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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Trustgard Auto offers more affordable rates than Travelers
• Travelers may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Trustgard Auto Insurance
• Trustgard Auto has less expensive prices for policyholders who haven't received any speeding tickets or been in a collision in the last few years

Travelers or Trustgard Auto: 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 big savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to Travelers or Trustgard Auto as your top options, but which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, Trustgard Auto has average rates that are around 18% a month cheaper than those from Travelers.

But Trustgard Auto may not be the most affordable or best option for each driver out there. Auto insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to determine premiums, so depending on how clean your driving record is or where you live (among a bunch of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both Travelers and Trustgard Auto by a variety of different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

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

Travelers and Trustgard Auto only compete against each other in three states, with Travelers offering less expensive premiums to the average driver in all of them. Illinois has the most noticable difference, where Travelers prices are $35 more affordable than insurance rates at Trustgard Auto.

But there's more to calculating car insurance premiums than just where you call home. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for insurance than any group on the road. It's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of 1% less per month by choosing Travelers over Trustgard Auto. It's worth noting that Travelers offers car insurance in 31 different states compared to Trustgard Auto's three, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, with both companies, you'll see your rates decrease significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for Travelers policyholders reduce over 60% and Trustgard Auto's premiums lower almost 70% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age generally enjoy some of the lowest auto insurance rates you can find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which usually decreases their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise premiums.

When looking at Travelers and Trustgard Auto specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Trustgard Auto gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $36 cheaper than the national average for Travelers.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance rates are typically more affordable for married policyholders than they are for those who are single? That's because policies for married couples generally cover multiple vehicles, which a lot of carriers will give you a discount for.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Trustgard Auto prices coming in at about 10% less than Travelers's. The advantage for married drivers with Trustgard Auto is also obvious, where drivers save around $40 a month.

Travelers or Trustgard Auto: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women typically pay less for car insurance than men? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get speeding tickets and get into collisions, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

With Travelers, men normally pay more than $10 per month more than women, and about $9 more with Trustgard Auto.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Trustgard Auto comes out as the cheapest option for both genders. On average, women save about $28 a month and men save around $30 with Trustgard Auto compared to the average Travelers policyholder.

Travelers vs. Trustgard Auto: 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 isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different terms and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

That being said, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which usually refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Trustgard Auto has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $79. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Trustgard Auto again has the edge, with policies averaging about $196 per month to Travelers's $225.

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

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance carriers offering great premiums for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

It's no secret secret that at-fault accidents and speeding tickets lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- Travelers or Trustgard Auto -- has the most affordable premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Travelers for their car insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 20% after getting a speeding ticket. Trustgard Auto policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 34%.

Even so, Trustgard Auto tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket, offering prices that are 23% and 8% less expensive, respectively, compared to Travelers.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Travelers can expect to see around an $45 -- or about 26% -- rise in their auto insurance rates. Drivers who use Trustgard Auto for their car insurance will see a monthly bill around $35 (or 26%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their auto insurance company.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Trustgard Auto end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average prices coming in at $133 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 collision or speeding ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. For example, Travelers increases average premiums by more than $75 a month -- that's nearly a 40% increase.

Trustgard Auto has the overall lowest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $171 monthly, but it's worth noting that Travelers's average rates come from 31 states compared to just three for Trustgard Auto, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Travelers and Trustgard Auto Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can come into play when companies calculate your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an auto insurance factor) but it does affect quite a few drivers out there.

Insurance carriers argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time every month, which raises the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

Looking specifically at Trustgard Auto and Travelers, which one has the best prices for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, Trustgard Auto will typically reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Trustgard Auto comes in NaN cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save about 10% with Trustgard Auto compared to average premiums from Travelers.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Trustgard Auto typically offers lower rates than Travelers when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 19% per month less with Trustgard Auto compared to Travelers, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of about 26% a month.

Is Travelers or Trustgard Auto 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 companies will charge for coverage. That's because the fewer miles you put on your car each year, the less 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 Trustgard Auto charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Travelers, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles yearly paying around $5 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, for drivers in both categories, Trustgard Auto is the less expensive carrier.

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

Where you live can play a large role in how much you pay for insurance. Typically, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers since there are a lot more vehicles on the road where they live, which increases the chances of an accident.

Trustgard Auto tends to offer the lowest premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Trustgard Auto Insurance's average prices are about $57 less than Travelers. People who live in suburban areas pay around $28 less with Trustgard Auto compared to Travelers. Those in rural areas can expect to save about $2 with Trustgard Auto compared to Travelers.

Travelers vs. Trustgard Auto Discounts

No matter 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 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 difficult to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you qualify for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Travelers and Trustgard Auto so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Travelers blows Trustgard Auto away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering nine more discounts than Trustgard Auto.

Both carriers offer quite a few of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and distant student discounts -- but Travelers also offers discounts for ABS, alternative fuel, continuous insurance, and more.

On the other hand, Trustgard Auto has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advanced safety feature discounts, company car discounts, education discounts, and more.

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

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the factors insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each company offers. But, when it comes down to it, is Travelers or Trustgard Auto the best carrier for you and your specific needs?

Trustgard Auto might be best for you if....

• You like the personalized touch of a small, local carrier.
• Your home is in a busy urban area.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.

Travelers might be best for you if...

• You are considering moving to another state -- Trustgard Auto Insurance is only available in three states.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.
• You want to save money while purchasing car insurance for a teenager.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Travelers and Trustgard Auto. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple carriers, not just Travelers and Trustgard Auto. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Travelers vs. Trustgard Auto FAQs

Is Travelers or Trustgard Auto cheaper?

Trustgard Auto is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $137 a month with Trustgard Auto and $167 for Travelers. But that doesn't mean Trustgard Auto will be the cheapest company for each policyholder, since there are a range of different variables (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Travelers or Trustgard Auto?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". Neither carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Travelers and Trustgard Auto offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use several different factors when determining the prices they charge. Variables such as your driving record, gender, age, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Travelers and Trustgard Auto calculate rates differently, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several companies 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 quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest premium. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Travelers or Trustgard Auto 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.