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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Travelers offers cheaper prices than Shelter
• Travelers offers more affordable premiums for drivers who have below-average credit
• Travelers tends to be a much less expensive option for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods

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

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering large savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might be considering Shelter or Travelers for your next policy, but which carrier will offer you more affordable prices?

Looking at nationwide averages, Travelers is around $41 a month cheaper than Shelter.

Even so, that doesn't mean Travelers will necessarily be more affordable than Shelter for every driver. After all, auto insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your age, your driving record, where you call home, or even your credit score (among other things), so rates could differ drastically from person to person.

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

Shelter vs. Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Shelter and Travelers compete against each other in five states, with Travelers offering less expensive premiums to the average driver in all of them. Kentucky has the most noticable difference, where Travelers rates are $151 more affordable than insurance prices at Shelter.

There's a lot more that goes into your car insurance payment than just the state you live in. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. Normally, that's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Travelers for their car insurance pay over 20% less than those who use Shelter.

But with both companies, you'll see your rates lower significantly by the time drivers turn 25. Travelers offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Shelter's average premiums drop more than 55% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to auto insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the lowest prices you'll ever find.

When looking at Shelter and Travelers specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Travelers gets the slight edge here, with average premiums coming in at about $132 a month compared to Shelter's $141.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance rates are usually less expensive for married drivers than they are for single policyholders? That's because policies for married couples typically cover multiple vehicles, which quite a few carriers will give you a discount for.

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

Shelter or Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, they run a lower risk of filing a claim with insurance. So, women tend to get cheaper rates than men.

Typically, women see rates around $25 per month cheaper with Shelter, and about $11 less with Travelers.

Looking at overall affordability, Travelers offers the cheapest average prices for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $49 a month and women save around $35 with Travelers compared to the average Shelter policyholder.

Shelter 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.

Insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different terms and limits that it can make it pretty confusing 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 generally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, 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 Shelter's $288.

Is Shelter 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.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Shelter for their auto insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 22% after getting a speeding ticket. Travelers policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 20%.

That being said, Travelers tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket -- their rates are around 10% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 12% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Shelter drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices climb by over $90, while those who have insurance through Travelers will see around a $45 increase.

At the end of the day, the more affordable premiums come from Travelers, with average prices coming in at $173 compared to Shelter Insurance's $234.

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 insurance bill -- typically a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. For example, Shelter increases average rates by nearly $150 a month -- that's nearly a 50% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact Shelter and Travelers Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to determine your monthly auto insurance prices. Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it will come into play for a lot of policyholders.

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 cheaper premiums.

Looking specifically at Travelers and Shelter, 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 Shelter or Travelers Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on your monthly premiums. That's because the more milage you put on your car each year, the more likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

Travelers tends to be the less expensive option for both remote workers and those taking short commutes. Travelers's average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about $39 cheaper than Shelter. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay around $45 less with Travelers over Shelter.

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

Where you call home can play a big role in how much you pay for car insurance. Usually, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas due to the small number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

Travelers tends to offer the lowest premiums for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Travelers's average prices are about $31 less than Shelter Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay around $27 less with Travelers compared to Shelter. Those in rural areas can expect to save about $67 with Travelers compared to Shelter.

Shelter 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. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Shelter and Travelers offer their customers so that you can see which one offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Travelers blows Shelter away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 15 more discounts than Shelter.

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

Shelter's discounts come through just a few categories, including Advance Quote, Anti-Theft, Defensive Driver, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Shelter or Travelers Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the variables car insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each company offers. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is Shelter or Travelers the right company for you and your specific needs?

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You have an at-fault collision on your record.
• You care about discounts (Travelers offers the most).
• You and your spouse are buying insurance together.

Shelter 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 better idea of the difference between Shelter and Travelers and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple carriers, not just Shelter and Travelers. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Shelter vs. Travelers FAQs

Is Shelter or Travelers cheaper?

Travelers is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $167 per month with Travelers and $208 for Shelter. Even so, that doesn't mean Travelers will be the most affordable carrier for each driver, since there are many different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Shelter or Travelers?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Shelter and Travelers offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use many different variables when determining the rates they charge. Things such as gender, where your home is, age, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Shelter and Travelers use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

How do I know if Shelter 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 companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Shelter 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.