American Select vs. Travelers: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, Travelers offers slightly less expensive prices than American Select
• American Select has cheaper rates for drivers who have received a ticket within the last few years
• Travelers offers more affordable average prices for policyholders who drive fewer than 12,000 miles each year

American Select vs. Travelers: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching your auto insurance. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to American Select or Travelers for your next policy, but between the two, which one has cheaper rates for car insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Travelers is about $3 per month less expensive than American Select.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean Travelers will be the more affordable option for each driver. After all, insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your driving record, where you call home, your age, or even your credit score (among other things), so premiums will change quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if American Select or Travelers is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

American Select or Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

American Select and Travelers compete against each other in six states, with Travelers offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. Michigan has the most noticable difference, where American Select premiums are over 70% more affordable than auto insurance rates at Travelers.

But there's more to insurance than just your home state. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how auto insurance companies calculate your premiums. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. That's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of more than $40 less a month by choosing American Select over Travelers.

Even so, both carriers will drop prices by the time drivers turn 25. Travelers offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. American Select's average premiums lower over 45% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll usually enjoy the lowest insurance rates you'll ever see. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for car insurance.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between American Select and Travelers? Travelers gets the slight edge here, with average premiums coming in at around $132 a month compared to American Select's $136. But that difference is less than 5%, which means it ultimately will come down to other factors, such as your credit score or your driving record.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance prices tend to be cheaper for married drivers than they are for those who are single. That's typically because married couples tend to own and insure several cars, which can often earn you a discount.

If you're in the market for insurance, Travelers tends to have the most affordable average premiums regardless of marital status, with prices about $7 more affordable for married policyholders and around $1 less expensive for single policyholders.

American Select vs. Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

Women normally to pay less for car insurance than men. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get speeding tickets and get into collisions, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

Men usually pay about $1 per month more than women with American Select, and more than $10 with Travelers.

When it comes to the lowest rates for each gender, American Select is the cheapest carrier for men. Rates with American Select are $1 less for men, while women can save around $9 with Travelers.

American Select or Travelers: Compare State Minimum vs. Full Coverage Rates

*State minimum value indicates liability-only policies at each state's minimum bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) limits

**Full coverage indicates state minimum BI/PD limits with collision and comprehensive coverages added to policy.

For most people, insurance can be pretty complicated. There are lots of different coverages that account for a variety of different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

That being said, most policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

In this case, American Select offers the most affordable average prices for state minimum liability limits, while Travelers has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $20 with American Select Insurance Company, while full coverage comes out to be about $25 cheaper with Travelers.

Is American Select or Travelers Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance companies offering great rates for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

You'll probably end up paying more with accidents and tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the cheapest premiums to drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

American Select policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $32 a month if they get a ticket, while Travelers typically raises prices around $32 per month, on average.

Even so, American Select has more affordable premiums for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 9% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 7% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through American Select can expect to see about an $41 -- or around 26% -- increase in their insurance prices. Drivers who use Travelers for their car insurance will see a monthly bill about $45 (or 26%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance company.

Overall, the less expensive premiums come from American Select, with monthly rates averaging $158 compared to Travelers's $173.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple speeding ticket or even a collision. On average, American Select will climb your premiums around 55% after a DUI, while Travelers's average prices climb by just under 40%.

How does Credit Score Impact American Select and Travelers Rates?

Did you know that many car insurance companies take into account your credit score when calculating rates? This isn't always the case (for example, Michigan and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for several policyholders.

The reasoning auto insurance carriers use is that drivers with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper premiums, while those with poor credit will normally be forced to pay more.

Looking at American Select and Travelers specifically, which carrier has the best prices for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is American Select or Travelers Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a big impact on your monthly rates. That's because the fewer miles you put on your vehicle, the less likely you are to get into an accident and cause an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much American Select charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for Travelers, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles yearly paying about $5 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, Travelers is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

American Select vs. Travelers: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you call home can have a large impact on your monthly insurance cost. Generally, drivers who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural policyholders due to the number of cars that are on the roads in those areas.

Looking at these companies side-by-side, Travelers tends to offer the most affordable option for drivers in rural and urban areas, while American Select wins in suburban areas.

In urban areas, Travelers's average premiums are around 0% less than American Select Insurance Company. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about 6% less with American Select compared to Travelers. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save around 13% with Travelers compared to American Select.

American Select vs. Travelers Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new auto insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as you can.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be difficult to find all the ones you can take advantage of or to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

In the section below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both American Select and Travelers so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Overall, Travelers comes out ahead with 25 discounts to American Select's 20.

Both carriers offer many of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, distant student discounts, and group discounts -- but Travelers also offers alternative fuel discounts, continuous insurance discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, and more that American Select does not.

On the flip side, American Select has a couple unique discounts of its own -- account relationship discounts, agency transfer discounts, companion auto discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is American Select or Travelers Best for You?

You've seen the role certain variables have on your insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, when it comes down to it, which carrier is the best carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing car insurance by yourself.
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles yearly.

American Select might be best for you if...

• You have a clean record.
• You want basic auto insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You live in an suburban area.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between American Select and Travelers and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple carriers, not just American Select and Travelers. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

American Select vs. Travelers FAQs

Is American Select or Travelers cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Travelers is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $167 a month compared to $170 for American Select. But Travelers won't necessarily be the lowest company for every policyholder, since there are many different factors (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, American Select or Travelers?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, Travelers offers less expensive rates for drivers with a recent DUI, while American Select is cheaper for drivers with excellent credit.

Why do American Select and Travelers offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at many different variables when determining the premiums they charge drivers. Factors such as age, where you live, gender, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both American Select and Travelers calculate rates using different variables, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

How do I know if American Select or Travelers is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best company for you might not be American Select or Travelers at all!

Methodology

All of the data referenced in this article has been gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. We analyzed more than 2.5 million rows of carrier-reported data to calculate the average rates referenced above. All rates are based on an insurance profile of a single-vehicle policy for a driver that owns a 2016 Honda Accord. For more information on how we calculate rates, please reference our data methodology.