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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Travelers offers slightly less expensive rates than Nationwide
• Nationwide offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who live in urban areas
• Travelers tends to be a much cheaper option for drivers with a DUI

Nationwide or Travelers: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering big savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed your search down to Nationwide or Travelers as potential options, but which one will offer you more affordable rates?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Nationwide is around $3 more a month than Travelers.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean Travelers will be the less expensive option for every driver. After all, insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your credit score, where you call home, your age, or even your driving record (among other things). So, at the end of the day, premiums from each company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

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

Nationwide vs. Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Nationwide and Travelers compete against each other in 21 states, with Travelers offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all but two of them. If you live in Minnesota or Mississippi, Nationwide is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at the overall average prices, but Travelers is the cheaper option in most of the others.

But there's more to auto insurance than just where you call home. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how car insurance companies determine your premiums. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. The reason is that teen 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 prices. As you can see above, teens who use Travelers save over 7% per month compared to those who use Nationwide.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for Nationwide policyholders lower about $250 and Travelers's prices decrease around $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to car insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the most affordable premiums you'll ever find.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Nationwide and Travelers? Nationwide gets the slight edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older about 5% less expensive than the national average for Travelers.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance rates tend to be more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married drivers. This usually boils down to married couples having multiple vehicles on their policy -- something several car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Travelers is the winner for single drivers, with premiums around 5% a month cheaper than Nationwide, on average.

Nationwide or Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get into accidents and get tickets, they have a lower chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, women normally pay less for auto insurance than men.

Generally, men see rates about 7% per month higher with Nationwide, and around 6% with Travelers.

Looking at overall affordability, Travelers comes out as the cheapest option for both genders, with average prices $4 less for men and $3 cheaper for women.

Nationwide 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.

For most people, car insurance can be pretty complicated. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different coverages and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Travelers has the slight edge, with average monthly premiums 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 about $225 a month to Nationwide's $229.

Is Nationwide or Travelers Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their auto insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

Speeding tickets and collisions will most likely raise your prices, but is Nationwide or Travelers more affordable for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Nationwide for their insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up around 16% after getting a speeding ticket. Travelers policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 20%.

But Nationwide is generally the cheaper option for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records -- their rates are around 2% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 7% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through Nationwide can expect to see around an $53 -- or about 30% -- rise in their auto insurance rates. Drivers who use Travelers for their insurance will see a monthly bill around $45 (or 26%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance company.

At the end of the day, the cheaper premiums come from Travelers, with average prices coming in at $173 compared to Nationwide's $178.

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 speeding ticket or even a collision. Nationwide drivers usually see a 46% increase in their car insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Travelers will normally raise rates by about 38%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, Travelers tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $205 to Nationwide's $230.

How does Credit Score Impact Nationwide and Travelers Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can come into play when carriers calculate your monthly bill. Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it might come into play for many drivers.

Insurance carriers argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, policyholders with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

Looking specifically at Nationwide and Travelers, which company has the lowest rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, Travelers will typically reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Travelers comes in more than 10.53 more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save about 7% with Travelers compared to average premiums from Nationwide.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have bad credit, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best rates. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 3% less with Travelers than Nationwide, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving about 7% per month with Nationwide.

Is Nationwide 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. That's because the more milage you drive, the more likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Travelers offers less expensive premiums than Nationwide. Nationwide's average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in 4% more expensive than Travelers. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay 1% more with Nationwide over Travelers.

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

Where you live can have a sizable impact on your monthly auto insurance cost. Usually, those who live in urban areas will pay more than drivers in rural areas since there are a lot more cars on the roads where they live.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Nationwide tends to offer the lowest option for drivers in urban and suburban areas, while Travelers wins in rural areas.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $136 per month with Travelers compared to Nationwide's $151. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly price of about $159 with Nationwide compared to $160 with Travelers. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Nationwide's average premiums are around $199 a month compared to Travelers's $204.

Nationwide vs. Travelers Discounts

No matter 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 you can, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many auto insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be hard to find all the ones you're eligible for or to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Nationwide and Travelers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Looking at the total number of discounts, Travelers has advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. Nationwide offers a grand total of 22 discounts, while Travelers has 25.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Travelers also offers discounts for ABS, alternative fuel, continuous insurance, and more.

On the other hand, Nationwide has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like agency transfer discounts, employee discounts, homeowner discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Nationwide or Travelers Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which company is the right carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the car insurance policy.
• You're looking for the best premiums on liability only coverage.
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.

Nationwide might be best for you if...

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's insurance policy.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Nationwide 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.

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 carriers, not just Nationwide and Travelers. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Nationwide vs. Travelers FAQs

Is Nationwide or Travelers cheaper?

Travelers is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $167 per month with Travelers and $170 for Nationwide. Even so, that doesn't mean Travelers will be the most affordable carrier for every policyholder, since there are a range of different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Nationwide or Travelers?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile. For example, Nationwide is cheaper for drivers who have already retired, while Travelers offers less expensive prices for single policyholders.

Why do Nationwide and Travelers offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use lots of different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Variables like your driving record, where you park your vehicle, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Nationwide and Travelers use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

How do I know if Nationwide 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 does all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Nationwide 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.