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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Travelers offers significantly more affordable rates than Esurance
• Travelers offers more affordable premiums for drivers who have below-average credit
• Travelers has less expensive prices for policyholders who live in the suburbs

Esurance or Travelers: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering huge savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Esurance or Travelers, but which one will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, Travelers is quite a bit cheaper than Esurance, with premiums averaging $167 a month compared to $299 with Esurance.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean Travelers will be the cheaper option for each driver. Insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to determine rates, so depending on how good your credit score is or how old you are (among a wide array of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Esurance and Travelers by a variety of different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

Esurance vs. Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Esurance and Travelers compete against each other in eight states, with Travelers offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all of them. Maryland has the most noticable difference, where Travelers premiums are $242 less expensive than auto insurance rates at Esurance.

There's a lot more that goes into your car insurance payment than just the state you live in. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. It's typically because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance prices. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 50% less per month by choosing Travelers over Esurance.

However, with both companies, you'll see your premiums decrease significantly by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for Esurance policyholders reduce more than 65% and Travelers's prices drop over 60% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age normally enjoy some of the lowest car insurance premiums you'll ever see. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally reduces their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise prices.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Esurance and Travelers? Travelers gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $100 cheaper than the national average for Esurance.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance premiums are typically more expensive for those who are single than they are for married policyholders? That's usually because married drivers tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For single drivers, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with Travelers premiums coming in at around half of Esurance's. The advantage is also clear for married couples - Travelers offers the most affordable average prices.

Esurance or Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

Women normally to pay less for car insurance than men. That's because men are more likely to get into collisions and get tickets, which raises the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

Generally, men see rates about $20 a month higher with Esurance, and more than $10 with Travelers.

Looking at overall affordability, Travelers comes out as the cheapest option for both genders, with average premiums $137 less for men and $127 cheaper for women.

Esurance 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.

It's no secret that insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

But most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which generally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Travelers has the significant edge, with average monthly prices 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 per month to Esurance's $396.

Is Esurance or Travelers Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto 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.

It's no secret secret that at-fault accidents and speeding tickets lead to higher prices, but which carrier -- Esurance or Travelers -- has the lowest rates for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Esurance for their car insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 16% after getting a speeding ticket. Travelers policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 20%.

Even so, Travelers has less expensive premiums for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 47% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 44% more affordable for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Esurance raising by about 34%. Travelers has a less extreme raise, but you can still expect to pay more than 25% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Travelers end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average rates coming in at $173 compared to Esurance's $364.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. For example, Travelers increases average premiums by more than $75 a month -- that's nearly a 40% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact Esurance and Travelers Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance companies take your credit score into account when determining prices? This isn't true for everyone (for example, are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect many drivers out there.

The reasoning insurance carriers use is that policyholders 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 generally be forced to pay more.

So, which company offers the most affordable rates for drivers with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

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

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in how much car insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the fewer miles you put on your car each year, the less likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Travelers offers less expensive prices than Esurance. Travelers's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in around $134 cheaper than Esurance. Those who drive 12,000 miles every year can expect to pay about $130 less with Travelers over Esurance.

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

Where you live can play a big role in how much you pay for insurance. Typically, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers since there are a lot more vehicles on the roads where they live.

Travelers boasts the most affordable average rates for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Travelers's average prices are around $204 per month compared to Esurance's $396. People in suburban areas pay a monthly price of about $160 with Travelers compared to $288 with Esurance. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $136 a month with Travelers compared to Esurance's $211.

Esurance vs. Travelers Discounts

No matter 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 you can. That's where car insurance discounts comes into play.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Esurance and Travelers so that you can see which carrier 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 Esurance's 24.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like advance quote discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, DRL discounts, and discounts for being a good student. Travelers also offers discounts for alternative fuel, continuous insurance, COVID-19 relief, and more.

On the other hand, Esurance has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like agency transfer discounts, education discounts, homeowner discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Esurance or Travelers Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your auto insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is Esurance or Travelers the best company for you and your specific driver profile?

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You want to save money on your insurance after a collision.
• You live in an urban area.
• You have a short commute.

Esurance might be best for you if...

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

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Esurance and Travelers and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your car 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 auto insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of companies, not just Esurance 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 carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Esurance vs. Travelers FAQs

Is Esurance or Travelers cheaper?

Travelers is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $167 a month with Travelers and $299 for Esurance. But that doesn't mean Travelers will be the cheapest carrier for each driver, since there are lots of different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Esurance or Travelers?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do Esurance and Travelers offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use lots of different variables when calculating the rates they charge. Things like where you call home, where you park your car, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Esurance and Travelers use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

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

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Esurance 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.