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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Travelers offers significantly more affordable prices than Safety
• Travelers has less expensive rates for policyholders who drive fewer than 6,000 miles every year
• Travelers offers cheaper average prices for policyholders who drive a short distance to work everyday

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

So, you're thinking about 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 Safety or Travelers as your top options, but between the two, which one has less expensive premiums for auto insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Travelers has average rates that are around 23% a month more affordable than those from Safety.

That being said, Travelers may not be the most affordable or best option for each driver out there. After all, insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your driving record, your credit score, or even your age (among other things), so rates could differ drastically from person to person.

Wanting to know if Safety 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.

Safety vs. Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Safety and Travelers only compete against each other in one states, with Travelers offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. Massachusetts has the most noticable difference, where Travelers rates are $149 less expensive than car insurance prices at Safety.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance premiums than just where you live. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally 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.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use Travelers save almost 15% per month compared to those who use Safety.

However, with both carriers, you'll see your premiums lower significantly by the time drivers turn 25. Travelers offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Safety's average rates drop over 50% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Safety and Travelers? Travelers gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older nearly 20% more affordable than the national average for Safety.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single policyholders tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance premiums than married couples. That's because policies for married policyholders typically cover more than one vehicle, which quite a few companies will give you a discount for.

For those who are single, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with Travelers rates coming in at a quarter less than Safety's. For married drivers, the advantage is clear again - Travelers has the edge when it comes to average premiums.

Safety or Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

Women normally to pay less for insurance than men. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into a collision or get pulled over for speeding, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

With Safety, women typically pay about $10 a month less than men, and around $11 less with Travelers.

Looking at overall affordability, Travelers comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average rates $51 less for men and $51 cheaper for women.

Safety 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. There are so many different limits and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Travelers has the 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 per month to Safety's $313.

Is Safety or Travelers Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto 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 rates, but is Safety or Travelers cheaper for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Safety for their insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 32% after getting a speeding ticket. Travelers policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 20%.

Even so, Travelers has less expensive prices for drivers in both categories, offering premiums that are $1 and $30 more affordable, respectively, compared to Safety Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Safety drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their rates climb by just under 45%, while those who have insurance through Travelers will see around a 25% increase.

At the end of the day, Travelers offers the most affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $173 compared to Safety Insurance's $226.

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 an accident. On average, Safety will climb your premiums about 60% after a DUI, while Travelers's average prices rise by nearly 40%.

How does Credit Score Impact Safety and Travelers Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance carriers take into account your credit score when determining premiums? This isn't true for everyone (for example, Hawaii and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for several policyholders.

The reasoning car insurance companies use is that drivers with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so generally, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with cheaper rates.

So, which company offers the cheapest premiums 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 Safety 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 carriers will charge for coverage. Usually, those who drive less will end up with more affordable prices since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Travelers offers cheaper rates than Safety. Safety's average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in more than $50 more expensive than Travelers. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay $50 more with Safety over Travelers.

Safety 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 insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a substantial impact as well. Typically, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

Travelers boasts the most affordable average rates for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 8% with Travelers compared to Safety. People who live in suburban areas pay about 28% less with Travelers compared to Safety. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Travelers's average prices are around 28% less than Safety Insurance.

Safety vs. Travelers Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new 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 utilizing as many auto insurance discounts as possible.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Safety and Travelers so that you can see which carrier offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Travelers blows Safety away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 25 different discounts to Safety's 18.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, discounts for getting driver training, discounts for being a good driver, and mature driver discounts. Travelers also offers discounts for ABS, alternative fuel, continuous insurance, and more.

On the other hand, Safety has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like annual mileage discounts, book transfer policy discounts, e-signature discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Safety or Travelers Best for You?

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

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the insurance policy.
• You're looking for discounts -- Travelers has the most.
• You want to save money while purchasing auto insurance for a teenager.

Safety might be best for you if...

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

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Safety and Travelers and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Safety and Travelers. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Safety vs. Travelers FAQs

Is Safety or Travelers cheaper?

Travelers is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $167 a month with Travelers and $217 for Safety. However, that doesn't mean Travelers will be the cheapest company for every driver, since there are multiple different factors that are considered when it comes to your car insurance cost.

Who is better, Safety or Travelers?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Safety and Travelers offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use many different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Things such as your driving record, gender, where you call home, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Safety and Travelers calculate premiums differently, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several companies 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 quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Safety 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.