Elephant Car Insurance Review 2023

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. 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 an online quote discount, a discount for holding multiple policies, and a discount if you pay your total premium in one payment.
• Coverage Wizard tool: Elephant’s Coverage Wizard tool can help if you’re not sure what coverages you really need. 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 only sells auto insurance policies in eight states: Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Georgia. You’ll have to find another insurance company if you don't live in one of its service areas.
• Significantly more customer complaints than its competitors: Elephant has received more complaints than is expected for its market share over a three-year period.

Elephant Car 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 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.

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.

Elephant Car Insurance Discounts

Elephant has a number of discounts that can help reduce your premium costs by as much as 40%, although 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 their 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
• Homeowner discount: For people who have property insurance

Elephant Car Insurance Availability

Elephant is only available in eight states: Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Georgia.

Elephant Customer Service

You can get quotes for car insurance and purchase policies online from Elephant, 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 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. The sales team is closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Elephant also has a team of licensed agents available to discuss car insurance needs and coverage options over the phone.

Neither Elephant nor Admiral Group has 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 overall in 2022, the last year for which NAIC has published a report on this company.

Complaints were mostly about delays in claims processing and unsatisfactory offers.

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 on your smartphone or online, or you can call the claims department during business hours at 844-937-5353. Make sure to have your policy number handy when you're reporting an accident or incident. 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

You must call the cancellation department at 877-321-2095 to cancel your policy. A representative will walk you through the process.

Get an Elephant Car Insurance Quote

You can get an insurance quote from Elephant 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

Elephant may recommend other insurers in your area if you're not eligible for an Elephant car insurance policy.

Compare Other Car Insurance Reviews

Elephant has some interesting optional coverages, and it’s a convenient choice for drivers who want to get quotes and purchase policies online. But drivers who are looking for excellent customer service will likely be disappointed with this insurer's poor history of customer complaints and lack of insurance agents.

Compare quotes from multiple car insurance companies to ensure you’re getting the best rates before you purchase an auto policy.

Final Verdict

Elephant offers convenient online quotes and valuable discounts, but 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.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who is Elephant Car Insurance owned by?

Elephant is a subsidiary of the Admiral Group, a worldwide insurance provider with subsidiaries that serve over six million customers. Elephant is one of four insurance companies owned by Admiral.

What is Elephant Insurance known for?

Elephant offers roadside assistance coverage and pet injury protection, which aren't available through all insurers. But it's received more customer complaints than other insurers of its size, many of them centered on the claims process.

What states does Elephant Insurance cover?

Elephant offers auto insurance in only eight states. They include Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Georgia.

Does Elephant have full coverage?

"Full coverage" typically means a package that includes collision coverage, liability coverage, and comprehensive coverage, although some insurers throw in a few extras, such as gap coverage. Elephant offers all three major coverage components and gap coverage as well, and it throws in a few other rare extras, such as pet injury protection. But keep in mind that the extras may result in higher premiums if you elect to carry them.

Methodology

Investopedia is dedicated to furnishing consumers with unbiased, comprehensive reviews of car insurance providers. We've 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.