Founded in 2009, Elephant is a subsidiary of Admiral Group, a large insurer in the U.K. Elephant Insurance is a small company that writes car insurance policies in eight states only: Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. However, it sells other types of insurance, such as homeowners and renters, from other companies and offers a bundling discount in some states.
Elephant sells policies directly to consumers, both online and over the phone. The company is known for offering affordable rates for one-year insurance terms. While many drivers approve of Elephant’s coverage and costs, the provider isn’t the right choice for everyone.
Elephant auto insurance coverage
Elephant offers typical car insurance coverage options, including comprehensive, collision and roadside assistance. It also offers:
- Rental reimbursement. This helps pay for a rental car if you can’t drive your vehicle due to a covered loss.
- Non-owner car insurance. Provides car insurance coverage if you regularly drive a vehicle you don’t own. You may also want this policy if you are trying to avoid a gap in insurance coverage or need an SR-22 after a DUI or other serious traffic violation.
- Loan/lease insurance. This add-on helps pay the difference (up to 25%) between your car’s value at the time it’s totaled and your loan amount.
- Legal assistance coverage. Starting at $6 per month, policyholders can add this coverage, which pays for legal fees associated with one minor traffic violation annually. You also receive a 25% discount off other legal services needed for estate planning, family law and more.
- Diminishing deductible. An extra option that is available only if you have collision coverage, it must be purchased with the initial policy or at renewal — not mid-contract. When you sign up, Elephant takes $100 off your collision deductible immediately for yearly policies or $50 for six-month policies, with a maximum of $500 off your deductible. Going forward, you’ll get the same amount reduced each time you renew your policy, as long as you remain accident-free. Should you have a wreck, the collision deductible won’t reset — it’ll stay the same for a year and then continue to decrease as you stay accident-free.
Customers who purchase collision insurance automatically receive pet insurance coverage, which provides up to $1,000 of coverage if your pet is injured during a covered accident.
In addition, Elephant customers may receive free perks, including:
- Accident forgiveness. If all drivers on your policy remain accident-free for three years, you’ll automatically earn accident forgiveness. This means that your next at-fault accident won’t increase your premium. For an extra cost, you can get accident forgiveness immediately.
- Custom parts and equipment coverage, which covers permanent enhancements to your car, such as window tinting and custom paint jobs. Elephant automatically includes up to $1,000 in coverage, but you can raise that limit for a fee if you have collision and comprehensive insurance.
- YourMechanic. Elephant offers customers discounted rates for certain repair and maintenance services that can be done at your home or office, including an oil change, battery replacement and alternator repairs.
- Repairs guaranteed for life, if you take your car to certain repair shops recommended by Elephant.
When you’re shopping for car insurance coverage, it’s important to understand what car insurance coverage you want and what you’re required to buy. For instance, most states require a minimum amount of car insurance to drive a vehicle. Alternatively, if you want extra protection, you may be interested in full coverage insurance.
Elephant car insurance discounts
Depending on your location and coverage type, you may be able to save on your auto policy by:
- Insuring more than one vehicle with Elephant.
- Getting a quote online.
- Buying multiple insurance products from Elephant.
- Owning a home.
- Not having any claims.
- Paying for your policy in full.
- Being a good student or having one on your policy.
- Having a student on your policy who is away at school and keeps their car at home.
- Buying an auto policy before your previous one expires.
- Taking a defensive driving course, if you’re 55 or older.
- Referring someone to Elephant.
- Working from home.
- Receiving your documents electronically.
- Using e-signature to sign your paperwork.
- Signing up for automatic payments
- Owning a car with safety equipment.
Elephant car insurance pricing and discounts
Motorists often pick Elephant coverage in hopes of finding cheap car insurance. Generally, the company’s rates are lower than the competition, though this depends on the driver.
The following rate estimates are for full coverage car insurance:
| Vehicle Type | Estimated Monthly Premium | Estimated Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 Hyundai Sonata | $115 | $1,382 |
| 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee | $134 | $1,604 |
While these rates are slightly below average for car insurance in Illinois, they’re likely not the cheapest rates possible. The easiest way to find your most competitive rates for auto coverage is to compare car insurance quotes from multiple providers.
Elephant car insurance discounts
Younger drivers and those with accidents or tickets on their records often have issues finding affordable car insurance rates. You may be able to reduce your costs considerably through the car insurance discounts offered by Elephant. Below are a few of the most common:
| Elephant Auto Insurance Discount | Details |
|---|---|
| Good student discount | Elephant insurance offers considerable discounts for high school and college students who maintain at least a B average in their classes. |
| Multi-car discount | If you insure more than one vehicle with Elephant, you’ll get a discount on your premium. |
| Responsible driver discount | If you’ve been accident-free for a certain period of time, you’ll receive reduced rates. |
| Multi-policy discount | Get a bundling discount if you combine auto insurance policies with other coverages, such as life or homeowners insurance. |
| Early bird discount | Find lower rates if you switch to Elephant from a different insurer at least five days before your current policy expires. |
| Safe car discount | You’ll be rewarded with lower costs if your car has a backup camera, Bluetooth technology or crash avoidance features. |
| Online quote discount | You’ll save money on Elephant auto insurance if you set your policy up online. |
| Electronic signature discount | Get a discount if you use an electronic signature for your documents. |
| Paperless account discount | In addition to helping the environment, you’ll save money on your premium if you choose paperless billing. |
| Pay in full discount | Elephant offers lowered rates for those who choose to pay up front for an entire year. |
| Student away at school discount | Pay lower car insurance prices for students who leave their cars at home and attend school at least 100 miles away. |
| Referral discount | Receive a discount on your insurance policy if you refer someone to Elephant or if someone recommends it to you. |
| Homeowner discount | Elephant auto insurance comes with a discount if you own and insure your home. |
| Work from home discount | If you work from home and spend less time on the road, you’ll get discounted premiums. |
Factors that affect car insurance rates
Like nearly every auto insurance provider, Elephant uses personal details and information about your vehicle when determining your premium. Here are some of the factors that can affect the cost of Elephant auto insurance:
- Location: Rates vary across state lines, but prices are also generally lower in rural regions than in cities in the same state.
- Driving history: Drivers with clean driving records will see the lowest rates. Those with at-fault accidents, tickets or moving violations will likely pay more for car insurance.
- Coverage: Prices will vary based on your desired types and amounts of auto insurance. A minimum coverage policy usually costs substantially less than one with extensive protection.
- Vehicle type: Insurance companies set different rates for each car model, with luxury vehicles and sports cars typically costing the most to insure.
- Age: Younger drivers are statistically more likely to be involved in accidents, so they almost always pay higher rates for auto insurance.
- Credit history: You’ll get lower car insurance premiums if your credit history shows that you pay bills on time and are in good financial standing.
Drivers who have avoided speeding tickets, DUI violations and at-fault accidents will find Elephant auto insurance’s most competitive pricing. It’s also possible to find lower rates if you maintain a strong credit score or opt for a lower amount of car insurance coverage.
Pricing based on tracked driving habits
Texas drivers can use Elephant’s Safe Driver app, which tracks driving behavior such as speed, hard braking and cell phone use. You earn a 3% discount when you sign up and up to an additional 7% discount after completing your test drive (more on this below).
You can earn an additional discount when you renew your policy if Elephant deems you a safe driver. However, your rates may also increase based on your driving behavior.
During the test drive, the app will track your driving habits for two to three weeks. Elephant will share your score at the end of the test drive and whether your rates would increase or decrease based on your score. You can then decide whether you want to continue with the Safe Driver app. You’ll also have a chance to increase your test score before your next renewal.
Other elephant insurance coverage options
Elephant offers the standard coverage options you’ll need to meet state minimum requirements, but it also has other coverages that you can add to your policy for extra protection. You can get a quote and purchase insurance online, or you can call 877-321-2096 to get a quote over the phone.
The company offers:
Collision coverage
Collision coverage pays for damage to your vehicle if you collide with another car or an object, regardless of who is at fault.
Comprehensive coverage
With comprehensive insurance, you have protection if you experience losses from incidents other than vehicle accidents. Comprehensive coverage would pay for the repairs to your vehicle if your car is damaged by a hail storm.
Custom equipment coverage
Custom equipment coverage will pay for their repairs or replacement if you’ve purchased after-market parts for your vehicle, such as custom wheels or devices. When you purchase collision or comprehensive coverage with Elephant, $1,000 in custom equipment coverage is included.6
Income loss coverage
Income loss coverage will provide up to $100 per week for up to 52 weeks if you experience bodily injuries caused by an accident and lose your income as a result.7
Legal assistance
Legal assistance is a unique benefit from Elephant that gives you discounted access to an attorney. You can add legal assistance to your policy for as little as $6 per month.8
Liability coverage
Liability coverage, sometimes called “third-party coverage,” pays for injuries and property damage that others experience if you’re at fault. There are two main types of this coverage: bodily injury and property damage. Not only does liability coverage pay for the other person’s medical expenses or car repairs, but it also provides you with legal defense if the other party decides to file a lawsuit against you.
Loan/lease payoff
Gap coverage can be useful for some drivers. You can purchase loan/lease payoff insurance from Elephant for vehicles that are financed or leased. Loan/lease payoff protection will pay the difference between the car’s cash value and what you owe on your loan or lease if your vehicle sustains a total loss in an accident and your comprehensive or collision coverage has paid the actual cash value for your car.
Medical payments coverage
Medical payment coverage, or Medpay, pays for the cost of necessary medical care that you and your passengers receive resulting from an auto accident, regardless of who is at fault.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
PIP or personal injury protection covers everything that Medpay covers, but it also reimburses you for lost wages and nonmedical expenses up to policy limits.
Pet injury
You could receive up to $1,000 for veterinary costs, or a $1,000 death benefit if the pet dies, if your dog or cat is injured while inside a covered vehicle and you have collision or comprehensive insurance.9
Rental car protection
Rental car protection will provide a replacement car while your vehicle is in the shop if your car isn’t drivable because of a covered loss. Coverage limits apply.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance
Uninsured motorist insurance and underinsured motorist insurance will cover your medical treatments and car repair costs, up to the limits you select, if you’re in an accident with a driver who is uninsured, has insufficient coverage, or leaves the scene of the accident.
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