insure logo

Why you can trust Insure.com

quality icon

Quality Verified

At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry.

Erie and Auto-Owners ranked No. 1 and No. 3 in the Insure.com ranking of the Best Home Insurance Companies of 2024. Insure.com has summarized all the pros and cons so you can compare them side-by-side and find the best fit for your home insurance needs.

Erie ranked No. 1 out of all the carriers surveyed. It received 4.63 (rounded to 4.6) out of a possible 5 overall stars and comes highly recommended by its customers – 95% say they’d recommend it to others. Erie has a superior AM Best score of A+ which indicates financial stability. 

Auto-Owners scored 4.5 out of 5 stars and has cheaper rates, with annual average premiums of $2,160. In the survey, 86% of Auto-Owners customers said they would recommend it to others and 81% plan to renew. Auto-Owners has a superior AM Best score of A++, which is the highest score possible.

Both companies have low complaint ratios with the NAIC. One drawback for both carriers is they are not available in every state.

Key Takeaways

  • Erie came in No. 1 in the Best Insurance Companies for 2024 ranking.
  • Auto-Owners has slightly cheaper overall rates of $2,160 annually compared to Erie at $2,183.
  • Neither carrier is available in all states, but Auto-Owners is available in more than Erie.

Insure.com compares: Erie vs. Auto-Owners: Which is better for you?

We’ve analyzed data on Erie and Auto-Owners to help you compare these two companies side by side. Based on a survey of Insure.com’s customers as well as third-party rating systems such as AM Best and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), you can see how Erie and Auto-Owners stack up and which company might be the best fit for you.

If a highly rated company is your top priority, Erie is a great pick. It has high marks for customer service and claims handling. While Auto-Owners is cheaper overall, Erie’s rates are lower for those with lower credit scores and lower dwelling coverage needs.

Auto-Owners may be a better pick if you value a top financial stability rating and low complaint ratio. It’s also a great pick overall for low rates; it’s cheaper at most coverage levels.

Insure.com comparison of Erie vs. Auto-Owners

The table below summarizes Erie and Auto-Owners so you can compare them at a glance. Take note that the Insure.com overall rating and customer satisfaction rating points are awarded on a scale of 1 to 5. 

Erie and Auto-Owners both have superior AM Best scores, which indicate their financial solvency and ability to meet their financial obligations, such as paying out claims. They both have very low complaint scores with the NAIC with numbers below 1, which are below average. Auto-Owners has a lower score, which means fewer complaints.

Both companies have competitive average national rates. Auto-Owners ranked third of all carriers surveyed, with an annual average premium of $2,160 for a home insurance policy. Erie placed fifth for rates, with an annual average premium of $2,183.

Erie Auto-Owners
Insure.com overall rating4.64.5
Best forCustomer satisfactionCheap rates
Average premium $2,183$2,160
Customer satisfaction rating4.433.86
NAIC rating0.380.33
AM Best ratingA+A++
State availabilityIL, IN, KY, MD, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WIAL, AZ, AR, CO, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, NE, NC, ND, OH, PA, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, WI

Erie vs. Auto-Owners: Home insurance overview

The table below shows how each carrier scored in all major categories. Percentages are derived from a customer survey performed by Insure.com and indicate the number of customers who were satisfied or highly satisfied in that category.

Erie excels in claims handling, customer satisfaction, and policy offerings and has a slight edge over Auto-Owners in terms of discounts.

Auto-Owners has cheaper rates, though not by a significant amount.

ErieAuto-Owners
Discounts43%42%
Claims handling92%74%
Customer Satisfaction89%67%
Cheapest rates5th of all ranked companies: $2,183 annually3rd of all ranked companies: $2,160 annually
Recommended to others95%86%

Erie vs. Auto-Owners: Pros and cons

Every company has pros and cons to consider. Below, we’ve outlined the pros and cons for Erie and Auto-Owners, based on an analysis of the data and customer satisfaction survey results.

ErieAuto-Owners
ProsPros
Top score for claims handlingRated well for ease of service
Top score for customer satisfactionAnnual rates are well below the national average
ConsCons
Only available in a handful of statesNo online quotes are available
No online quotes are availableNot available in all states

Erie vs. Auto-Owners: Which has the cheapest home insurance rates?

The table below shows the rates for different coverage levels for Erie and Auto-Owners. Auto-Owners is less expensive at all coverage levels except $1 million in coverage– then it jumps higher than Erie. 

Erie vs. Auto-Owners: Rates by coverage level

The amount of coverage you need will impact how much you pay for home insurance, and each company’s rates differ at each coverage level. Erie is cheaper at lower coverage levels, while Auto-Owners’ rates are cheaper as the dwelling coverage amount increases.

Coverage level Erie average. ratesAuto-Owners average rates
$200,000 with $1,000 deductible and $100,000 liability $1,570 $1,732 
$200,000 with $1,000 deductible and $300,000 liability $1,583 $1,741 
$300,000 with $1,000 deductible and $100,000 liability$2,168 $2,150 
$300,000 with $1,000 deductible and $300,000 liability $2,183 $2,160 
$400,000 with $1,000 deductible and $100,000 liability$2,791 $2,604 
$400,000 with $1,000 deductible and $300,000 liability $2,810 $2,616 
$600,000 with $1,000 deductible and $100,000 liability $4,015 $3,464 
$600,000 with $1,000 deductible and $300,000 liability$4,035 $3,480 
$1,000,000 with $1,000 deductible and $100,000 liability$6,541 $6,672 
$1,000,000 with $1,000 deductible and $300,000 liability$6,560 $6,700 

Erie vs. Auto-Owners: Rates by credit history

Insure.com compiled rates for different credit scores in the table below. In most states, insurance carriers factor in your credit score when determining your rates.

Auto-Owners is cheaper only for people with good and excellent credit. Then their rates jump up significantly higher than Erie for fair and poor credit score categories, with the company pricing itself out at the poor credit level.

Credit scoreErie average ratesAuto-Owners average rates
Excellent$1,806 $1,053 
Good$2,494 $2,160 
Fair$4,327 $5,287 
Poor$8,213 $51,186 

Erie vs. Auto-Owners: Customer satisfaction

According to the Insure.com Best Insurance Companies Survey of 2024, 89% of Erie customers report being satisfied. This was the highest customer satisfaction of any carrier in the survey. They outscored Auto-Owners by over 20 percentage points.

CompanyPercentage of customers who are satisfied
Erie89%
Auto-Owners67%

Erie vs. Auto-Owners: Discounts

The table below shows that Auto-Owners offers more overall discounts to its customers. Customers surveyed gave low scores to both carriers for satisfaction in the discounts category, however, wishing there were more and better discounts available.

Not every discount will apply to your situation, so it’s best to look for a company that offers more discounts that apply to you. Always ask about discounts when renewing your policy or shopping around.

Discount typeErieAuto-Owners
Multi-policy/bundlingYY
Advanced quote/purchaseYY
Security/alarm systemYY
Protective devicesYY
LoyaltyYY
AutopayNN
Paid in fullNY
Paperless billing/documentsNY
New/upgraded roofYN
New homeownerNN
New customerNN
Home renovationNN
Smart homeNN
New home (new construction)NN
Green certificationsNY

Which has a bigger auto and home discount?

One of the most common types of discounts that insurance companies offer is auto and home bundling; discounts are applied to both the home and auto policy when you buy both with the same company. Erie gives a 15% discount on average for auto and home bundling and Auto-Owners gives a 12% discount.

CompanyAverage auto and home bundling discount
Erie15% 
Auto-Owners12%

Erie vs. Auto-Owners: Claims processing

In the survey, 92% of Erie customers said they were satisfied with how their claims were handled, the highest score of all the carriers.

CompanyPercentage of customers who are satisfied
Erie92%
Auto-Owners74%

The bottom line: Erie vs. Auto-Owners

Erie received the highest overall scores and was the No. 1 ranked company in the Best Home Insurance Companies ranking for 2024. Auto-Owners annual average rates are cheaper, however.

Both companies have a superior AM Best rating which means they are financially stable and able to meet their financial obligations like paying out claims.

One drawback for both companies is they are not available in all states. Erie only offers policies in 12 states and Auto-Owners in about half the states.

It’s important to note that neither Auto-Owners nor Erie provides online quotes or allows you to purchase a policy; they work solely through independent agents. If you prefer to do your business online, neither company might be right for you, so keep shopping.

Methodology

Insure.com in the fall of 2023 surveyed more than 1,750 insurance consumers (1,151 people with home insurance). The survey was conducted by online market research company Slice MR.

Respondents were asked to name their home insurer and then grade it in the following categories: customer satisfaction, ease of service, claims satisfaction and policy offerings. The percentage of respondents who said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their insurer is presented in the results.

Respondents were then asked to pick their insurer’s top three attributes out of more than a dozen presented – including digital experience, discounts best for auto/home bundling and best for discounts. The number of responses for each attribute were totaled before dividing by the number of each company’s customers who responded to that survey question to create a percentage.

Respondents were then asked if they would recommend their home insurer to someone else and if they planned to renew their policies. The percentage who said yes is presented in the results.

Finally, respondents were given the statement “I trust my insurance company” and asked if they strongly agreed, agreed, disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement. The percentage of those who said they agreed or strongly agreed is presented in the results.

The editors compiled the survey results and then selected – based on the number of survey responses – the top companies for further evaluation.

They then collected AM Best data, which measure financial strength, and National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ complaint data, which ranks a company by the number of customer complaints it receives. The Insure.com team identified the NAIC company code or codes that were the primary underwriting companies for each carrier and line of business using total annual premiums. The associated NAIC complaint index score was used in the calculations. If more than one underwriting company was identified for a line, the editors used a weighted average of the NAIC complaint index scores.

They also collected insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services.

With the help of Prof. David Marlett, Ph.D., Managing Director of the Brantley Risk and Insurance Center at Appalachian State University, the editors created a rating system to determine which insurance companies were best in each sector. For home insurers, we took the following and gave each a weight.

Survey: 40% of the total score (10% customer satisfaction, 10% recommended, 10% renewal rate and 10% claims handling)

  • AM Best: 25% of total score
  • Annual premium: 20% of total score
  • NAIC: 15% of total score

Each insurer was awarded between half a star and 5 stars. No company in the ranking received less than half a star in any category, and 5 stars was the most any insurer could receive.

ZIP Code Please enter valid ZIP