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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Shelter offers slightly less expensive rates than Trexis
• Shelter tends to be a much cheaper option for residents of urban areas
• Trexis offers more affordable premiums for residents of rural areas

Shelter vs. Trexis: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering large discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Shelter or Trexis for your next policy, but between the two, which one has more affordable prices for car insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Shelter is about $12 per month cheaper than Trexis.

However, that doesn't mean Shelter will necessarily be less expensive than Trexis for every single driver. Insurance carriers vary their rates depending on things like where you live, how good your credit score is, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, and a variety of other factors, so premiums will differ quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Shelter or Trexis is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each company broken down by lots of different rate factors.

Shelter or Trexis: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Shelter and Trexis only compete against each other in one states, with Trexis offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. Arkansas has the most noticable difference, where Trexis premiums are over 20% cheaper than auto insurance rates at Shelter.

But there's more to calculating car insurance prices than just where you call home. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance premiums of any other group of drivers. That's generally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

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 Shelter for their car insurance pay more than $55 less than those who use Trexis.

But both companies will offer you dramatically lower premiums once you turn 25. For example, average prices for Shelter policyholders drop over 55% and Trexis's rates reduce nearly 65% over that time.

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 can find.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Shelter and Trexis? Shelter gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at around $141 per month compared to Trexis's $171.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance premiums are usually more expensive for single drivers than they are for married drivers? This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one car on their policy -- something several car insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

If you're in the market for auto insurance, Shelter tends to have the most affordable average prices regardless of relationship status, with prices about 7% less expensive for single policyholders and around 1% more affordable for married couples.

Shelter vs. Trexis: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into an accident or get pulled over for speeding, which means they'll typically end up paying more for car insurance than women.

On average, men see rates more than 10% a month higher with Shelter, while with Trexis, the difference is closer to 9% per month.

When it comes to the cheapest premiums for each gender, Shelter comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $9 a month and women save about $14 with Shelter compared to the average Trexis policyholder.

Shelter or Trexis: 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. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different terms and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, alongside liability).

In this case, Trexis offers the lowest average prices for state minimum limits for liability insurance, while Shelter has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $20 with Trexis Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be around $45 cheaper with Shelter Insurance.

Is Shelter or Trexis Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their car insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and at-fault accidents on your record, but which of these two companies offers the most affordable premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Shelter policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $39 per month if they get a ticket, while Trexis normally raises rates about $43 a month, on average.

Even so, Shelter has more affordable prices for drivers in both categories, offering premiums that are 22% and 20% less expensive, respectively, compared to Trexis Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Shelter can expect to see around an $92 -- or about 39% -- increase in their auto insurance rates. Drivers who use Trexis for their car insurance will see a monthly bill around $65 (or 26%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance carrier.

Overall, the cheaper prices come from Shelter, with monthly rates averaging $234 compared to Trexis Insurance's $247.

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 -- generally a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. On average, Shelter will increase your premiums about 49% after a DUI, while Trexis's average prices increase by just under 20%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable rates, Trexis tends to be the much less expensive option with average premiums of $226 a month compared to $277 from Shelter.

How does Credit Score Impact Shelter and Trexis Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can come into play when carriers calculate your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for lots of policyholders.

Car insurance companies 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 more affordable rates.

So, which company offers the lowest prices for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Shelter or Trexis Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on how much insurance carriers will charge for coverage. That's because the fewer miles you drive, the less likely you are to get into an accident 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 Trexis charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Shelter, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car annually paying around $11 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, Shelter is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

Shelter vs. Trexis: 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 auto insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a pretty big impact as well. Usually, 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.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Shelter tends to offer the cheapest option for drivers in urban and suburban areas, while Trexis wins in rural areas.

In urban areas, Shelter Insurance's average premiums are about 13% less than Trexis Insurance. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around 16% less with Shelter compared to Trexis. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about 18% with Trexis compared to Shelter.

Shelter vs. Trexis 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. That's where insurance discounts comes into play.

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

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Shelter and Trexis offer their customers so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Trexis knocks Shelter out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 16 different discounts to Shelter's 16.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good student, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company. Trexis also offers agency transfer discounts, education discounts, EFT discounts, and more that Shelter does not.

On the flip side, Shelter has a couple unique discounts of its own -- anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a good driver, and passive restraint discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Shelter or Trexis Best for You?

You've seen the role certain factors have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, at the end of the day, which company is the right company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Shelter might be best for you if....

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your auto insurance.

Trexis might be best for you if...

• You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.
• You want basic insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You live in a rural area.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Shelter and Trexis. 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 Shelter and Trexis. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Shelter vs. Trexis FAQs

Is Shelter or Trexis cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Shelter is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $208 per month compared to $220 for Trexis. That being said, Shelter won't necessarily be the most affordable company for every policyholder, since there are a variety of different variables that are considered when it comes to your insurance bill.

Who is better, Shelter or Trexis?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". Neither carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, Trexis offers less expensive premiums for drivers with a recent DUI, while Shelter is cheaper for drivers with excellent credit.

Why do Shelter and Trexis offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at quite a few different factors when calculating the prices they charge drivers. Variables like age, where you park your vehicle, gender, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Shelter and Trexis calculate rates using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

How do I know if Shelter or Trexis is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance carrier 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 does all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest rate. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Shelter or Trexis 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.