Erie Insurance

Erie Insurance

Erie Insurance is a well-established American insurance company founded in 1925, headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania. It began as Erie Insurance Exchange and was founded by Henry Orth Hirt and Oliver Grover Crawford, who emphasized excellent customer service from the start, coining the tagline “The ERIE is above all in sERvIcE.”

Overview and History

  • Erie Insurance started by selling auto insurance with an initial premium charge of $34 per vehicle. Over the years, it expanded its offerings to include fire, liability, home, business, and life insurance.
  • The company quickly grew beyond Erie, opening offices in Pittsburgh (1928) and later expanding into multiple states.
  • Erie Insurance became publicly traded on NASDAQ in 1995 and appeared on the Fortune 500 list in 2003.
  • The company is known for technological innovation and maintaining a strong culture of customer service, with features like 24-hour claims service traced back to its early days.

Current Scale and Operations

  • Today Erie Insurance has over 7,000 employees, more than 14,000 independent agents, and services over 7 million policies.
  • It operates in 11 states, covering a wide range of insurance products: auto, home, life, and business insurance.
  • Erie continues to grow its network and invest in digital tools to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency.

Distinctives

  • Strong local agent network fostering personal relationships and tailored insurance advice.
  • Reputation for superior customer service underpinned by its founding philosophy.
  • Financial stability and recognized ratings contribute to its trusted brand image.

Erie Insurance is one of the prominent regional insurance groups in the U.S. with a rich history of community focus and service excellence, now expanding its footprint while maintaining its founding principles.

What are Erie Insurance’s current auto and home policy options

Erie Insurance offers competitive and comprehensive options for both auto and home policies, designed to provide flexible and reliable coverage tailored to customer needs.

Erie Auto Insurance Policy Options

  • Standard Coverage: Liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage to protect against bodily injury, property damage, accidents, theft, and natural disasters.
  • First Accident Forgiveness: Erie offers forgiveness for the first accident, so it won’t affect your premium.
  • New Car Protection: If your new vehicle (up to 24 months old) is totaled, Erie can replace it with a new car of the latest model year.
  • Better Car Protection: If your car is totaled, Erie can replace it with a vehicle two years newer than the totaled one.
  • Rental Car Coverage: Erie provides rental car expense coverage with multiple classes of rental car options.
  • Roadside Assistance: Reasonable towing and labor costs if your car breaks down.
  • Ridesharing Coverage: Optional coverage for using your personal vehicle for ride-sharing companies like Uber or Lyft.
  • Coverage for Additional and Replacement Vehicles: Automatic coverage for newly acquired vehicles and trailers for the policy term.
  • Other vehicle types like motorcycles can be insured with similar protections.

Erie Homeowners Insurance Policy Options

  • Dwelling Coverage: Protects your home and attached structures from covered risks such as fire, storms, and theft.
  • Guaranteed Replacement Cost: If your home needs to be rebuilt after a total loss, Erie will cover full rebuilding costs regardless of policy limits, unlike many insurers who limit payouts to the insured amount.
  • Personal Property Coverage: Protects your belongings including furniture, electronics, and clothing against loss or damage.
  • Liability Protection: Offers up to 1 million dollars in personal liability coverage, notably higher than many competitors’ limits.
  • Loss of Use: Covers living expenses if your home becomes uninhabitable, with no dollar cap for up to one year.
  • Equipment Breakdown Coverage: Covers damage to major appliances or home systems.
  • Additional Structures Coverage: Covers detached structures at 20% of dwelling coverage, double the amount many insurers offer.
  • Water Backup and Service Line Coverage: Optional add-ons covering sewer backups and repairs to utility lines connected to the home.
  • Deductible Waiver: Erie waives deductibles for claims over $50,000, reducing out-of-pocket expenses for homeowners.
  • Identity Theft Protection: Coverage for identity recovery, including for children living in the household.
  • Bi-Peril Deductible Option: Flexibility to set different deductibles for fire and water claims.

Erie’s auto and home insurance policies are noted for flexible options, strong coverage limits, and customer-friendly features that stand out in the market. Their approach combines comprehensive risk protection with personalized service through local agents, emphasizing both reliability and customized solutions.

How do Erie multi-policy discounts work by state

Erie Insurance offers multi-policy discounts that vary by state but generally encourage customers to bundle their auto and home insurance policies to save on premiums. Here are the key points about Erie’s multi-policy discounts:

  • Discount Range: Erie typically offers multi-policy discounts ranging from 15% to 25%, depending on the state where the policies are held. The exact discount percentage and qualifying policies can vary regionally.
  • Eligible Policies for Bundling: Common bundles include auto plus homeowners insurance, but Erie also allows bundling with life insurance and other policy types.
  • How It Works: When customers insure multiple policies such as car and home under Erie, they often receive a discount on one or both policies, which reduces the total premium cost.
  • State Variations: Due to insurance regulations and market conditions, the availability and size of multi-policy discounts differ by state. Agents typically provide state-specific details during policy discussions.
  • Additional Discounts: Erie also offers discounts like First Accident Forgiveness, Diminishing Deductibles, and reduced usage discounts (e.g., storing a vehicle for a season). These can stack alongside multi-policy discounts in many cases.

For the most precise discount details by state and individual eligibility, customers are recommended to consult local Erie agents who can tailor the discounts and coverages to personal circumstances.

Overall, Erie Insurance’s multi-policy discounts are designed to reward loyalty and consolidate coverage under one insurer, potentially saving policyholders significant money across their insurance portfolio.

Erie Insurance FAQ

Q: How can I contact Erie Insurance customer service?
A: You can reach Erie Insurance customer service by calling 1-800-458-0811 during business hours. For roadside emergency services, call their 24/7 hotline at 1-800-367-3743.

Q: How do I file an insurance claim with Erie?
A: Claims can be reported by contacting your local Erie agent, calling the dedicated claims hotline, or starting a claim online via Erie’s website.

Q: What are Erie’s customer service hours?
A: Erie Insurance customer service is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. Emergency roadside assistance is available 24/7.

Q: How can I make a payment or view my policy documents?
A: Customers can make payments and view policy documents online by logging into their Erie online account at any time.

Q: How do I report suspected insurance fraud?
A: Report suspected fraud by calling Erie Insurance’s fraud hotline at 1-800-368-6696.


Erie Insurance Contact Information

  • Customer Service Phone: 1-800-458-0811 (Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sat 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET)
  • Emergency Roadside Assistance: 1-800-367-3743 (24/7)
  • Claims Phone Number: Available through local agents or Erie website; 24/7 emergency claim support provided
  • Fraud Hotline: 1-800-368-6696
  • Mailing Address:
    Erie Insurance Group
    100 Erie Insurance Place
    Erie, PA 16530-1104, USA
  • Life Insurance Claims Mailing:
    Erie Family Life Service Center
    P.O. Box 83026
    Lincoln, NE 68501-3026
  • Fax Number: (814) 461-1238
  • Online Help: Available through Erie Insurance website with options for chat support and self-service accounts.

Read more:

Mercury Insurance – Mercury Insurance

Montana State Fund – MSF

Mutual of Omaha Insurance – Mutual of Omaha Insurance

Nationwide Insurance – Nationwide Insurance

New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance (NJM) – New Jersey Manufacturers

New York Life – New York Life

Northwestern Mutual – Northwestern Mutual

PEMCO Insurance – PEMCO Insurance

Principal Financial Group – Principal Financial Group

Progressive Insurance – Progressive Insurance

Prudential Financial – Prudential Financial

State Farm Insurance – State Farm Insurance