Erie Home Insurance Review: Service, Cost, & More (2024)


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4/5

satisfaction

5/5

affordability

5/5

stability


pros

checkmarkHighly affordable
checkmarkExcellent financial stability rating
checkmarkMultipolicy and bundling discount of up to 20%, depending on your state

cons

closeCustomer satisfaction needs improvement
closeLimited options for coverages and discounts
closeAvailable in only 13 states

Verdict

MoneyGeek gives Erie an 88 out of 100 for its affordability and financial stability. However, this insurer’s weakest spot is its customer service.

Erie offers less than the industry’s average number of coverages and discounts, but it compensates by providing a rare coverage with its service line endorsement coverage. It also offers three discounts which are commonly offered by most homeowners insurance companies.

Does Erie Have Good Customer Service?

Erie received an overall MoneyGeek score of 88 out of 100 that took into account the company’s financial stability, affordability and customer satisfaction. Although Erie is financially secure and its products are very affordable, customers may receive better customer service from other insurers.

Customer Satisfaction Rating

Customer satisfaction ratings should be one of your main considerations when looking for a homeowners insurance provider. Quality service could mean the difference between an efficient and hassle-free claims experience and a stressful one.

Erie earned an average J.D. Power score of 3.86 out of 5. The J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Home Insurance Study ranked Erie as third in the homeowners insurance segment for customer satisfaction, with a total score of 835 out of 1,000.

Customer Complaint Index

To have a deeper analysis of Erie’s customer satisfaction rating, MoneyGeek also looked at its customer complaint index score. Based on the data provided by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), Erie had a complaint index of 0.63, which means it receives fewer complaints than the average insurance provider.

Financial Stability Rating

Erie earned top marks for financial strength based on AM Best’s assessment which awarded the company an A rating. This serves as a strong indicator of Erie’s ability to meet its financial obligations to its customers.

What to Expect From Erie Homeowners Insurance

Shopping for a homeowners insurance plan can be confusing, especially for first-time buyers. Use MoneyGeek’s step-by-step guide to help you through the process.

  1. 1

    Getting a quote

    Erie doesn’t provide online quotes but you can contact one of their local agents for information regarding their policies.

  2. 2

    Customer support

    You may contact Erie through one of the following channels:

    • Your local Erie office Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM or Saturday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM (ET)
    • Online chat through your account from Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM (ET)
    • Erie’s toll-free hotline at (800) 458-0811
    • Erie’s mailing address at Erie Insurance Group 100 Erie Insurance Place Erie, PA 16530-1104
  3. 3

    Filing a claim

    You may either contact your local Erie agent or call Erie directly at (800) 367-3743 for 24/7 assistance.

  4. 4

    Canceling your policy

    For cancellation requests, you may either contact your local Erie agent or call Erie directly at (800) 367-3743 to receive 24/7 assistance.

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FILING A HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE CLAIM WITH ERIE

There are two options when filing a claim with Erie. Erie homeowners insurance policyholders can either contact a local Erie agent or call Erie directly at (800) 367-3743 for 24/7 assistance.

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STATE AVAILABILITY

Erie’s homeowners insurance is available in Washington, D.C., and in 12 other states, including Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

How Much Does Erie Homeowners Insurance Cost?

The average cost of homeowners insurance is $1,979 per year. However, your actual cost can vary from this average depending on your home’s location, age, construction type and other factors. We suggest that you contact your local Erie agent to get a personalized quote.

Dwelling Coverage
Annual Premium

100,000

$702

250,000

$1,536

When calculating your premium, insurance companies will factor in the location of your property, how much it costs to replace your home and personal belongings and your preferred deductible limit.

In general, a $250,000 dwelling coverage is a good starting point, especially if you don’t know the value of your home. However, we strongly suggest that you get an expert assessment of your home’s value so you’d get an accurate picture of how much insurance you need. You’ll also need to determine your preferred limits for other coverages to adequately protect all your assets. All of these coverages will affect your premium.

Use MoneyGeek’s home insurance calculator to get a quick and accurate estimate of your premium based on your preferred limits.

Home Insurance
Calculator

MoneyGeek’s home insurance calculator will give you a ballpark estimate of your cost — it’s free, no personal information required, no spam.

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Rates updated:

Dec 24, 2024

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MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP

It’s tempting to opt for lower coverage limits and deductibles to save on premiums. But you should also consider how much you can afford to pay out of pocket in the event your home is seriously damaged. Choosing minimum coverage policies and lower deductibles may save you money in the short term, but not all your claims may be fully covered.

What Discounts Does Erie Offer?

Erie has three discounts that are commonly offered by most homeowners insurance companies. This number is significantly lower than the industry average of seven discounts.

Discount
Description

Bundling discount

Get substantial savings by bundling your Erie home insurance with your auto and/or life insurance.

Protective device discount

You’ll get a protective device discount if you install smoke alarms, a burglary alarm system or an automatic sprinkler in your home.

Early payment discount

Get a home insurance quote seven to 60 days before your policy renews to qualify for an early payment discount.

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MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP

One of the ways you could save on insurance costs is by taking advantage of bundling discount offers. Erie gives the option of bundling homeowners insurance with their auto and/or life insurance products. Doing so will make you eligible for up to a 20% multipolicy discount, depending on your state.

Which Coverage Types Does Erie Offer?

Erie offers four homeowners insurance coverages — one of which is already included in your standard policy. Although Erie offers one less coverage than the industry average of five, Erie compensates by providing a rare coverage which is the service line endorsement. This add-on protects your home against damage to underground service and utility lines from your house extending to the curb.

Erie offers several endorsements which you can purchase separately for added protection of your assets. Browse through the information below for a quick summary of these add-on coverages and the benefits they provide.

  1. 1

    Extended reimbursement

    Erie’s Guaranteed Replacement Cost coverage covers the cost of rebuilding your entire home, regardless of limits. This is already included in your standard policy.

  2. 2

    Sewer or drain backup

    This is optional coverage for any damage to your home caused by water backing up through sewers, drains and sump pumps.

  3. 3

    Cyber event/Identity theft

    This optional coverage helps with losses and expenses due to identity theft or fraud.

  4. 4

    Service line

    Erie’s service line coverage is an add-on that can protect your home against damage to underground service and utility lines from your house extending to the curb.

When shopping for homeowners insurance, it is important for you to first know the amount of insurance you need to make sure that you’re getting all the standard coverages. You must also check if you’re adequately protected from any unique hazards that your home faces by reading the fine print before purchasing a policy.

Homeowners insurance typically doesn’t include coverages against floods, earthquakes and pest infestation, so a separate policy might be needed. Unfortunately, Erie doesn’t provide these unique coverages. If your situation requires these, it might be best to shop around for another insurer.

You may personalize your policy depending on your needs, but make sure that it includes these standard coverages.

Personal Property

Personal Liability

Loss of use

What Online Homeowners Insurance Tools Does Erie Offer?

Erie’s homeowners insurance policyholders can use the company’s online portal and customer service hotline to manage their accounts, pay their monthly bills and make claims. Below is a summary list of these free online tools and added features.

Erie Insurance Mobile app

Online account management

Other Erie Insurance Products

Aside from homeowners insurance, Erie also offers other insurance products such as auto insurance, life insurance and business insurance. By using Erie as your one-stop-shop for your insurance needs, you will qualify for multipolicy and bundling discounts.

Browse through our summary table below to get a better picture of the insurance products that you can purchase from Erie.

Type of Product
Description

Auto insurance

Erie’s auto insurance offers affordable policies for all types of coverages, including a rare add-on which is better car replacement coverage.

Life insurance

Erie’s life insurance products and services include retirement services, personal catastrophe liability and identity theft coverage. Medicare and long-term care rider protection are also available.

Business insurance

Erie offers insurance packages for business, business auto, wholesaler-distributors, restaurants, risk control and workers’ compensation.

Methodology

To evaluate Erie as a homeowners insurance company, MoneyGeek analyzed the Erie website, manually collected quotes and consulted consumer intelligence organizations such as J.D. Power, the NAIC and AM Best.

About Mark Fitzpatrick


Mark Fitzpatrick headshot

Mark Fitzpatrick is a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer and MoneyGeek's Head of Insurance. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research and creating personalized content for every kind of buyer. He has been quoted in several insurance-related publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Fitzpatrick earned a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his knowledge of economics and insurance to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.


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