Main Street America vs. Travelers: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Travelers offers significantly less expensive prices than Main Street America
• Travelers offers more affordable rates for policyholders who may not have much of a commute
• Travelers offers more affordable average prices for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record

Main Street America vs. Travelers: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering pretty big discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Main Street America or Travelers as potential options, but which company will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Travelers is quite a bit cheaper than Main Street America, with rates averaging $167 per month compared to $227 with Main Street America.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean Travelers will be the cheaper option for every driver. After all, auto insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your driving record, where you call home, your age, or even your credit score (among other things), so premiums could differ drastically from person to person.

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

Main Street America or Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Main Street America and Travelers compete against each other in four states, with Main Street America offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. Virginia has the most noticable difference, where Travelers premiums are over 70% less expensive than car insurance rates at Main Street America.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance cost than just where you call home. Continue reading to learn more about how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance prices of any other group of drivers. It's 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 that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance premiums. As you can see above, teens who use Travelers save more than $100 a month compared to those who use Main Street America.

Even so, both companies will offer you dramatically lower prices once you turn 25. Travelers offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Main Street America's average rates drop nearly 55% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll generally enjoy the most affordable auto insurance premiums out there. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for insurance.

When looking at Main Street America and Travelers specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Travelers gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older over 25% cheaper than the national average for Main Street America.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance rates are usually more affordable for married policyholders than they are for single drivers? This usually boils down to married couples having several cars on their policy -- something a lot of insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Travelers is the clear winner for single policyholders, with prices about $75 per month less expensive than Main Street America, on average. For married drivers, the advantage is clear again - Travelers has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Main Street America vs. Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and file an insurance claim, which means they'll normally end up paying more for car insurance than women.

Surprisingly, men typically pay around 3% less a month than women with Main Street America, while with Travelers, the difference is closer to 6% per month.

When it comes to the lowest premiums for each gender, Travelers comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $52 a month and women save about $69 with Travelers compared to the average Main Street America policyholder.

Main Street America 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 a range of different coverages that account for lots of different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, alongside liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, Travelers normally offers significantly more affordable rates of $108 compared to Main Street America's $159. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Travelers again has the edge, with policies around $70 per month less expensive than Main Street America, on average.

Is Main Street America or Travelers Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

You'll probably end up paying more with collisions and tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the cheapest premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Main Street America policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $61 a month if they get a ticket, while Travelers generally raises rates about $32 per month, on average.

But Travelers is typically the cheaper option for drivers both with a speeding ticket and with a clean record, offering prices that are $47 and $76 less expensive, respectively, compared to Main Street America Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Main Street America drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums rise by $40, while those who have insurance through Travelers will see around a $45 increase.

Overall, the cheaper rates come from Travelers, with monthly premiums averaging $173 compared to Main Street America Insurance's $215.

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 auto insurance bill. Main Street America drivers usually see a 38% raise in their car insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Travelers will usually climb rates by about 38%.

How does Credit Score Impact Main Street America and Travelers Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to calculate your monthly insurance premiums. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it might come into play for several policyholders.

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

Looking at Main Street America 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 Main Street America or Travelers Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a large impact on your monthly car insurance bill. Typically, 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.

Travelers tends to be the cheaper option for both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles annually, as well as those who average twice that figure. Travelers average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in over $60 less expensive than Main Street America. Those who drive 12,000 miles each year can expect to pay $60 less with Travelers over Main Street America.

Main Street America 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 insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a considerable impact as well. Generally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas because there are a lot fewer cars on the road in those areas, which reduces the chances of an accident.

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

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Travelers offers prices around $204 per month compared to Main Street America's $264. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay about $160 a month for Travelers and $230 for Main Street America. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the most affordable rates from both carriers, with average monthly premiums coming in at $136 and $188 for Travelers and Main Street America respectively.

Main Street America 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 hard to find all the ones you can take advantage of or to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Main Street America and Travelers so that you can see which one can save you the most money each month.

Travelers knocks Main Street America out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering seven more discounts than Main Street America.

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

On the flip side, Main Street America has a unique discount of its own -- a renewal discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Main Street America or Travelers Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your insurance rates. We've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which company is the right company for you and your specific needs?

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• Your credit is below-average.
• You live in a rural area.

Main Street America might be best for you if...

• You already have a great credit score.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Main Street America and Travelers. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple companies, not just Main Street America 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 top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Main Street America vs. Travelers FAQs

Is Main Street America or Travelers cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Travelers is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $167 per month compared to $227 for Main Street America. However, Travelers won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for every driver, since there are many different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Main Street America or Travelers?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, Travelers offers cheaper premiums for drivers with a recent DUI, while Main Street America is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit.

Why do Main Street America and Travelers offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at many different factors when calculating the rates they charge policyholders. Things like gender, your driving record, age, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Main Street America and Travelers calculate prices using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

How do I know if Main Street America or Travelers is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of 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 ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Main Street America 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.