Central Mutual vs. Travelers: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Travelers offers significantly less expensive premiums than Central Mutual
• Travelers has cheaper prices for drivers with a DUI
• Travelers tends to be a much more affordable option for single people who will be the only person on the insurance policy

Central Mutual or Travelers: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering substantial savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed it down to Central Mutual or Travelers, but which one will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Travelers is quite a bit cheaper than Central Mutual, with rates averaging $167 a month compared to $340 with Central Mutual.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Travelers will be the less expensive option for every single driver. After all, car insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your age, your credit score, where you call home, or even your driving record (among other things). So, at the end of the day, premiums from each company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

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

Central Mutual vs. Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Central Mutual and Travelers only compete against each other in two states, with Travelers offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. New York has the most noticable difference, where Travelers rates are $379 more affordable than auto insurance prices at Central Mutual.

But there's more to calculating insurance rates than just the state you live in. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. That's generally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance premiums. As you can see above, teens who use Travelers save almost 40% per month compared to those who use Central Mutual.

However, both carriers will decrease prices by the time drivers turn 25. Travelers offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Central Mutual's average rates reduce nearly 45% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the most affordable insurance premiums you can find. 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 premiums for retired drivers between Central Mutual and Travelers? Travelers gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older over 50% less expensive than the national average for Central Mutual.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married policyholders tend to get slightly more affordable auto insurance prices than single policyholders. That's because policies for married couples typically cover multiple vehicles, which lots of companies will give you a discount for.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Travelers rates coming in at around half of Central Mutual's. The advantage for married drivers with Travelers is also obvious, where drivers save about $150 a month.

Central Mutual or Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

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

With Central Mutual, women normally pay around 4% per month less than men, and about 6% less with Travelers when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at overall affordability, Travelers comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average premiums 50% less for men and 52% cheaper for women.

Central Mutual vs. 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.

Car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different coverages and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

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

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Travelers has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $108. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Travelers again has the edge, with policies averaging around $225 a month to Central Mutual's $506.

Is Central Mutual or Travelers Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

Speeding tickets and at-fault collisions will most likely raise your prices, but is Central Mutual or Travelers cheaper for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Central Mutual for their auto insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 26% after getting a speeding ticket. Travelers policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 20%.

However, Travelers has less expensive rates for drivers in both categories, offering premiums that are 47% and 51% cheaper, respectively, compared to Central Mutual Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Central Mutual drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices climb by over 20%, while those who have insurance through Travelers will see about a 25% increase.

At the end of the day, Travelers offers the cheapest rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $173 compared to Central Mutual Insurance's $311.

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 ticket or even a collision. On average, Central Mutual will climb your prices around 50% after a DUI, while Travelers's average rates increase by nearly 40%.

How does Credit Score Impact Central Mutual and Travelers Rates?

Did you know many car insurance companies take into account your credit score when determining premiums? This isn't true for everyone (Hawaii, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it will come into play for several policyholders.

Insurance carriers argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time every month, which raises the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

So, which company offers the best prices for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Central Mutual or Travelers Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

Did you know that the amount of time you spend in your car have a pretty big impact on your monthly rates? Typically, those who drive fewer miles will end up with more affordable premiums since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Travelers offers less expensive prices than Central Mutual. Central Mutual average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about $171 more expensive than Travelers. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay around $176 more with Central Mutual over Travelers.

Central Mutual or Travelers: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for auto insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a sizable impact as well. Generally, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers due to the number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

Travelers tends to offer the lowest premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about $92 with Travelers compared to Central Mutual. People who live in suburban areas pay around $103 less with Travelers compared to Central Mutual. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Travelers's average rates are about $325 less than Central Mutual Insurance.

Central Mutual vs. Travelers Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new car insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many insurance discounts as possible.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Central Mutual and Travelers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Travelers blows Central Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 10 more discounts than Central Mutual.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, distant student discounts, discounts for getting driver training, and group discounts. Travelers also offers discounts for advance quote, alternative fuel, continuous insurance, and more.

On the other hand, Central Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like book transfer policy discounts, renewal discounts, teensmart discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Central Mutual or Travelers Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors auto insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the right carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- undefined only offers policies to residents.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You want to save money while purchasing car insurance for a teenager.

Central Mutual might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Central Mutual and Travelers. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your insurance.

But, at the end of the day, there's only one way to know for sure that you're getting the best possible deal on car insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Central Mutual and Travelers. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Central Mutual vs. Travelers FAQs

Is Central Mutual or Travelers cheaper?

Travelers is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $167 per month with Travelers and $340 for Central Mutual. But that doesn't mean Travelers will be the cheapest carrier for each policyholder, since there are several different variables that are considered when it comes to your insurance cost.

Who is better, Central Mutual or Travelers?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Central Mutual and Travelers offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use many different factors when calculating the premiums they charge. Variables such as gender, where you live, age, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Central Mutual and Travelers calculate prices differently, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

How do I know if Central Mutual or Travelers is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Central Mutual or Travelers at all, but another you hadn't even thought of!

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.