What’s Better for Auto Insurance – Esurance or Farmers?
Last Updated on February 5, 2026
Car insurance shoppers have more options than ever—from small regional carriers to large national ones. Two names that often come up are Esurance and Farmers. They both offer solid coverage options, but they’re very different companies—and one big update matters before you start comparing quotes.
Important update: Allstate announced in December 2019 that it would retire the Esurance consumer brand. Today, many shoppers can’t buy a brand-new Esurance policy directly—new quotes are commonly routed through Allstate instead. If you’re an existing customer, you may still be able to manage your policy under the Esurance experience, but new-policy shopping can look a lot more like shopping Allstate.
- Esurance Shopping May Route to Allstate: While existing customers can often still manage Esurance policies digitally, many new shoppers are redirected into an Allstate quote flow.
- Both Offer Core Coverages: Liability, comprehensive, collision, uninsured motorist, and common add-ons like rental reimbursement are typically available from both insurers.
- Farmers Stands Out for Agent Support and Add-Ons: Farmers’ local agent network and specialty endorsements (including rideshare options) can be a big advantage for some drivers.
- Compare Quotes With Matching Limits: Use identical coverage limits and deductibles across quotes to find the best value—not just the lowest price.
- Esurance vs. Farmers: Quick Comparison
- About Esurance
- About Farmers
- Coverage Options: What You Can Get With Each Company
- Esurance vs. Farmers Discounts
- Customer Experience: Digital Tools vs. Local Agent Support
- Financial Strength and Reputation Signals
- When Esurance Might Be the Better Choice
- When Farmers Might Be the Better Choice
- Final Word: Esurance or Farmers?
- FAQs on Esurance vs. Farmers
Esurance vs. Farmers: Quick Comparison
| Category | Esurance | Farmers |
| Best For | Digital-first shoppers who want a streamlined online experience | Drivers who want agent support, broader niche add-ons, and extra personalization |
| How You Buy | Online-first (new shopping may route to Allstate) | Online or through local agents |
| Standout Perk | Simple online tools and account management | Agent network + more add-ons (like rideshare options) |
| Good Fit If You… | Prefer self-service and minimal back-and-forth | Want help picking limits/coverage and talking through claims |
About Esurance
Esurance launched in 1999 and became well-known for making car insurance easier to buy and manage online. Esurance was purchased by Allstate in 2011. In recent years, Allstate has phased out Esurance as a standalone consumer brand, so many new shoppers are routed into an Allstate quote flow rather than purchasing a new Esurance policy directly. If you already have Esurance, you can often continue managing your account digitally, but availability for new customers can depend on your state and Allstate’s current setup.
About Farmers
Farmers has been around since 1928 and is known for its large agent network and broad menu of coverage add-ons. Farmers sells policies through a mix of agent models (including independent and exclusive agents, depending on location and brand structure) and offers the option to shop online in many states. Coverage options, pricing, and discounts can vary by state and policy type.
Coverage Options: What You Can Get With Each Company
At a high level, both Esurance and Farmers can offer the core protections most drivers need, including standard car insurance coverage types. The difference usually comes down to (1) how you want to manage your policy (online vs. agent) and (2) the extra add-ons you need for your car and lifestyle.
Core Coverages Most Drivers Shop For
- Liability coverage: Required in most states and typically includes bodily injury and property damage.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist: Helps protect you if you’re hit by someone without enough coverage (or any coverage). Learn more about uninsured motorist coverage.
- Comprehensive and collision: Often what people mean by “full coverage.” See how comprehensive and collision coverage work together.
- Medical coverage: Depending on your state, you may see medical payments coverage and/or personal injury protection (PIP).
- Common add-ons: Roadside assistance and rental reimbursement.
Esurance Coverage Highlights
Esurance (and/or the Allstate experience you may be routed to when shopping) typically offers the core coverages above plus popular add-ons like gap coverage for financed/leased vehicles. If you’re comparing add-ons, check whether Esurance roadside assistance matches what you’d want for towing limits, lockouts, and service call availability.
Farmers Coverage Highlights
Farmers also offers the core coverages above, but often stands out for drivers who need extra protection beyond a standard commute. A major example is rideshare coverage for app-based driving—useful for Uber and Lyft drivers who want help filling coverage gaps when they’re online but don’t yet have a passenger. Farmers also offers extras like loss of use coverage in some situations, plus add-ons such as full glass coverage, custom parts and equipment coverage, and OEM parts coverage options depending on your policy and state. You can also compare service features like Farmers roadside assistance.
Esurance vs. Farmers Discounts
Both companies can be competitive on price, but discounts vary a lot by state, driver profile, and how you buy. Also, because new Esurance policy shopping may route to Allstate, the “Esurance discount list” you see online may not match what you’re actually offered when you request a quote.
To get a sense of what each typically advertises, review Esurance discounts and Farmers discounts—then confirm what’s available for your ZIP code when you quote.
| Discount Type | Esurance (or Allstate-Directed Quote) | Farmers |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-policy (bundling) | Often available | Often available |
| Multi-vehicle | Often available | Often available |
| Safe driver / claims-free | Often available | Often available |
| Telematics / usage-based | Common with larger carriers (availability varies) | Common with larger carriers (availability varies) |
| Paid-in-full / autopay | Common | Common |
| Paperless / online account | Common | Common |
| Good student | Often available | Often available |
| Homeowner / new home | May be available | May be available |
| Vehicle safety / anti-theft | May be available | May be available (can vary by device) |
Customer Experience: Digital Tools vs. Local Agent Support
Esurance became popular by leaning hard into a digital-first experience—online quotes, paperless policy management, and app-based self-service. Farmers can also support online account management, but many customers choose Farmers specifically for the option to work with a local agent for coverage guidance, payment plan help, and claim support.
If you’re the type of driver who wants to talk through coverage decisions (limits, deductibles, endorsements), a Farmers agent can be a big advantage. On the other hand, if you prefer to DIY everything quickly online, the Esurance-style workflow can feel simpler—though new shoppers may now experience that through Allstate’s systems rather than Esurance alone.
Financial Strength and Reputation Signals
When you’re comparing insurers, it’s smart to look beyond price and consider financial strength (the ability to pay claims) plus complaint trends and customer reviews.
- Financial strength ratings: AM Best is a common reference point. You can learn how these grades work in our guide to AM Best ratings.
- BBB ratings and complaints: BBB grades can be helpful as one data point, but they can vary by entity/location and don’t always reflect every customer’s experience.
When Esurance Might Be the Better Choice
Esurance (or the Allstate-led quote flow you may be routed through) can be a good fit if you:
- Want a largely self-service experience
- Prefer managing payments, ID cards, and policy changes online
- Don’t need many specialty endorsements beyond standard coverage + a few add-ons
Tip: If you’re comparing quotes and Esurance routes you to Allstate, treat your decision as “Allstate vs. Farmers” and compare the final coverages and discounts on the quote—not just the brand name.
When Farmers Might Be the Better Choice
Farmers may be the better fit if you:
- Want the option of working with an in-person agent
- Need coverage add-ons for specialty vehicles, custom equipment, or specific claim preferences
- Drive for a rideshare platform and want to explore endorsements designed to help fill coverage gaps
- Prefer flexibility and guidance when choosing deductibles, limits, and optional coverages
If you’re unsure whether you should buy direct or work with an agent, see our breakdown on whether auto insurance is cheaper through an agent.
Final Word: Esurance or Farmers?
For many drivers, this matchup comes down to shopping style (digital-first vs. agent-supported) and needed add-ons (like rideshare endorsements or specialty coverage). Because pricing can vary dramatically by ZIP code and driver history, the best move is to compare quotes side-by-side with the same limits and deductibles.
One last reminder: since new Esurance shopping may route to Allstate, you’ll often get the clearest comparison by requesting a Farmers quote and then comparing it to the Allstate quote you receive through the Esurance path.
Want to make your comparison more accurate? Use the same liability limits, the same deductibles, and the same optional coverages on every quote—then compare the final premium and the claim/service features you care about most.
