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

Quick Facts

• In general, Travelers offers significantly cheaper prices than Southern
• Southern offers more affordable rates for residents in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee
• Travelers has more affordable premiums for people who are single and purchasing auto insurance by yourself

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

Are you considering 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've maybe even narrowed your search down to Southern or Travelers for your next policy, but between the two, which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, Travelers is quite a bit cheaper than Southern, with prices averaging $167 per month compared to $322 with Southern.

That being said, that doesn't mean Travelers will necessarily be less expensive than Southern for every single driver. Car insurance companies use a variety of complex algorithms to calculate rates, so depending on how clean your driving record is or where you live (among an array of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

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

Southern or Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

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

But there's more to car insurance than just your home state. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how insurance carriers determine your rates. Continue reading to learn more about how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance premiums of any group on the road. Generally, that's because 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 insurance. As you can see above, teens who use Travelers save more than $350 a month compared to those who use Southern. It's worth noting that Travelers offers auto insurance in 31 different states compared to Southern's three, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But both companies will reduce prices by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for Southern policyholders drop over 60% and Travelers's prices decrease more than 60% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest premiums you'll ever see.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Southern and Travelers? Travelers gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $122 more affordable than the national average for Southern.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance rates tend to be cheaper for married drivers than they are for single drivers. This usually boils down to married policyholders having several cars on their policy -- something a lot of car insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Travelers is the clear winner for single policyholders, with premiums about $191 per month less expensive than Southern, on average. For married couples, the advantage is clear again - Travelers has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Southern vs. Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women usually pay less for auto insurance than men? This is because women are less likely to get into accidents and get tickets, which decreases the chances of an insurance claim.

Women typically pay over $35 a month less than men with Southern, and around $11 less with Travelers.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, Travelers comes out on top for both men and women, with average rates $168 less for men and $143 cheaper for women.

Southern 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, car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are a variety of different coverages that account for many different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside what you get with a liability policy).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, Travelers normally offers significantly cheaper prices of $108 compared to Southern's $192. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Travelers again has the edge, with policies about $250 per month less expensive than Southern, on average.

Is Southern or Travelers Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their 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 less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Southern policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $17 a month if they get a ticket, while Travelers usually raises premiums around $32 per month, on average.

Even so, Travelers tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent speeding ticket and those with clean records, offering prices that are $88 and $73 more affordable, respectively, compared to Southern Insurance Company of Virginia.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Southern raising by over $75. Travelers has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay $45 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, the less expensive premiums come from Travelers, with monthly prices averaging $173 compared to Southern Insurance Company of Virginia's $293.

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, Southern will raise your premiums about 61% after a DUI, while Travelers's average prices rise by just under 40%.

Travelers has the overall cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $205 a month, but it's worth noting that Travelers's average rates come from 31 states compared to just three for Southern, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Southern and Travelers Rates?

Did you know that many car insurance companies take into account your credit score when calculating premiums? This isn't always the case (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it does affect several drivers out there.

Insurance carriers argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, policyholders with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

So, which company offers the best prices for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Travelers. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save over 45% compared to Southern, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $119 or 46% more affordable each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Travelers typically offers lower rates than Southern when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $156 a month less with Travelers compared to Southern, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around $249 monthly.

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

How much you drive can have a sizable impact on your monthly prices. Generally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper rates since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

Travelers tends to be the more affordable option for both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles yearly, as well as those who average twice that figure. Southern's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in just under $150 more expensive than Travelers. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay more than $150 more with Southern over Travelers.

Southern vs. 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 auto insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a large impact as well. Normally, 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 in those areas.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Travelers usually comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

In urban areas, Travelers's average premiums are about $186 less than Southern Insurance Company of Virginia. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $119 less with Travelers compared to Southern. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about $162 with Travelers compared to Southern.

Southern vs. Travelers Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new car insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible. 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 nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you qualify for.

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Southern and Travelers offer their customers so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Overall, Travelers comes out ahead with 25 discounts to Southern's 20.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like advance quote discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for getting driver training, and group discounts. Travelers also offers alternative fuel discounts, continuous insurance discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, and more that Southern does not.

On the flip side, Southern has a couple unique discounts of its own -- experienced operator discounts, family discounts, discounts for being a homeowner, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Southern or Travelers Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the variables insurance carriers look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which company is the best carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing car insurance by yourself.
• You already have a great credit score.
• You and your spouse are buying auto insurance together.

Southern might be best for you if...

• You live in one of the following states: Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Southern and Travelers. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just Southern and Travelers. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just 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.

Southern vs. Travelers FAQs

Is Southern or Travelers cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Travelers is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $167 per month compared to $322 for Southern. That being said, Travelers won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for everyone, since there are lots of different factors (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Southern or Travelers?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for every driver -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Southern and Travelers offer me different rates?

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

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

The only way to find the insurance company 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 free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Southern 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.