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

Quick Facts

• In general, Travelers offers significantly cheaper premiums than Motorists
• Travelers has less expensive rates for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit
• Travelers offers more affordable premiums for drivers who have received a ticket within the last few years

Motorists 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 large discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to Motorists or Travelers as your top options, but between the two, which one has more affordable prices for insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Motorists is quite a bit more expensive than Travelers, with rates averaging $251 per month compared to just $167 with Travelers.

However, that doesn't mean Travelers will necessarily be less expensive than Motorists for each driver. After all, car insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your credit score, your driving record, your age, or even where you call home (among other things), so prices will change quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Motorists or Travelers is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each carrier broken down by a range of different rate factors.

Motorists or Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

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

There are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance bill than just where you call home. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for car insurance than any other group of drivers. That'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 auto insurance prices. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of more than $60 less a month by choosing Travelers over Motorists.

Even so, both carriers will lower rates by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for Motorists policyholders decrease nearly $200 and Travelers's prices drop over $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll generally enjoy the cheapest insurance rates 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 car insurance.

When looking at Motorists and Travelers specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Travelers gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $87 more affordable than the national average for Motorists.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance prices are normally more expensive for single drivers than they are for married drivers? This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one car on their policy -- something a lot of auto insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Travelers is the clear winner for single policyholders, with premiums about $84 per month cheaper than Motorists, on average. The advantage for married couples with Travelers is also obvious, where drivers save almost 40% a month.

Motorists vs. Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, which means they'll typically end up paying more for insurance than women.

Men normally pay around $10 per month more than women with Motorists, while with Travelers, the difference is closer to $11 a month.

Looking at overall affordability, Travelers comes out as the most affordable option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $85 per month and women save about $84 with Travelers compared to the average Motorists policyholder.

Motorists 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.

It's no secret that auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are multiple different coverages that account for a variety 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 typically refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Travelers generally offers less expensive prices of $108 compared to Motorists's $123. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Travelers again has the edge, with policies around $150 a month more affordable than Motorists, on average.

Is Motorists or Travelers Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance carriers offering great premiums 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 at-fault accidents and tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the lowest rates to drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Motorists policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $18 per month if they get a ticket, while Travelers usually raises rates about $32 a month, on average.

But Travelers is generally the less expensive option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering prices that are 24% and 14% cheaper, respectively, compared to Motorists Insurance Group.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Motorists drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums climb by just under 20%, while those who have insurance through Travelers will see around a 25% increase.

Overall, Travelers offers the most affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly rates averaging $173 compared to Motorists Insurance Group's $206.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple ticket or even a collision. On average, Motorists will raise your premiums about 62% after a DUI, while Travelers's average rates increase by just under 40%.

How does Credit Score Impact Motorists and Travelers Rates?

Did you know that many insurance carriers take your credit score into account when calculating prices? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it might come into play for quite a few policyholders.

Car insurance carriers argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time every month, which increases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

Looking at Motorists and Travelers specifically, which carrier has the best rates 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 Motorists or Travelers Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on how much auto insurance companies will charge for coverage. Typically, the more miles you drive, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

For both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles yearly, as well as those who average twice that figure, Travelers offers more affordable prices than Motorists. Travelers's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in nearly 35% cheaper than Motorists. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay just under 35% less with Travelers over Motorists.

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

Where you park your vehicle can have a sizable impact on your monthly insurance cost. Normally, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas because there are a lot more cars on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Travelers usually comes out as the lowest option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $136 a month with Travelers compared to Motorists's $252. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about $160 with Travelers compared to Motorists's $215 per month. In urban areas, Travelers's average rates are around $204 while Motorists offers premiums about $286.

Motorists vs. Travelers Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new car 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 auto insurance discounts as you can.

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

In the section below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Motorists and Travelers so that you can see which company can save you the most money each month.

Travelers blows Motorists away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 11 more discounts than Motorists.

Both companies offer quite a few of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and paid in full discounts -- but Travelers also offers alternative fuel discounts, continuous insurance discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, and more that Motorists does not.

On the flip side, Motorists has a couple unique discounts of its own -- empty nester discounts, discounts for being a homeowner, life policy discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Motorists or Travelers Best for You?

You've seen the role certain factors have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which company is the best one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance carrier.
• You're worried about the impact your credit score will have on your prices.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.

Motorists 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 Motorists 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 best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from several companies, not just Motorists and Travelers. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Motorists vs. Travelers FAQs

Is Motorists or Travelers cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Travelers is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $167 per month compared to $251 for Motorists. However, Travelers won't necessarily be the cheapest company for everyone, since there are a bunch of different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Motorists or Travelers?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". Neither carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Motorists and Travelers offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers take a look at lots of different factors when determining the prices they charge drivers. Things like your driving record, where you live, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Motorists and Travelers calculate premiums differently, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different companies.

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

The only way to find the car insurance carrier 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Motorists 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.