Esurance vs Amica Auto Insurance

Comparing two auto insurance companies like Esurance and Amica is somewhat difficult as the companies operate in such different manners.

Esurance is primarily an online company, dealing with internet customers almost exclusively, while Amica relies primarily on direct marketing techniques (such as phone calls and mailings) to recruit new customers.

However, by comparing these auto insurance companies side-by-side it can be useful to help determine which provider is right for you.

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About Esurance

Esurance began as a venture by a group of computer mogols in the Silicon Valley, dedicated to the prospect that an entire computer-based company could serve auto insurance customers fully and provide quality insurance products.

The company went through several buyers and is now owned by the Allstate Insurance family. Esurance has used a variety of television advertising to make its products known.

Perhaps best known is “Erin Ensurance,” a cartoon girl who enters a series of superhero-like adventures to tell about the benefits of Esurance.

View a full Esurance Auto Insurance Review

About Amica Mutual Insurance

Amica was founded in 1907 and has its headquarters in Providence, Rhode Island, as a “preferred risk” company. Amica, which stands for Expanding and growing through the years, now does over $1.6 billion in business each year and employs more than 3,000 people in offices across the country.

Amica has been rated with an A++, or “Superior” rating by A. M. Best, an independent firm which rates the financial soundness of insurance companies and is the oldest mutual insurance company in the United States.

View a full Amica Mutual Auto Insurance Review

Esurance Customer Satisfaction Ratings

Esurance has not fared well in the annual J. D. Power and Associates independent ratings, which measures customer satisfaction with insurance companies. In the 2011 survey, Esurance was ranked 24th among the 33 companies surveyed, with an overall score of 763 out of a possible 1,000 points.

Esurance scored “below average” in the categories of overall customers satisfaction, billing and payment, and contacting the insurer, and “average” in the categories of pricing and policy offerings.

It is possible that some of Esurance’s low scores come from the totally online format. Another factor might be the lack of extreme flexibility in choosing policy options.

While Esurance does allow you to change many things on your policy, some options may not be available or may be restricted due to certain factors.

Amica Customer Satisfaction Ratings

Amica, on the other hand, has held the number-one position in the J. D. Power and Associates customer satisfaction ratings for the past twelve years.

With “excellent” scores in all categories, Amica scored 843 points on the customer-satisfaction scale, almost 20 points above its next-closest competitor, and a full 80 points above Esurance.

Amica has enjoyed the number-one spot for the past dozen years largely due to its commitment to customer service. Although Amica does not employ dedicated agents with local offices, its customer service personnel are very accessible and make filing a claim, asking a question, or changing your policy options very easy.

Amica is also well-known for flexibility in its policies, and allowing you to build the right coverage for yourself without being tied to “pre-packaged” policy options.

Which auto insurance company is better – Esurance or Amica Mutual?

It would seem, from the customer satisfaction scores, that Amica is a far better choice for auto insurance than Esurance however several factors should be considered before making this decision. Amica is a large mutual company which has kept its satisfaction rating high, and its prices reasonable, by careful management of its insurance customers.

Not everyone who applies at Amica will be approved, and not everyone will get the same low rates. Esurance, on the other hand, may be more accessible to younger drivers or those with less-than perfect records.

Also, you may be able to find good prices with Esurance if you have a good driving record and are not afraid to manage your own account online. If you do not rely on the help of a personal agent, Esurance could be the right choice for you.

Before choosing any auto insurance company, be sure to talk to representatives from each company. How the agents or representatives interact with you will give you a good feeling for how the company will treat you, and how comfortable you feel doing business with them.

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