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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Travelers offers significantly less expensive rates than State Auto
• Travelers may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than State Auto Insurance
• Travelers offers more affordable prices for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse

State Auto or Travelers: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering substantial savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to State Auto or Travelers as potential options, but which one will offer you more affordable rates?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Travelers has average rates that are around 35% a month cheaper than those from State Auto.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean Travelers will be the less expensive option for every single driver. Auto insurance companies use a variety of complex algorithms to determine premiums, so depending on how good your credit score is or where you live (among an array of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of State Auto or Travelers is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each company broken down by a bunch of different rate factors.

State Auto vs. Travelers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

State Auto and Travelers compete against each other in seven states, with Travelers offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. Maryland has the most noticable difference, where Travelers rates are $387 more affordable than car insurance prices at State Auto.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance cost than just where you call home. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance premiums of any other group of drivers. It'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 car insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 50% less per month by choosing Travelers over State Auto.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for State Auto policyholders decrease nearly 75% and Travelers's rates drop over 60% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll typically enjoy the cheapest insurance premiums you'll ever see. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly rates for car insurance.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between State Auto and Travelers? Travelers gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $35 cheaper than the national average for State Auto.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married policyholders tend to get slightly more affordable insurance rates than those who are single. That's generally because married couples tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For single drivers, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with Travelers rates coming in at about half of State Auto's. The advantage for married drivers with Travelers is also obvious, where drivers save almost 20% a month.

State Auto or Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get speeding tickets and get into collisions. That means when it comes to auto insurance men will normally end up paying a little more.

With State Auto, men usually pay nearly 10% more per month than women., and around 6% with Travelers.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Travelers comes out on top for both men and women, with average prices $99 less for men and $86 cheaper for women.

State Auto 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.

It's no secret that insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different coverages and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- alongside liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Travelers has the significant 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 a month to State Auto's $369.

Is State Auto or Travelers Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their auto insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

At-fault collisions and speeding tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is State Auto or Travelers less expensive for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use State Auto for their 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%.

But Travelers is usually the cheaper option for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket. With Travelers, drivers with a clean record can save around $42 per month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $58 a month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

State Auto drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates rise by just under $100, while those who have insurance through Travelers will see around a $45 increase.

At the end of the day, Travelers offers the lowest premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average prices coming in at $173 compared to State Auto Insurance's $269.

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 a collision. For example, State Auto increases average premiums by more than $200 per month -- that's more than a 55% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact State Auto and Travelers Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance carriers take your credit score into account when determining rates? This isn't true for everyone (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it does affect several policyholders out there.

The reasoning car insurance companies use is that drivers with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper prices, while those with poor credit will typically be forced to pay more.

Looking at State Auto and Travelers specifically, which carrier has the best premiums 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 State Auto or Travelers Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

Did you know that the amount of time you spend in your car have a pretty big impact on how much insurance carriers will charge for coverage? 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.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much State Auto charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Travelers, with policyholders who drive the least paying about $5 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, Travelers is the less expensive company.

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

Where you park your vehicle can play a big role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Generally, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders since there are a lot fewer cars on the road where they live, which reduces the chances of an accident.

Travelers boasts the cheapest average rates for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Travelers's average premiums are around 36% less than State Auto Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay about 32% less with Travelers compared to State Auto. Those in rural areas can expect to save around 40% with Travelers compared to State Auto.

State Auto vs. Travelers Discounts

You want to save as much money as you can, right? The best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as possible.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by State Auto and Travelers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

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

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Travelers also offers discounts for alternative fuel, continuous insurance, DRL, and more.

On the other hand, State Auto has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advantage program discounts, employee discounts, gold plus discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is State Auto or Travelers Best for You?

You've seen the role certain variables have on your insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which company is the best company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You have a speeding ticket on your driving record.
• You're looking for the best rates on liability only coverage.
• You are purchasing your car insurance with a spouse.

State Auto 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 State Auto and Travelers. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your auto 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 car insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of companies, not just State Auto and Travelers. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

State Auto vs. Travelers FAQs

Is State Auto or Travelers cheaper?

Travelers is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $167 a month with Travelers and $259 for State Auto. However, that doesn't mean Travelers will be the most affordable carrier for each driver, since there are a range of different factors that are considered when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, State Auto or Travelers?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for every policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do State Auto and Travelers offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use a lot of different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Factors like where you live, where you call home, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both State Auto and Travelers calculate rates using 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 variety of different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't State Auto 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.