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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, Travelers offers significantly more affordable prices than Hastings Mutual
• Hastings Mutual has less expensive rates for drivers who have received a ticket within the last few years
• Travelers offers more affordable prices for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit

Hastings Mutual 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 big discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed it down to Hastings Mutual or Travelers as your top options, but which one will offer you cheaper premiums?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Hastings Mutual is about $44 more per month than Travelers.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Travelers will be the less expensive option for each driver. Insurance carriers use all sorts of complex algorithms to calculate rates, so depending on how good your credit score is or where you live (among a lot of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

Wanting to know if Hastings Mutual 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.

Hastings Mutual or Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Hastings Mutual and Travelers compete against each other in six states, with Hastings Mutual offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all of them. Illinois has the most noticable difference, where Travelers prices are over 70% cheaper than car insurance rates at Hastings Mutual.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance bill than just your home state. Continue reading to learn more about how other factors 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 normally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

That being said, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. As you can see above, teens who use Travelers save more than $20 a month compared to those who use Hastings Mutual.

Even so, both companies will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for Hastings Mutual policyholders decrease over $150 and Travelers's premiums drop around $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

When looking at Hastings Mutual and Travelers specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Travelers gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older more than 20% less expensive than the national average for Hastings Mutual.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married couples tend to get slightly cheaper auto insurance prices than single drivers. This usually boils down to married policyholders having multiple cars on their policy -- something many insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Travelers is the clear winner for single policyholders, with premiums about $41 per month more affordable than Hastings Mutual, on average. For married drivers, the advantage is clear again - Travelers has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Hastings Mutual vs. Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but car insurance is generally more expensive for men than for women. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into an accident or get pulled over for speeding, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

Men usually pay around $5 a month more than women with Hastings Mutual, and over $10 with Travelers.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Travelers offers the most affordable average rates for both men and women, with average premiums $41 less for men and $47 cheaper for women.

Hastings Mutual 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.

Insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are several different coverages that account for multiple different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and 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).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Travelers typically offers less expensive prices of $108 compared to Hastings Mutual's $142. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Travelers again has the edge, with policies about $55 per month cheaper than Hastings Mutual, on average.

Is Hastings Mutual 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with accidents and tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the lowest prices to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Hastings Mutual policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $20 a month if they get a ticket, while Travelers generally raises rates around $32 per month, on average.

However, Hastings Mutual has more affordable premiums for drivers in both categories, offering prices that are $19 and $31 cheaper, respectively, compared to Travelers.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Hastings Mutual drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums increase by just under 15%, while those who have insurance through Travelers will see about a 25% increase.

Overall, Hastings Mutual offers the cheapest prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly rates averaging $126 compared to Travelers's $173.

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 speeding ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. On average, Hastings Mutual will increase your prices around 77% after a DUI, while Travelers's average premiums rise by just under 40%.

How does Credit Score Impact Hastings Mutual and Travelers Rates?

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

Car insurance carriers argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time each month, which decreases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

Looking specifically at Hastings Mutual and Travelers, which company 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 Hastings 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 substantial impact on your monthly rates? That's because the fewer miles you put on your vehicle each year, 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 Hastings Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Travelers, with policyholders who drive the least paying about $5 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles each year. Still, Travelers is the more affordable option for drivers in both categories.

Hastings Mutual vs. Travelers: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your car can have a big impact on your monthly auto insurance payment. Normally, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers because of the number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Travelers usually comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Travelers offers rates around $204 monthly compared to Hastings Mutual's $291. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay about $160 a month for Travelers and $177 for Hastings Mutual. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the lowest premiums from both carriers, with average monthly rates coming in at $136 and $164 for Travelers and Hastings Mutual respectively.

Hastings Mutual vs. Travelers Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new 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.

The hard part is finding all of the discounts you can take advantage of, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

In the section below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Hastings Mutual 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.

Travelers knocks Hastings Mutual out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 25 different discounts to Hastings Mutual's 25.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a good driver, and discounts for being a good student. Travelers also offers advance quote discounts, alternative fuel discounts, continuous insurance discounts, and more that Hastings Mutual does not.

On the flip side, Hastings Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- company car discounts, prior carrier discounts, and workloss exclusion discounts.

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

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

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- undefined only offers policies in.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.
• You're buying car insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

Hastings Mutual might be best for you if...

• You have a clean driving record, free of collisions, tickets, or DUIs.
• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• Your driving record contains an at-fault accident.

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

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from several carriers, not just Hastings Mutual and Travelers. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Hastings Mutual vs. Travelers FAQs

Is Hastings Mutual or Travelers cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Travelers is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $167 per month compared to $211 for Hastings Mutual. But Travelers won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for everyone, since there are a bunch of different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Hastings Mutual or Travelers?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for every driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile. For example, Hastings Mutual offers more affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their record, while Travelers is cheaper for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores.

Why do Hastings Mutual and Travelers offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at quite a few different variables when determining the premiums they charge policyholders. Factors such as your driving record, age, gender, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Hastings Mutual and Travelers calculate rates using different variables, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto 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, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Hastings Mutual 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.