Kemper 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 Kemper
• Travelers offers less expensive average prices for policyholders who drive fewer than 6,000 miles annually
• Travelers offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse

Kemper or 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 large savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Kemper or Travelers, but which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, Kemper has average rates that are around 30% a month more expensive than those from Travelers.

However, that doesn't mean Travelers will necessarily be cheaper than Kemper for every driver. Insurance carriers use all sorts of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on where you live or how clean your driving record is (among lots of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Kemper and Travelers by several different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Kemper vs. Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Kemper and Travelers compete against each other in nine states, with Kemper offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. New York has the most noticable difference, where Travelers rates are $405 cheaper than car insurance premiums at Kemper.

There's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance cost than just where you call home. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for insurance than any group out there on the road. Typically, that's because teen 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 that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance rates. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 30% less per month by choosing Travelers over Kemper.

But with both companies, you'll see your prices reduce significantly by the time you turn 25. Travelers offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Kemper's average premiums decrease over 55% 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 lowest rates you'll ever find.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Kemper and Travelers? Travelers gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older more than 25% less expensive than the national average for Kemper.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance prices tend to be more affordable for married drivers than they are for those who are single. That's normally because married couples tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For single policyholders, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with Travelers prices coming in at a third less than Kemper's. The advantage for married policyholders with Travelers is also obvious, where drivers save about $50 a month.

Kemper or Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get into accidents and get tickets, they run a lower risk of filing a claim with insurance. So, insurance companies will often charge women less than men.

On average, men see premiums nearly 10% per month higher with Kemper, and around 6% more with Travelers.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Travelers comes out as the cheapest option for both genders. On average, women save about $64 a month and men save about $72 with Travelers compared to the average Kemper policyholder.

Kemper 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.

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

Even so, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which generally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Travelers has the 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 per month to Kemper's $331.

Is Kemper or Travelers Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance carriers offering great prices 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 collisions and speeding tickets lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- Kemper or Travelers -- has the most affordable premiums for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Kemper for their insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Travelers policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 20%.

However, Travelers tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket -- their rates are around 26% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 27% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through Kemper can expect to see about an $85 -- or around 33% -- rise in their insurance rates. Drivers who use Travelers for their car insurance will see a monthly bill about $45 (or 26%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their auto insurance company.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Travelers end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average premiums coming in at $173 compared to Kemper's $259.

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 -- generally a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. Kemper drivers usually see a 39% increase in their car insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Travelers will normally raise rates by around 38%.

How does Credit Score Impact Kemper and Travelers Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can come into play when companies calculate your monthly bill. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it does affect a lot of drivers out there.

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

So, which carrier offers the cheapest premiums for policyholders 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 Kemper or Travelers Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a sizable impact on your monthly prices. Typically, those who drive fewer miles will end up with more affordable premiums since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Travelers offers less expensive prices than Kemper. Kemper average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about $70 more expensive than Travelers. Those who drive 12,000 miles each year can expect to pay around $66 more with Kemper over Travelers.

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

Where you live can have a pretty big impact on your monthly car insurance bill. Normally, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

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

Those in rural areas can expect to save about 25% with Travelers compared to Kemper. People who live in suburban areas pay around 29% less with Travelers compared to Kemper. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Travelers's average prices are about 31% less than Kemper.

Kemper vs. Travelers Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be challenging to find all the ones you're eligible for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Kemper and Travelers so that you can see which one offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Overall, Travelers has a slight advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. Kemper offers a grand total of 24 discounts, while Travelers has 25.

Both carriers offer a lot of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts, continuous insurance discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and DRL discounts -- but Travelers also offers discounts for alternative fuel, COVID-19 relief, electric vehicle, and more.

On the other hand, Kemper has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like AAA discounts, ESC discounts, full coverage discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Kemper or Travelers Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, at the end of the day, is Kemper or Travelers the best fit for you?

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You want to save money on your insurance after an accident.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.
• You drive often but have a short commute.

Kemper 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 better idea of the difference between Kemper and Travelers. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to 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 Kemper and Travelers. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Kemper vs. Travelers FAQs

Is Kemper or Travelers cheaper?

Travelers is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $167 a month with Travelers and $235 for Kemper. That being said, that doesn't mean Travelers will be the lowest carrier for every policyholder, since there are a bunch of different factors that are considered when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, Kemper or Travelers?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Kemper and Travelers offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use lots of different variables when determining the prices they charge. Factors like age, your driving record, where you call home, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Kemper and Travelers calculate rates using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different carriers.

How do I know if Kemper 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, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code 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 cheapest premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Kemper 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.