Foremost 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 Foremost
• Travelers offers more discounts than Foremost Insurance Group
• Travelers has more affordable rates for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record

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

Are you considering a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed it down to Foremost or Travelers for your next policy, but which one has cheaper prices for insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Travelers has average rates that are about 40% per month less expensive than those from Foremost.

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

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

Foremost or Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Foremost and Travelers only compete against each other in two states, with Travelers offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. Washington has the most noticable difference, where Travelers rates are over 60% less expensive than auto insurance premiums at Foremost.

But there's more to calculating car insurance prices than just where you call home. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- typically pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. Usually, that's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use Travelers save more than $200 a month compared to those who use Foremost.

Even so, both companies will lower premiums 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. Foremost's average prices drop over 60% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest premiums you can find.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Foremost and Travelers? Travelers gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older nearly 40% more affordable than the national average for Foremost.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance rates tend to be cheaper for married drivers than they are for single policyholders. That's because policies for married policyholders generally cover more than one car, which a lot of carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Travelers is the clear winner for those who are single, with premiums around $125 per month less expensive than Foremost, on average. The advantage is also clear for married couples - Travelers offers the most affordable average prices.

Foremost vs. Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get into accidents and get speeding tickets, they are more likely to file a claim with insurance. Therefore, insurance companies will often charge men more than women.

Women normally pay about $4 a month less than men with Foremost, and more than $10 cheaper with Travelers when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at overall affordability, Travelers comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average rates $100 less for men and $107 cheaper for women.

Foremost 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, car insurance can be pretty complicated. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different coverages and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Travelers usually offers significantly cheaper premiums of $108 compared to Foremost's $173. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Travelers again has the edge, with policies around $150 per month more affordable than Foremost, on average.

Is Foremost or Travelers Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their auto insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

Accidents and tickets will most likely raise your rates, but is Foremost or Travelers less expensive for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Foremost policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $56 a month if they get a ticket, while Travelers generally raises premiums about $32 per month, on average.

That being said, Travelers has cheaper prices for drivers in both categories, offering premiums that are $74 and $98 more affordable, respectively, compared to Foremost Insurance Group.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through Foremost can expect to see around an $179 -- or about 47% -- increase in their insurance rates. Drivers who use Travelers for their auto insurance will see a monthly bill around $45 (or 26%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their car insurance carrier.

Overall, Travelers offers the most affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with monthly premiums averaging $173 compared to Foremost Insurance Group's $381.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly insurance bill -- normally a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. Travelers drivers usually see a 38% climb in their car insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Foremost will typically increase prices by about 15%.

How does Credit Score Impact Foremost and Travelers Rates?

Did you know that many auto insurance carriers take your credit score into account when calculating premiums? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it will come into play for lots of drivers.

Insurance carriers argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with less expensive rates.

Looking at Foremost and Travelers specifically, which carrier has the best prices for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Foremost 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 big impact on your monthly rates? Generally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with more affordable premiums since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

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

Foremost vs. 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 car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a large impact as well. Typically, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas due to the number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

Travelers tends to offer the cheapest prices for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Travelers offers premiums about $204 monthly compared to Foremost's $318. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay around $160 a month for Travelers and $287 for Foremost. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the most affordable rates from both companies, with average monthly prices coming in at $136 and $205 for Travelers and Foremost respectively.

Foremost vs. Travelers Discounts

You want to save as much money as possible, right? The best way to do that is by utilizing as many auto insurance discounts as you can.

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

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

Travelers blows Foremost away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 13 more discounts than Foremost.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver, distant student discounts, and multi-policy discounts. Travelers also offers ABS discounts, alternative fuel discounts, continuous insurance discounts, and more that Foremost does not.

On the flip side, Foremost has a couple unique discounts of its own -- minor child discounts, multi-car/single driver discounts, paperless discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Foremost or Travelers Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the factors insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the best company for you and your specific driver profile?

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You have a speeding ticket on your driving record.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" auto insurance.
• You live in an suburban area.

Foremost might be best for you if...

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

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Foremost and Travelers and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of companies, not just Foremost and Travelers. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Foremost vs. Travelers FAQs

Is Foremost or Travelers cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Travelers is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $167 per month compared to $270 for Foremost. However, Travelers won't necessarily be the lowest company for every policyholder, since there are a bunch of different variables that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

Who is better, Foremost or Travelers?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single carrier is necessarily "better" for each driver -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Foremost and Travelers offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at several different factors when determining the prices they charge policyholders. Things such as where you live, where your home is, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Foremost and Travelers calculate rates differently, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Foremost 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.