Elephant insurance offers comprehensive coverage, perks, and various discounts, but it is only available in eight states.
Elephant insurance is a steadily-growing insurer known for its strong industry reputation, affordable rates, and one-year insurance terms. We’ve combed through Elephant insurance reviews, coverage options, and cost information to create a detailed breakdown of this provider.
We’ve already taken an in-depth look at the best car insurance companies, ranking over 30 popular auto insurance companies based on availability, financial strength, coverage, cost, technology, and customer service. Read on to see how Elephant car insurance measures up to this same set of standards.
Elephant Auto Insurance Overview
Elephant insurance is owned by the Admiral Group, which is one of the biggest insurance providers in the United Kingdom. Admiral initially launched in 1993 but has since grown beyond the boundaries of the UK. Now, the organization serves the United States, Spain, Italy, and France.
Elephant insurance officially launched in the U.S. back in 2009. The company headquarters were placed outside of Richmond, Virginia, in Henrico.
Aside from auto insurance, Elephant insurance offers the following products and services:
- Motorcycle insurance
- ATV insurance
- Collector car insurance
- Homeowners/renters insurance
- Condo insurance
- Life insurance
- Umbrella insurance
Because Elephant insurance provides direct-to-consumer policies, the company offers competitive rates. This insurer also has a strong financial backing, several available discounts, and offers one-year insurance terms. However, Elephant auto insurance coverage is currently only available to residents in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
Elephant Auto Insurance Coverage
As with most auto insurance companies, you can purchase any of the standard types of auto insurance from Elephant, including liability, comprehensive, and collision coverage.
What distinguishes coverage options among providers are the extra options and liability limits. Elephant sells the following extra coverage and add-on options for its insurance policies.
Coverage Options From Elephant Insurance
| Benefit | Details |
|---|---|
| Legal Assistance Coverage | This additional coverage costs as little as $5 per month. With this plan, you receive help with legal fees associated with estate planning, family law, traffic charges, and more. |
| Diminishing Deductible | This extra option is available with collision coverage. Initially, Elephant takes $100 off the collision deductible and another $100 every year that you remain accident-free. The total discount will stop at $500. If you have an accident, the collision deductible remains where it is, and then continues to decrease again every year that you are accident-free. |
| Roadside Assistance | Elephant partners with Urgent.ly to provide roadside assistance. Customers can track support in real-time. |
| Accident Forgiveness | All customers with Elephant for a few years qualify for accident forgiveness, guaranteeing that rates won’t rise after an at-fault accident. |
| Rental Reimbursement | Elephant auto covers for a rental car if the vehicle isn’t drivable for more than 24 hours due to a covered loss through Collision or Comprehensive. If the vehicle is considered a total loss, you will receive an extra three days of coverage. |
| YourMechanic | Allows you to book repairs services online at a discounted rate. Covers most maintenance repairs like brake and oil changes, and you can schedule the service technician to work on your car while it is parked at home or work. |
| Pet Injury Coverage | This coverage will pay for up to $1,000 for your pet's medical bills after an accident. |
| Rental Reimbursement | Pays for the cost of a rental car while your vehicle is in the shop for covered repairs following a comprehensive or collision claim. |
| Loan/Lease Payoff | Offsets up to 25% of the remaining amount you owe on your lease if your car is totaled in an accident. |
| Non-owner Car Insurance | Covers bodily injury and property damage liability for drivers who don't own a car but may use a car-sharing service or frequently borrow the cars of others. |
| Custom Parts and Equipment Coverage | Covers repairs to any customer or aftermarket parts that you add to your vehicle and which are not covered by your standard auto insurance policy. |
While this is an extensive selection of perks, not all of them are available with every insurance policy. You would need to talk to customer service to see what options are available to you.
Elephant Auto Insurance Cost And Discounts
No auto insurer offers the same rates to every driver. Your final rate will depend on a number of factors, including:
Location: Your insurance premium will vary by state and the area you live in. Urban locations tend to have higher car insurance rates compared to rural locations because of the additional risk.
Driving record: If you have a clean driving record, you will have a lower rate. If you have moving violations, tickets, or an at-fault accident in the past, you will also have to pay more.
Coverage required: You will pay more for comprehensive and collision than you would to have a state-minimum policy.
Age: New drivers tend to pay substantially more because of the increased risk of an accident.
Type of vehicle: Some cars cost more to insure and some models are the cheapest. Sports cars, which are more frequently ticketed and stolen, cost more to insure.
Credit history: If you pay your bills on time, you are seen as a reliable customer, and you will likely pay less for insurance coverage.
Average Insurance Costs For Different Driver Profiles
Let’s take a look at how these factors affect your premiums. Here are some national provider averages for drivers from different profiles:
Car Insurance Estimates For Good Drivers
| Car Insurance Company | Annual Rate Estimate |
|---|---|
| USAA | $1,013 |
| State Farm | $1,339 |
| Geico | $1,352 |
| Progressive | $1,397 |
| Nationwide | $1,533 |
| Allstate | $2,429 |
Car Insurance Estimates For Drivers With Poor Credit
| Car Insurance Company | Annual Rate Estimate |
|---|---|
| USAA | $1,807 |
| Geico | $2,077 |
| Nationwide | $2,227 |
| Progressive | $2,514 |
| State Farm | $3,616 |
| Allstate | $3,765 |
Car Insurance Estimates For Young Drivers
| Car Insurance Company | Annual Rate Estimate |
|---|---|
| USAA | $1,422 |
| Geico | $1,627 |
| State Farm | $1,765 |
| Progressive | $2,029 |
| Nationwide | $2,293 |
| Allstate | $2,959 |
Elephant Insurance Discounts
Elephant does provide some insurance discounts to help you save money. These include:
| Discount | Details |
|---|---|
| Responsible Driver | If you have remained accident-free for five years, the company will provide up to 10 percent off applicable coverages. |
| Good Student | Full-time students receive up to 12 percent off participating coverage with a B average or higher. |
| Multi-Car | If you have two vehicles insured, you can count on a discount. |
| Multi-Policy | Bundle your policy with another Elephant insurance product and receive a discount. |
| Online Quote | By getting your quote online, you save 12 percent on the premium. |
| Electronic Signature | When you use the electronic signature, you save even more. |
| Paperless Account | You can also protect the environment and save another 2 percent by going with paperless statements. |
| Pay In Full | Pay for the entire year upfront and save on the premium. |
| Early Bird | Save money for buying early. |
| Referral Discount | Policy reduction for being referred by another customer or for referring a new customer. |
| Work From Home | Those who work from home drive less and can recieve a discount. |
| Homeowner | You will get an auto discount if you own and insure a home. |
Elephant Insurance Reviews
It’s helpful to see what the company has to say about itself, but it’s even better to see what customers are saying. We can evaluate the reputation of the insurer based on online Elephant insurance reviews and industry experts’ ratings.
We like to look at the AM Best rating, which is an indication of the financial health of a company. While Elephant insurance doesn’t have a rating, its parent company Admiral Group does. The organization boasts an A+ (Superior) financial rating, so you know there is enough money to pay out claims.
Aside from that, Elephant insurance has been awarded:
- 2011 Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces Award
- 7th Place in 2011 Best Places to Work in Virginia
- 2014 Stevie Award bronze medal for sales and customer service
In addition, Elephant maintains an A+ Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, which isn’t always easy in this industry. It has also paid to become accredited and appears to have minimal complaints filed against it through the BBB website.
Positive Elephant Insurance Reviews
“I have always had great experiences with Elephant insurance. The staff are so friendly and helpful, and the phone hold times are low. I had to file a car insurance claim last year, Elephant took care of me. I could not be happier with the service I received. The claims agent was so helpful and genuinely cared about my claim. I would recommend Elephant to anyone! Plus they always have the lowest prices.”
-Brandon M. via BBB
“I have been with [Elephant] for four years now. I pay $135 a month for full coverage on my SUV. I used to have my other car also on my policy, with liability only, and I paid $142 a month combined for both vehicles because they give you a multi-car discount. With any other company, the lowest rate I’ve been able to get for just full coverage on my one vehicle was $175 a month.”
-V.D. via Yelp
Negative Elephant Insurance Reviews
“Once you file a claim with this company, you get horrible customer service. The claims process is long, and they have the rudest people working the claims, including management.”
-RE. E. via BBB
“Dealing with Elephant is a one-way street- no one seems to know or have the authority to use common sense. It has been [an] exercise in pure frustration for over three months. I would have been better off [if] I had been hit by an uninsured or hit and run driver than the other driver being insured by Elephant.”
-Clint R. via BBB
Many Elephant insurance customer reviews mentioned its claims process, both positively and negatively. To file a claim with the insurer, you can either use its online tool or call 844-937-5353 during normal business hours. Elephant insurance has service representatives available to walk you through the entire claims process as well as a step-by-step guide online. The insurer also works with any repair shop you choose.
Elephant Auto Insurance Technology And Apps
The Elephant insurance mobile app is available for both iPhone and Android. It allows users to review and change policies, request emergency assistance, and even file claims.
Elephant’s app also hosts a Telematics feature for drivers looking to up their discounts. Using your location data, the app tracks driving habits and finds discounts based on those patterns, which can then be applied at your next renewal period.
On Google Play, the app is rated 3.7 out of 5.0 stars based on over 180 reviews and on the Apple App store, the Elephant app receives 4.7 out of 5.0 stars from over 850 reviews. For the most part, these apps seem to work well though some customers have complained of constant crashing when using the telematics feature.
Elephant Auto Insurance Rating: 3.7 Stars
We rated Elephant insurance 3.7 out of 5.0 stars. The car insurer offers various plans, additional perks, and available discounts, but its coverage is only available in eight states and customer reviews are mixed. Overall, Elephant insurance is a decent option but only if it’s available to you.
If you qualify, we recommend getting a quote to see if you can save money over your current provider. You should always get quotes from multiple providers to make sure you’re getting the best rates on car insurance you can.
Top Recommendations For Auto Insurance
While we are happy with the Elephant insurance coverage, most people don’t live in an eligible state. Because of this, we compared our other top insurance providers to Elephant insurance below.
| Elephant | USAA | State Farm | Geico | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Star Rating | 3.7 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| AM Best Financial Strength Rating | A+ | A++ | A++ | A++ |
| 12-month policy | ✔ | |||
| Accident forgiveness | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Disappearing deductible | ✔ | |||
| Roadside assistance | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Rental car coverage | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Classic car coverage | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Usage-based insurance | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| GAP coverage | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
USAA: Best For Military
If you are a military member, veteran, or family member, our team’s USAA auto insurance review found that you can save money by using USAA for your insurance needs. The company prides itself on offering low rates to service members and maintains high customer service ratings.
In the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Auto Insurance StudySM, we see that this company excels above most other companies. Even if you have a spotty history, you can often get a lower rate by going with USAA. We do see a fair amount of complaints with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), but the company appears to resolve problems quickly and is always courteous with the responses.
Geico: Best Discount Availability
Our Geico auto insurance review rated the company at least 4.6 out of 5.0 in all research categories. The insurer has also received an A+ rating from the BBB and an A++ rating from AM Best. Geico is a strong option for military members and students. It’s also the second-largest car insurance company in the U.S.
State Farm: Best Overall
Based on our research’s team State Farm auto insurance review, we found that State Farm might offer the lowest rate if you have a young driver in the home. In the 2021 U.S. Auto Insurance Study, we see that this company is also one of the top choices. Furthermore, State Farm has an A+ BBB rating, which isn’t easy to achieve.
Among the great customer experience rankings, State Farm provides some standard benefits, such as roadside assistance and rental car coverage. If you have a classic car, you can bundle the policy together with your auto insurance to get a better rate.
Shop For Insurance Coverage
When the time comes to get a quote, we recommend doing some comparison shopping. You can start with our top providers, including USAA car insurance, State Farm car insurance, Geico car insurance, and Progressive car insurance, and move on from there. By taking a few minutes to compare plans, you ensure that you pick the organization that best suits your needs. It’s often wise to shop rates periodically, even if you are happy with your current coverage. You never know what new discounts and rates will be available to you.
Use our tool below or call (844) 246-8209 to start comparing car insurance quotes:
Methodology
In an effort to provide accurate and unbiased information to consumers, our expert review team collects data from dozens of auto insurance providers to formulate rankings of the best insurers. Companies receive a score in each of the following categories, as well as an overall weighted score out of 5.0 stars.
- Industry Standing: Insurers with strong financial ratings and customer-first business practices receive the highest scores in this category.
- Availability: We consider availability by state as well as exclusions for specific groups of drivers.
- Coverage: This rating is based on types of insurance available, maximum coverage limits, and add-on policies.
- Cost and Discounts: Our research team reviews auto insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services for a variety of drivers in every state. Companies with lower prices and many car insurance discount opportunities receive the best scores.
- Customer Service: We comb through customer reviews and consumer feedback studies from experts like J.D. Power.
- Technology: Auto insurers with mobile apps, advanced online services and telematics are more likely to meet consumer needs.