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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, State National offers slightly cheaper rates than Travelers
• State National tends to be a much less expensive option for single people who will be the only person on the auto insurance policy
• Travelers offers more affordable prices for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods

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

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering substantial savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to State National or Travelers as potential options, but which one will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, Travelers is around $8 more a month than State National.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean State National will be the more affordable option for each driver. Insurance carriers use all sorts of complex algorithms to determine premiums, so depending on how old you are or how clean your driving record is (among quite a few other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

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

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

State National and Travelers only compete against each other in California, where Travelers offers the cheaper average premiums. Travelers drivers tend to pay about $4 per month less on average compared to drivers who use State National for their car insurance.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance rates 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?

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for car insurance than any group out there on the road. It's usually because teen 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 prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of 10% less a month by choosing State National over Travelers.

That being said, with both companies, you'll see your premiums drop significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for State National policyholders reduce over 50% and Travelers's rates decrease more than 60% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age generally enjoy some of the most affordable insurance premiums you'll ever see. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which normally decreases their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise prices.

When looking at State National and Travelers specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? State National gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $14 less expensive than the national average for Travelers.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance premiums are typically more expensive for those who are single than they are for married couples? That's generally because married policyholders tend to own and insure several vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

If you're in the market for car insurance, State National tends to have the lowest average prices regardless of marital status, with prices about $10 more affordable for single drivers and around $5 cheaper for married drivers.

State National or Travelers: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women normally pay less for insurance than men? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into a collision, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

Women and men end up paying same monthly premiums with State National, but with Travelers, the difference is closer to $11 per month.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, State National offers the cheapest average prices for both men and women, with average rates 8% less for men and 1% cheaper for women.

State National 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.

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

However, the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which usually refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with liability).

When it comes to state minimum liability insurance, State National has the edge, while Travelers offers the lowest average premiums for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Policyholders looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $30 with State National, while full coverage comes out to be about $15 more affordable with Travelers.

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

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

It's no secret secret that at-fault accidents and speeding tickets lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- State National or Travelers -- has the most affordable prices for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers who use State National for their insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 28% after getting a speeding ticket. Travelers policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 20%.

But State National tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records, offering rates that are $26 and $18 less expensive, respectively, compared to Travelers.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

State National policyholders who get in an accident can expect to see their prices rise by just under 30%, while those who have insurance through Travelers will see around a 25% increase.

At the end of the day, State National offers the cheapest premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average prices coming in at $142 compared to Travelers's $173.

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 speeding ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. On average, State National will raise your premiums about 60% after a DUI, while Travelers's average rates increase by nearly 40%.

How does Credit Score Impact State National and Travelers Rates?

Did you know many insurance carriers take into account your credit score when determining premiums? This isn't true for everyone (for example, Massachusetts and Hawaii are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect a lot of drivers out there.

The reasoning car insurance companies use is that policyholders 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 generally be forced to pay more.

Looking at State National and Travelers specifically, which carrier has the lowest rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have stellar credit, Travelers will usually reward you. Jumping from a "good" credit score to an "excellent" one will typically save Travelers customers around $25. State National, on the other hand, doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means they most likely don't use credit to calculate your premiums.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Having bad credit generally means you'll also see higher rates with Travelers. For drivers with less-than-stellar credit, at Travelers, you may pay about 25% a month more if you have "poor" credit compared to those with "fair" scores. It's an even larger difference when compared to drivers with "good" or "excellent" scores. Because State National doesn't have data available for credit scores, they might have better prices for drivers with bad credit over Travelers.

Is State National 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 auto 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 a collision and file an insurance claim.

Looking specifically at Travelers and State National, Travelers is the cheaper option for people with short commutes, while Travelers has better premiums for those who work from home. State National's average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in just under 15% more affordable than Travelers. Those who drive 12,000 miles every year can expect to pay 5% less with Travelers over State National.

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

Where you live can play a sizable role in how much you pay for insurance. Usually, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas because of the number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

Travelers boasts the cheapest average prices in rural and suburban areas, while State National wins in urban areas.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, State National's average premiums are around 15% less than Travelers. People who live in suburban areas pay about 2% less with Travelers compared to State National. Those in rural areas can expect to save around 5% with Travelers compared to State National.

State National vs. Travelers Discounts

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

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you can take advantage of, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both State National and Travelers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

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

Both companies offer a lot of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a good driver, discounts for being a good student, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company -- but Travelers also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, alternative fuel, and more.

On the other hand, State National has a few proprietary discounts of their own like auto-pilot discounts and renewal discounts.

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

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your auto insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is State National or Travelers the best fit for you?

State National might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the insurance policy.
• Your driving record contains an at-fault collision.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles annually.

Travelers might be best for you if...

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You care about discounts (Travelers offers the most).
• You live in a rural neighborhood.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between State National 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 sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple companies, not just State National and Travelers. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

State National vs. Travelers FAQs

Is State National or Travelers cheaper?

State National is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $159 per month with State National and $167 for Travelers. That being said, that doesn't mean State National will be the most affordable carrier for each driver, since there are lots of different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, State National or Travelers?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, Travelers is less expensive for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while State National offers more affordable prices for policyholders with an at-fault accident on their record.

Why do State National and Travelers offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use many different factors when calculating the premiums they charge. Things like your driving record, gender, age, where you park your car, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both State National 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 range of different companies.

How do I know if State National 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 several carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't State National 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.