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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Travelers offers more affordable prices than Sentry
• Sentry tends to be a much less expensive option for drivers with a DUI charge on their record
• Travelers has cheaper rates for policyholders who may not have much of a commute

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

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering huge discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Sentry or Travelers as your top options, but between the two, which one will offer you more affordable premiums?

Looking at nationwide averages, Travelers has average rates that are about 14% per month cheaper than those from Sentry.

That being said, Travelers may not be the most affordable or best option for each driver out there. Auto insurance companies vary their rates depending on things like how old you are, where you live, how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, and tons of other factors, so prices could vary drastically from person to person.

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

Sentry or Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Sentry and Travelers only compete against each other in two states, with Travelers offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. Washington has the most noticable difference, where Travelers prices are over 70% more affordable than insurance premiums at Sentry.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance payment than just where you live. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for insurance than any group out there on the road. The reason is that young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of nearly $45 less a month by choosing Travelers over Sentry.

Even so, with both carriers, you'll see your prices decrease significantly by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for Sentry policyholders reduce almost 55% and Travelers's premiums lower more than 60% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age normally enjoy some of the cheapest auto insurance rates you'll ever find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically decreases their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase prices.

When looking at Sentry and Travelers specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Travelers gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at around $132 a month compared to Sentry's $148.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance rates are usually more expensive for those who are single than they are for married couples? That's generally because married drivers tend to own and insure several cars, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, Travelers is the clear winner for single policyholders, with prices about $35 per month cheaper than Sentry, on average. The advantage for married policyholders with Travelers is also obvious, where drivers save over 10% a month.

Sentry vs. Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, they have an increased chance of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, men tend to pay more for auto insurance than women.

On average, men see premiums around $20 per month higher with Sentry, while with Travelers, the difference is closer to $11 a month.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Travelers comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average prices 16% less for men and 13% cheaper for women.

Sentry 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.

For most people, insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. 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 (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which typically refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages alongside what you get with a liability policy).

In this case, Sentry offers the cheapest average rates for state minimum limits for liability insurance, while Travelers has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $4 with Sentry Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be about $60 less expensive with Travelers.

Is Sentry 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.

It's no secret secret that tickets and collisions lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- Sentry or Travelers -- has the most affordable premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Sentry policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $25 per month if they get a ticket, while Travelers usually raises premiums around $32 a month, on average.

But Travelers tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket, offering prices that are $50 and $43 more affordable, respectively, compared to Sentry Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Travelers raising by $45. Sentry has a less extreme rise, but you can still expect to pay just under $45 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, drivers who use Travelers end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly rates averaging $173 compared to Sentry Insurance's $221.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. For example, Travelers increases average prices by over $75 per month -- that's just under a 40% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact Sentry and Travelers Rates?

Did you know that many insurance companies take into account your credit score when calculating premiums? This isn't always the case (for example, Massachusetts and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect quite a few policyholders out there.

Auto 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 Sentry and Travelers specifically, which company has the lowest 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 Sentry 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 insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the fewer miles you put on your vehicle each year, the less likely you are to get into a collision and cause an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Sentry charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums 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 yearly. Still, Travelers is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

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

Where you park your car can play a large role in how much you pay for car insurance. Normally, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders due to the small number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Travelers usually comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the lowest prices from both companies, but Travelers comes out on top with average premiums around $136 monthly. Travelers also has more affordable average rates for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 9% and 27% a month respective difference when compared to Sentry drivers in similar areas.

Sentry 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 taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be difficult to find all the ones you qualify for.

Below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Sentry 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 Sentry away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 20 more discounts than Sentry.

Both carriers offer lots of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts, discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company, and paid in full discounts -- but Travelers also offers ABS discounts, alternative fuel discounts, anti-theft discounts, and more that Sentry does not.

On the flip side, Sentry has a unique discount of its own -- a homeowner discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Sentry 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. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is Sentry or Travelers the best fit for you?

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You value the experience that comes with a large national auto insurance company.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.
• You have a short drive to work everyday.

Sentry might be best for you if...

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You want basic car insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Sentry and Travelers and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your 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 multiple carriers, not just Sentry and Travelers. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Sentry vs. Travelers FAQs

Is Sentry or Travelers cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Travelers is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $167 per month compared to $195 for Sentry. Even so, Travelers won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for everyone, since there are multiple different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Sentry or Travelers?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for each driver -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile. For example, Travelers offers less expensive prices for policyholders with an at-fault collision on their record, while Sentry is more affordable for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores.

Why do Sentry and Travelers offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies take a look at a lot of different factors when determining the rates they charge drivers. Things such as where you call home, age, gender, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Sentry and Travelers calculate premiums using different variables, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of companies 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 ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable premium. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Sentry 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.