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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Root offers significantly less expensive premiums than Travelers
• Root offers more affordable prices for policyholders who drive fewer than 12,000 miles yearly
• Travelers may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Root Insurance

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

Are you considering a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering big savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Root or Travelers as your top options, but between the two, which one has cheaper premiums for auto insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Travelers has average rates that are around 60% a month more expensive than those from Root.

However, that doesn't mean Root will necessarily be more affordable than Travelers for every single driver. Insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, where you live, how old you are, and tons of other factors. So, at the end of the day, rates from every company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Root 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.

Root vs. Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Root and Travelers only compete against each other in Arizona, where Root offers the cheaper average rates. Undefined drivers tend to pay about undefined per month less on average compared to drivers who use undefined for their car insurance.

But there's more to calculating insurance premiums than just your home state. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. It's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance prices. As you can see above, teens who use Root save over 60% a month compared to those who use Travelers.

That being said, both companies will reduce premiums once you turn 25. For example, average rates for Root policyholders lower about $85 and Travelers's premiums decrease around $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Root and Travelers? Root gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at about $57 monthly compared to Travelers's $132.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single drivers tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance premiums than married policyholders. That's normally because married drivers tend to own and insure multiple vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For single policyholders, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with Root premiums coming in at around a third of Travelers's. The advantage for married couples with Root is also obvious, where drivers save almost 65% per month.

Root or Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

Men typically pay more for auto insurance than women. That's because men are more likely to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, which increases the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

With Root, men usually pay about 3% more a month than women., and around 6% with Travelers.

Looking at overall affordability, Root comes out as the cheapest option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $106 per month and women save about $97 with Root compared to the average Travelers policyholder.

Root 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.

Car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different limits and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

Even so, the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries 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 limits for liability insurance, Root has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $46. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Root again has the edge, with policies averaging around $84 a month to Travelers's $225.

Is Root or Travelers Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance companies offering great prices for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

Speeding tickets and collisions will most likely raise your premiums, but is Root or Travelers less expensive for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Root for their insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 15% after getting a speeding ticket. Travelers policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 20%.

But Root has more affordable rates for drivers in both categories, offering prices that are 55% and 58% cheaper, respectively, compared to Travelers.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through Root can expect to see about an $22 -- or around 28% -- rise in their insurance rates. Drivers who use Travelers for their auto insurance will see a monthly bill about $45 (or 26%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their car insurance company.

At the end of the day, Root offers the lowest premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average prices coming in at $79 compared to Travelers's $173.

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, Travelers will climb your rates around 38% after a DUI, while Root's average premiums climb by 0%.

How does Credit Score Impact Root and Travelers Rates?

Did you know many insurance carriers take your credit score into account when determining prices? This isn't true for everyone (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it might come into play for many drivers.

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

So, which carrier offers the most affordable rates for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

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

Did you know that the amount of time you spend in your car have a substantial impact on your monthly premiums? That's because the more milage you drive, the more likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

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

Root or 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. Typically, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

Root boasts the cheapest average premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to pay around $58 per month with Root compared to Travelers's $136. People in suburban areas pay about $60 with Root compared to Travelers's $160 a month. In urban areas, Root's average prices are around $77 while Travelers offers premiums about $204.

Root vs. Travelers Discounts

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

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you can take advantage of, since it can feel sometimes like every carrier has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

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

Travelers blows Root away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 25 different discounts to Root's five.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a good driver and paid in full discounts. Travelers also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, alternative fuel, and more.

On the other hand, Root has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like auto-steer discounts, homeowner discounts, and paperless discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Root or Travelers Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables auto insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the right company for you and your specific profile and needs?

Root might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You're looking for the best rates on liability only coverage.
• You want to save money while purchasing insurance for a teenager.

Travelers might be best for you if...

• You're thinking about moving to another state -- undefined only offers policies to residents.
• You're looking for discounts -- Travelers has the most.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Root and Travelers. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your car 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 auto insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of companies, not just Root 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 insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Root vs. Travelers FAQs

Is Root or Travelers cheaper?

Root is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $65 per month with Root and $167 for Travelers. That being said, that doesn't mean Root will be the lowest company for every driver, since there are several different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Root or Travelers?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do Root and Travelers offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use quite a few different variables when calculating the rates they charge. Factors like your driving record, where your home is, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Root and Travelers calculate premiums using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

How do I know if Root 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 several 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 area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Root 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.