- Very affordable pricing and rankings that are often much lower to their competitors
- Many ways to obtain discounts on homeowners insurance premiums
- Plenty of additional coverages to add onto standard policies
- Satisfactory customer service ratings among customers
- Strong financial standing with the BBB and AM Best
- J.D. Power ranked Erie to be #1 among all insurers in property claims satisfaction in 2023
- Not available in all 50 states
- Complaints with the claims process
Choosing the right homeowners insurance company is a must. As you are comparing reviews, it is important to take all of the pros and cons into account. Erie Insurance is a company licensed in 12 states. This includes Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Washington D.C. It is a company known for having extensive homeowners insurance coverage options.
Types of Erie homeowners insurance coverages
Erie insures properties that are owned, rented, mobile homes, condos, and apartments. This is a broad range of coverage that is going to be suitable for almost every living situation.
Dwelling and other structures
Erie is fairly straightforward when it comes to protecting your dwelling and other structures. They cover up to the replacement cost of your home and will provide coverage to structures such as detached garages, sheds, and fences.
They promise that there is no wear and tear factored into the replacement value of your home, ensuring you will always have enough coverage in place even if you have to rebuild. However, this is only available in select states.
Personal property and animals
Erie offers coverage to replace your belongings with brand-new items if they are stolen or destroyed by a covered peril. This will give you peace of mind in case your belongings are ever damaged.
If you have an animal in the home, Erie offers up to $500. This is a decent amount of coverage, as animals are often excluded from coverage by other insurers.
Hard-to-replace items
When an item that is difficult to replace is damaged or stolen, this can cause a major inconvenience. With Erie, these items are protected. Some examples include passports, birth certificates, and deeds/contracts.
If you have cash on the premises or precious metals, these items are also covered up to $500. They also offer coverage if a gift card has been damaged or stolen and will reimburse you if that business closes.
This coverage is included with a standard homeowners insurance policy from Erie, so there is no need to purchase a specific endorsement for these items.
Lost items
Many insurance companies will pay to replace items that have been stolen but will not cover items that are lost. If you end up losing your belongings, Erie offers this coverage with its standard homeowners policy.
This can come in handy because it will reimburse you if you misplace an item that you need. For example, lost hearing aids can be a common problem among seniors. Because other insurance companies typically do not offer this, Erie stands out.
Erie home insurance discounts and additional coverages
Discounts
- You can get a discount from Erie if you have operational smoke alarms, burgular alarms, or automatic sprinklers. The company sees these features as preventative measures and will reward individuals for having them.
- They offer a discount if you get a homeowners insurance quote at least one week prior to your renewal date.
- If you have more than one Erie insurance policy in place, you qualify for a multi-policy discount.
- Paying your premium in full or having your monthly payment set on auto-pay will also earn you a discount.
- When you take proper measures to comply with wind mitigation, you get a discount.
- Having a newer home is another way to get a discount from Erie.
Endorsements and additional coverages
While the standard policy covers the basics, it does not protect your home from specific hazards like earthquakes and floods. You will need to get separate or additional coverage for these types of issues. This is important if your home is located in an area where calamities may often occur. Being able to add additional coverage to your homeowners insurance policy is important, and Erie offers plenty of options for you.
- Flood and earthquake add-on insurance coverages are available.
- They offer additional coverage in case of identity theft.
- You can select an endorsement to cover water damage and sump pump overflow.
- There is the option to add coverage for underground utility lines and pipes.
- You can add additional coverage to belongings that are collectible or very valuable.
- There is the option to add equipment breakdown coverage for your appliances.
- You can get coverage for situations that involve homesharing.
- Gun owners can purchase a firearms endorsement.
- If you run a business from your house you can get home business protection coverage.
- Rental income protection is available to replace the lost rental income in case your tenants move out because of a covered peril damage.
Erie homeowners insurance premiums
The average price of an Erie homeowners insurance policy is around 25% lower than the national average premium. This places Erie near the top of the list for competitive and affordable pricing.
In each of the states where Erie is licensed, they often rank lower than each individual average. Many people choose Erie because their rates are seen as very fair.
A lot of people see this factor as one of the main reasons to choose Erie for homeowners insurance. Many customers enjoy seeing how much money is being saved when comparing Erie to other similar insurance companies.
Erie’s claims process
The process of filing a claim through Erie is straightforward. Customers are able to submit the claim with their local agent or by calling a phone number. They are able to track the status of the submitted claim online.
Customers have mixed reviews when it comes to filing claims through Erie. Some have complained that it takes a long time to receive a claims payout after filing the initial complaint. This can cause delays when repairs and replacements are needed.
Others have stated that there are discrepancies based on what is originally quoted upon filing a claim and what they end up receiving at the end. This can cause a lot of confusion and misleading information during the claims process.
It is important to note that despite some complaints regarding the claims from the customers, Erie ranked the highest among all insurance companies in the USA in property claim satisfaction according to J.D. Power’s study posted in February 2023.
Erie’s customer service
Working with an insurance company that is going to treat you fairly is important, and people have mainly positive things to say about the customer service provided by Erie. More often than not, great reviews are left by customers who feel satisfied with Erie as a homeowners insurance company.
A lot of companies praise Erie for saving them money and offering helpful support when it is needed. They view Erie as a company that is easy to work with and great at communication, which is important when choosing an insurer.
Across the board, Erie seems to make customers happy with the customer service they are providing. There are other reviews that differ in opinion, but the majority seem to be left by customers who have had good experiences.
Erie’s financial strength
Knowing the financial strength of an insurance company is important because this allows you to see if the company is at risk of becoming insolvent. Being insolvent occurs when a company is unable to pay off its debts due to having several claims filed or any other financial burdens taken on by the company.
BBB
Erie is rated an A+ when it comes to financial stability, although it is not an accredited business through the Better Business Bureau. There have been a total of 109 closed complaints over the last three years they have been in business. This shows company’s commitment to customer satisfaction.
AM Best
Erie also received an A+ for financial stability through AM Best. This is a good sign of financial stability and showcases that the company should not go insolvent.
The verdict
If you are looking for an affordable homeowners insurance company, all signs point to Erie. They are known best for their great deals and multiple discounts offered on their products. This is a key factor for many when choosing an insurance company.
With the savings provided and already low rates, customers usually pay high praise to Erie for this reason. Many people who are looking for a great deal find this when they choose Erie for homeowners insurance.
They insure traditional homes and offer coverage for situations that involve homesharing. They also offer coverage if you are renting a dwelling or have a mobile home. With these options, almost anyone in states where Erie is licensed can obtain coverage.
Erie offers a wide range of endorsements that can be added to any standard homeowners insurance policy if you feel you need additional protection. The details of these endorsements are easy to find and can be added as you proceed with an online quote through their website.
Most customers are pleased with Erie’s commitment to customer satisfaction, but many have complained about the company when needing to file a claim. From discrepancies in claims amounts to long delays when receiving payments, a lot of customers are unhappy with the claims process. Nevertheless, in the recent 2023 study, J.D. Power has ranked Erie to be the best in the country when it comes to handling property claims.
Overall, Erie is seen as a financially stable company that is committed to remaining this way. They do their best to offer customers reasonable rates and helpful service that includes many different opportunities to save money along the way.