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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, Travelers offers significantly cheaper prices than Personal Service
• Travelers tends to be a much less expensive option for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record
• Travelers offers more affordable premiums for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit

Personal Service vs. Travelers: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering pretty big discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might be considering Personal Service or Travelers as potential options, but between the two, which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, Travelers is quite a bit cheaper than Personal Service, with rates averaging $167 per month compared to $325 with Personal Service.

However, that doesn't mean Travelers will necessarily be more affordable than Personal Service for every single driver. Insurance companies use a variety of complex algorithms to calculate premiums, so depending on how good your credit score is or how old you are (among a whole range of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

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

Personal Service or Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Personal Service and Travelers only compete against each other in New Jersey, where Travelers offers the cheaper average prices. For New Jersey residents, Travelers offers car insurance for $268 monthly on average. Personal Service's average rates come out to be over 20% more expensive, at $325 per month.

There's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance bill than just your home state. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance premiums of any group on the road. It's typically because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Travelers for their insurance pay more than $250 less than those who use Personal Service.

Even so, with both carriers, you'll see your prices drop significantly by the time you turn 25. Travelers offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Personal Service's average premiums reduce nearly 50% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age normally enjoy some of the cheapest auto insurance rates out there. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which usually reduces their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase prices.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Personal Service and Travelers? Travelers gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at about $132 a month compared to Personal Service's $231.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance rates are generally less expensive for married couples than they are for single policyholders? This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one car on their policy -- something many car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Travelers is the clear winner for single drivers, with prices around $180 a month cheaper than Personal Service, on average. The advantage for married drivers with Travelers is also obvious, where drivers save almost 50% per month.

Personal Service vs. Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but auto insurance is typically more expensive for men than for women. This is because men are more likely to get speeding tickets and get into collisions, which increases the chances of an insurance claim.

On average, men see rates over $45 a month higher with Personal Service, while with Travelers, the difference is closer to $11 per month.

Looking at overall affordability, Travelers comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $176 a month and women save about $141 with Travelers compared to the average Personal Service policyholder.

Personal Service 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 insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different coverages and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which usually refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages alongside liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, Travelers normally offers significantly more affordable premiums of $108 compared to Personal Service's $228. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Travelers again has the edge, with policies around $200 per month less expensive than Personal Service, on average.

Is Personal Service or Travelers Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance carriers 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 collisions and tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the lowest prices to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Personal Service policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $35 a month if they get a ticket, while Travelers generally raises prices about $32 per month, on average.

But Travelers is typically the cheaper option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering rates that are $130 and $133 more affordable, respectively, compared to Personal Service Insurance Company.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Personal Service drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums increase by over 25%, while those who have insurance through Travelers will see around a 25% increase.

Overall, drivers who use Travelers end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly prices averaging $173 compared to Personal Service Insurance Company's $348.

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 auto insurance bill -- generally a lot more than an accident or ticket. For example, Personal Service increases average rates by just under $150 a month -- that's over a 35% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact Personal Service and Travelers Rates?

Did you know that many insurance carriers take into account your credit score when calculating premiums? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it does affect several policyholders out there.

Car insurance carriers argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, drivers with good credit will often be rewarded with less expensive prices.

Looking at Personal Service and Travelers specifically, which company has the most affordable rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Personal Service or Travelers Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in how much auto insurance companies will charge for coverage. Normally, those who drive less will end up with cheaper premiums since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Personal Service charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Travelers, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles each year paying about $5 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, Travelers is the more affordable option for drivers in both categories.

Personal Service 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 car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a sizable impact as well. Usually, 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 lowest average premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest rates from both carriers, but Travelers comes out on top with average premiums around $136 per month. Travelers also has cheaper average prices for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $198 and $195 per month respective difference when compared to Personal Service drivers in similar areas.

Personal Service vs. Travelers Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new auto insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many car insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem hard to find all the of the ones you're eligible for.

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Personal Service and Travelers offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Travelers knocks Personal Service out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 15 more discounts than Personal Service.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Travelers also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, alternative fuel discounts, and more that Personal Service does not.

On the flip side, Personal Service has a couple unique discounts of its own -- cellphone safety discounts, discounts for being a homeowner, multi-car/single driver discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Personal Service or Travelers Best for You?

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

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing insurance by yourself.
• Your home is in a busy urban area.
• You have a short commute.

Personal Service might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Personal Service 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 Personal Service and Travelers. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Personal Service vs. Travelers FAQs

Is Personal Service or Travelers cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Travelers is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $167 a month compared to $325 for Personal Service. That being said, Travelers won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for each driver, since there are a variety of different variables (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Personal Service or Travelers?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Personal Service and Travelers offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at quite a few different factors when determining the prices they charge policyholders. Variables like where you call home, gender, age, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Personal Service and Travelers use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different companies.

How do I know if Personal Service 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, 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 auto insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Personal Service 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.