Elephant is a relatively new car insurance company. Launched in 2009, the company offers a range of coverage options, including standard coverages such as comprehensive and collision protection. It also has optional coverages that many other companies don’t offer, such as pet injury protection and loan or lease payoff insurance.
Elephant is a subsidiary of Admiral Group, one of the U.K.’s leading insurers. Worldwide, the Admiral Group and its subsidiaries serve over six million customers.
- Pros & Cons
- Key Takeaways
- Company Overview
Loan/lease payoff coverage
Save up to 40% with available discounts
Coverage Wizard tool
Only available in eight states
Significantly more customer complaints than its competitors
- Elephant was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Henrico, Va.
- Elephant is a subsidiary of Admiral Group, which sells insurance in eight different countries and serves over six million customers.
- The company is a direct-to-consumer insurer, so you can buy policies online or over the phone.
- The company claims you can save up to 40% with its premium discounts.
- Elephant currently sells auto insurance policies in eight states.
- Year Founded 2009
- Official Website www.elephant.com
- Insurance Offered Auto, home, renters, condo, motorcycle, life, umbrella
- Customer Service Phone: 1-877-321-2096
Pros Explained
- Loan/lease payoff coverage – Loan/lease payoff coverage, also known as gap insurance, protects you if your car is a total loss and you still owe money on the vehicle. Most insurance companies don’t sell gap insurance, and you have to purchase it from the bank or dealership when you buy your car.
- Save up to 40% with available discounts – According to Elephant, you could potentially save a substantial amount of money with its available discounts, including online quote, multiple policy, and pay-in-full discounts.
- Coverage Wizard tool – If you’re not sure what coverages you really need, Elephant’s Coverage Wizard tool can help. It will ask you questions about your vehicle and driving habits and make personalized recommendations based on your answers.
Cons Explained
- Only available in a few states- Elephant currently only sells auto insurance policies in eight states: Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Georgia. If you don’t live in one of its service areas, you’ll have to find another insurance company.
- Significantly more customer complaints than its competitors – Elephant has received more complaints than is expected for its market share for the past three years.
The amount Elephant collected in annual premiums in 2019
Elephant Car Insurance Coverage Options
Elephant offers the standard coverage options you need to meet state minimum requirements, but it also has other coverages 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.
Collision
Collision coverage pays for damage to your vehicle if you collide with another car or an object, regardless of who is at fault.
Comprehensive
With comprehensive insurance, you have protection if you experience losses from incidents other than vehicle accidents. For example, if your car is damaged by a hail storm, comprehensive coverage would pay for the repairs to your vehicle.
Custom Equipment
If you purchased after-market parts for your vehicle, such as custom wheels or devices, custom equipment coverage will pay for their repairs or replacement. When you purchase collision or comprehensive coverage with Elephant, $1,000 in custom equipment coverage is included. You can purchase up to $4,000 in additional custom equipment protection.
Income Loss
If you experience bodily injuries caused by an accident and lose your income as a result, income loss coverage will provide up to $100 per week for up to 52 weeks.
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 $5 per month.
Liability
Liability coverage, sometimes called “third-party coverage,” pays for injuries and property damage that others experience if you are at fault. There are two main types: bodily injury and property damage. Not only does liability coverage pay for the other person’s medical expenses or car repairs, but it also gives you a 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. 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, loan/lease payoff protection will pay the difference between the car’s cash value and what you owe on your loan or lease.
Medical Payments
Medical payments 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 covers everything that Medpay does, but it also reimburses you for lost wages and nonmedical expenses, up to policy limits.
Pet Injury
If your dog or cat is injured while inside a covered vehicle and you have collision or comprehensive insurance, you could receive up to $1,000 for veterinary costs, or a $1,000 death benefit if the pet dies.
Rental Car
If your car isn’t drivable for more than 24 hours because of a covered loss, rental car protection will provide a replacement car while your vehicle is in the shop, up to coverage limits.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist
If you are in an accident with a driver who is uninsured, has insufficient coverage, or leaves the scene of the accident, uninsured motorist insurance and underinsured motorist insurance will cover your medical treatments and car repair costs, up to the limits you select.
Elephant Car Insurance Discounts
Elephant has a number of discounts that can help reduce your premium costs by as much as 40%, though their availability can vary by location.
- Good Student Discount – For students who maintain a strong GPA
- Multiple Policy Discount – For customers who bundle car insurance with homeowners, condo, or renter’s insurance
- Multiple Vehicle Discount – For drivers who have two or more insured cars
- Online Quote Discount – Receive a discount for getting a quote online rather than over the phone
- Paperless Discount – For customers who opt for electronic statements and notices
- Pay-in Full-Discount – For customers who pay their annual premiums in one lump sum
- Responsible Driver Discount – For drivers who haven’t been in an accident in several years
- Safe Car Discount – For people who have added features that improve your vehicle’s safety, such as hands-free calling.
Elephant Car Insurance Availability
Elephant is only available in eight states: Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Georgia.
Elephant Customer Service
With Elephant, you can get quotes for car insurance and purchase policies online, or you can call its customer service department to purchase a policy over the phone. The sales department is available at 877-321-2096 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET. On Saturday the hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, and on Sundays they are 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET. Elephant also has a team of licensed agents available to discuss car insurance needs and coverage options over the phone.
Elephant was not included in the J.D. Power 2019 Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, a study that evaluated and ranked top insurance companies based on their product offerings, pricing, communications, and customer interactions. In addition, neither Elephant nor Admiral Group have been rated by AM Best, the credit rating agency dedicated to the insurance industry.
Complaint Index
Unfortunately, Elephant has received more customer complaints than is typical for an insurer of its size. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), Elephant’s complaint ratio was 1.62 for private passenger insurance in 2020.
Complaints were mostly about delays in claims processing and a lack of responsiveness from Elephant’s customer service team.
For the past three years Elephant’s complaint ratios have been much higher than the national complaint index.
Other Insurance Provided by Elephant
Elephant has several other insurance products, including:
- Homeowners Insurance
- Condo Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Renter’s Insurance
- Motorcycle Insurance
- Umbrella Insurance
How to Make a Car Insurance Claim With Elephant
You can file a claim with your smartphone or online, or you can call the claims department during business hours at 844-937-5353. When reporting an accident or incident, make sure you have your policy number handy and be prepared to provide the date and time of the incident, the other party’s information, the name of the police department involved, and the police report number.
Elephant Car Insurance Cancellation Policy
To cancel your policy, you must call the cancellation department at 877-321-2095. The representative will ask for your policy number, the date your policy should end, and your reason for canceling.
Get an Elephant Car Insurance Quote
You can get an insurance quote online. You’ll be asked for the following information about you and your car:
- Year, Make, and Model
- Financing Information
- Driver’s License Number
- Estimated Use
- Birthday
- Driving Record
- Gender
- Marital Status
- Zip Code
If you are not eligible for an Elephant car insurance policy, Elephant may recommend other insurers in your area.
Compare Other Car Insurance Reviews
Elephant has some interesting optional coverages, and it’s a convenient option for drivers who want to get quotes and purchase policies online. However, with its poor history of customer complaints and a lack of insurance agents, drivers who are looking for excellent customer service will likely be disappointed.
Before purchasing an auto policy, compare quotes from multiple car insurance companies to ensure you’re getting the best rates.
While Elephant offers convenient online quotes and valuable discounts, it has consistently received far more customer complaints than is typical for a company of its size. Drivers who are looking for personalized attention and assistance will likely be better off with another insurance company that has a stronger reputation for customer service and insurance agents with whom you can meet in person.
Methodology
Investopedia is dedicated to furnishing consumers with unbiased, comprehensive reviews of car insurance providers. We reviewed each insurance provider’s coverage options, available discounts, customer services, and satisfaction ratings to ensure that our content helps users make the right insurance decision for their needs.