult with an Erie agent to get the details as it applies to you.

Can you get homeowners insurance?

Erie offers three different types of homeowners insurance policies, each with their own particular coverage options. That makes them stand out in this market, where there are often few options available to homeowners who may have budgetary or other specific needs in mind.

ErieProtect Home – This homeowners insurance policy offers guaranteed replacement cost coverage for the home as well as a comprehensive package of coverage options for personal property and liability. The ErieProtect policy can be upgraded with one of three endorsement bundles:

• Advantage adds Identity Recovery as well as extra coverage for things like jewelry, silver, and other high value items
• Plus builds on the Advantage bundle and adds more coverage for things like business property and computers as well as watercraft and trailers. It also includes waiver of deductible for claims over $50,000
• Select provides everything included in the other two bundles as well as higher policy limits

ErieProtect – Available for single-family homes, condos, manufactured homes, apartments, and rental homes. Each of these provides varying options to meet the needs of the specific type of home being covered, while still providing the same basic homeowner’s benefits.

HomeProtector – Allows homeowners to choose the type of coverage they need, with three different options available.

• Broadcover is the most basic version, which covers named perils on both the structure and the personal property included in the policy
• Extracover adds more comprehensive coverage to the structure while keeping the named perils coverage on personal property.
• Ultracover is the most comprehensive level, with comprehensive coverage on both structures and personal property.

NC Homeowners – Policies designed specifically for North Carolina homeowners and are also available in three levels of coverage, much like the HomeProtector plans.

Erie also provides renter’s insurance policies to protect the personal property of those who are living in a rental property without the need for structure coverage. In addition to Renter’s insurance, Erie also provides condo Insurance, mobile home, personal valuables, and flood insurance policies.

Can you get Erie life insurance?

Erie has been writing life insurance policies for more than 50 years and has a good range of products available. They write all of the basic types of life insurance coverage, including a variety of term options, whole, and universal life. Additionally, Erie writes group life policies to business owners to provide as employee benefits.

Term life plans are available in multiple lengths and in two forms, the Erie LifeSense plan, which is available with a minimal medical history, and the regular Term Life in lengths from 10 to 30 years.

Whole life is also available with the LifeSense option, allowing a smaller benefit amount with an easier application process. The Juvenile 20-Pay Whole life is a plan designed specifically for children.

There are also several Universal life insurance products available – ErieSecure and ErieSecure Plus, with extra options to add flexibility to the policy. This allows you to choose the right benefit level as well as accessibility to benefits to suit your needs.

Marine Insurance

One of Erie’s oldest products is their inland marine line, and they also offer boat protector policies for a variety of different types of watercraft.

Inland marine policies can help to cover a much larger range of personal property than would otherwise be covered under a homeowner’s policy, while boat policies are designed for damage and liability as well as to cover other aspects of boat ownership. This includes trailer and transportation coverage.

Business Insurance

Erie writes insurance package policies as well as individual policies for a variety of different types of businesses. Coverage is available for retail, medical, restaurant, wholesale, auto glass repair, and dealers, and many other types of companies. Available coverage includes:

• UltraPack Plus Business Owner’s Policy – a package policy including business property protection as well as general liability coverage
• Worker’s Compensation
• Business Auto
• Business Practices Liability
• Business Catastrophe Liability
• FiveStar Package – property and liability package for contractors with less than 10 employees
• UltraFlex – property and liability package for contractors
• UltraSure for Property Owners – a package policy for owners of condo and apartment buildings
• Garage Auto

What additional products are available?

Erie also writes a variety of other products, including retirement products such as annuities and IRAs, flood insurance, identity theft protection policies, and more. They even have a personal catastrophe and liability policy available.

Erie does offer coverage for toys such as motorcycles, ATVS, snowmobiles, recreational vehicles, golf carts or classic cars.

Are the prices and premiums reasonable?

The insurer does not position itself as the most affordable insurance option, and in rate comparisons, the company comes out above the average for premium pricing. Erie’s auto insurance rates are likely to be the most affordable for good drivers who are claims-free and have more than one vehicle or other policies to bundle for discounts.

Erie offers online quoting for an auto insurance policy, but it requires a great deal of information to obtain a quote compared to other more user-friendly quoting systems.

The good news is that while Erie may not have the best rates right off the bat, they do offer a number of ways to keep rates low over time and prevent them from rising such as the Rate Lock program and the various options for preventing surcharges.

It’s also important to note that Erie is the type of insurance company that caters to drivers who are low-risk, and they are not likely to offer the best rates for anyone with a higher risk status.

Is the company’s advertising and media entertaining?

Erie Insurance has a pretty strong stance when it comes to the way they present themselves in the media and through their advertising. While many insurance companies use a lot of humor in their ads – big ones such as Geico and Progressive, Erie not only takes a different approach but positions itself as firmly against the use of humor to sell insurance.

Erie has only recently used major marketing campaigns, but in the past few years has increased brand awareness with their “Seriously Good” slogan. The company specifically states that they are not going to use laughs to get customers, and has posted billboards reminding customers that “funny ads are great until you have a claim.” Previous to this campaign, Erie relied mostly on word of mouth and on agent sales efforts to build its business, but the move into a larger media campaign speaks to the company’s hopes for more expansion in the future.

Erie recently joined some of the bigger insurance companies out there in the sports arena naming game, purchasing the naming rights to the Tullio Arena in Erie, PA, which is now known as the Erie Insurance Arena. They are also active in a variety of charitable organizations

Can claims be filed online?

Erie offers multiple methods of filing a claim, on par with most major insurance companies. Claims can be filed in the following ways:

• By phone 24 hours a day at 800-367-3743
• By contacting a local claims office as listed here
• Contacting your Erie agent
• Filing your claim online

Online filing can be used for most types of policies; the website directs the insured to enter the policy number and follow the instructions. However, some types of policies will require that the claim be filed via a different method.

The claims process can vary based on the type. Simple claims can be handled quickly, while more complex claims may take longer and require more investigation. The claims process for each type of claim is outlined in basic terms on the Erie website but follows much the same path as most insurance companies. A claims adjuster will contact you after the claim is filed, gather information and investigate the incident, and then come to a settlement determination based on your coverage.

In a 2016 J.D. Power study, Erie insurance earned a 5 out of 5 rating for overall claims satisfaction. They had 5 out of 5 across the board in every category, except in the repair process and rental car experience. There was only one other company that ranked higher than them in the study.

For a regional company building a reputation based on taking insurance and claims more seriously than their competitors, a 5 out of 5 rating seems to live up to the promise. While the insurance costs are not the only reason to choose an insurance company, the service level expected from a company that is charging more is much higher than from a bargain company. On that front, Erie seems to be reaching the standards one could expect.

Comments from customers regarding the claims experience include complaints about rude representatives, refusal to pay valid claims, and an unexpectedly difficult claims process overall.

Are the consumer feedback and reviews positive?

Erie’s J.D. Power rating for claims satisfaction was impressive, Erie also came out on top in the company’s survey for purchase experience, earning one of the highest ratings and J.D. Power’s 2016 award for customer satisfaction.

Erie Insurance Group is not Better Business Bureau accredited but has an A+ rating.

The site lists only 60 complaints filed within the past three years, of those complaints 16 were resolved and closed in the past 12 months. Overall these numbers are quite low for an insurance company of this size. There are no government actions to report.

A quick review of the various complaints about Erie across the internet shows several complaints about how claims have been handled. Overall, however, there are still a pretty low number of complaints out there. The website Pissed Consumer, which is one of the more popular locations for insurance company complaints, lists a total of 90 complaints.

As a comparison point, MetLife Personal Insurance, which holds a similarly sized share of the auto insurance market to Erie, has 249 complaints on the same website. That tells us that while the word may be negative, there are not as many customers complaining as for other comparable companies.

A search of ConsumerAffairs.com, another common site for insurance company customer service complaints, returned a positive result regarding Erie Auto Insurance. Of 82 ratings, 40 are listed as five-star, and 27 as four-star. This is a good sign, as the majority of people take to these sites to post about a bad experience.

Overall, the ratings and reviews that are available paint a picture of an insurance company that is doing a spectacular job on the front end of the business – selling and serving policies, and also seem to be living up to their promise when it comes to customer satisfaction of their claims process.

What’s the bottom line?

Erie Insurance is a growing regional insurer with a long history and a great reputation for service on the sales end of things. They write all of the basics of personal lines, and specialty policies, including motorcycle coverage. This makes Erie a one-stop-shop for those in search of insurance.

Erie’s rates are on the high side, but they do offer some good programs to help lower rates and keep them down. They are likely to be most competitive for low-risk customers who are also insuring a house.

Any insurance company that is charging higher rates needs to have great service across the board in order to justify those rates, Erie seems to have justification.