Full Review
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 auto 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.

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Why you can trust NerdWallet: Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage so you can choose the insurance policy that works best for you. These carrier ratings are specific to auto insurance — a company's rating for other products may be different on our site. See our criteria for evaluating auto insurance companies.
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Elephant auto insurance coverage
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. Read about the most common types of car insurance coverage to see how they work.

Elephant offers typical car insurance coverage options, including comprehensive, collision and roadside assistance. It also offers:

Rental reimbursement, which helps pay for a rental car if you can’t drive your vehicle due to a covered loss.

Non-owner car insurance, which 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 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.

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ZIP Code
94103
Auto 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.

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Nerdy Tip
First time shopping for auto insurance? Unsure of where to start? Check out our guide on how to shop for car insurance.

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.

Complaints 
Elephant had far more than the expected number of complaints about auto insurance to state regulators relative to its size, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

More about Elephant auto insurance
Elephant’s website lets you pay bills, print ID cards, get a quote, file a claim and more.

Other insurance from Elephant 
Elephant offers motorcycle and all-terrain insurance through a partnership with Dairyland. Other types of insurance from Elephant’s partners and third-party insurers include:

Homeowners insurance.

Condo insurance.

Umbrella insurance.

Renters insurance.

Methodology
Insurer complaints methodology

NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2019-2021. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.