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

Quick Facts

• In general, Wawanesa offers significantly less expensive premiums than Travelers
• Travelers tends to be a much more affordable option for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit
• Wawanesa offers more affordable rates for people who are single and purchasing insurance by yourself

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

So, you're considering switching your auto insurance. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed it down to Travelers or Wawanesa, but which one has cheaper premiums for auto insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Travelers has average rates that are about 40% per month more expensive than those from Wawanesa.

That being said, Wawanesa may not be the most affordable or best option for every single driver out there. After all, insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your credit score, your age, your driving record, or even where you call home (among other things). So, at the end of the day, prices from every carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

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

Travelers or Wawanesa: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Travelers and Wawanesa only compete against each other in California, where Wawanesa offers the cheaper average premiums. For California residents, Wawanesa offers car insurance for $104 monthly on average. Travelers's average rates come out to be over 40% more expensive, at $155 a month.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance cost than just where you live. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for car insurance than any group out there on the road. That's normally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance prices. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of nearly $200 less a month by choosing Wawanesa over Travelers. It's worth noting that Travelers offers car insurance in 31 different states compared to Wawanesa's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But both companies will drop prices by the time you turn 25. Wawanesa offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying a third less what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Travelers's average rates lower more than 60% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll typically enjoy the lowest insurance prices 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 auto insurance.

When looking at Travelers and Wawanesa specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Wawanesa gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $45 less expensive than the national average for Travelers.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance rates tend to be more expensive for those who are single than they are for married couples. That's usually because married policyholders tend to own and insure multiple cars, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, Wawanesa is the clear winner for single policyholders, with prices around $71 per month more affordable than Travelers, on average. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - Wawanesa offers the cheapest average premiums.

Travelers vs. Wawanesa: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get into accidents and get tickets, they have an increased chance of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, insurance carriers will often charge men more than women.

With Travelers, women normally pay about 6% a month less than men; women and men get the same monthly prices with Wawanesa.

Looking at overall affordability, Wawanesa offers the most affordable average premiums for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $68 per month and women save around $57 with Wawanesa compared to the average Travelers policyholder.

Travelers or Wawanesa: 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.

Auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different terms and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy.

However, the most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which usually refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages alongside liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Wawanesa generally offers significantly cheaper rates of $64 compared to Travelers's $108. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Wawanesa again has the edge, with policies about $80 a month less expensive than Travelers, on average.

Is Travelers or Wawanesa 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.

Accidents and tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is Travelers or Wawanesa cheaper for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Travelers policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $32 per month if they get a ticket, while Wawanesa typically raises rates around $31 a month, on average.

But Wawanesa has more affordable prices for drivers in both categories, offering rates that are $54 and $55 less expensive, respectively, compared to Travelers.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through Travelers can expect to see about an $45 -- or around 26% -- increase in their car insurance premiums. Drivers who use Wawanesa for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $39 (or 35%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their car insurance company.

Overall, Wawanesa offers the cheapest prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly rates averaging $113 compared to Travelers's $173.

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 speeding ticket or even an accident. On average, Travelers will climb your premiums around 38% after a DUI, while Wawanesa's average prices increase by over 40%.

Wawanesa has the overall lowest premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $125 per month, but it's worth noting that Travelers's average rates come from 31 states compared to just one for Wawanesa, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Travelers and Wawanesa Rates?

Did you know that many auto insurance companies take into account your credit score when calculating rates? This isn't always the case (Hawaii, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for several drivers.

The reasoning insurance carriers use is that policyholders with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper premiums, while those with poor credit will usually be forced to pay more.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Usually, if you have excellent credit, you can expect to be rewarded. Jumping from a "good" credit score to an "excellent" one will normally save Travelers customers about 15%. Because Wawanesa, doesn't have data available for credit scores, they most likely don't use credit to calculate your rates.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have bad credit, it can cost you with Travelers. If your credit score is in the "poor" range, at Travelers, you may pay around 25% more per month compared to those with "fair" scores (and even more compared to drivers with good or excellent scores). On the other hand, because Wawanesa doesn't have data available for credit scores, they could have better premiums for drivers with bad credit over Travelers.

Is Travelers or Wawanesa 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 sizable impact on your monthly car insurance payment? Typically, the more miles you put on your vehicle, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

For both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles each year, as well as those who average twice that figure, Wawanesa offers cheaper rates than Travelers. Wawanesa's average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in more than 40% more affordable than Travelers. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay just under 35% less with Wawanesa over Travelers.

Travelers vs. Wawanesa: 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 big impact as well. Generally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

Wawanesa tends to offer the cheapest rates for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Wawanesa offers prices about $114 monthly compared to Travelers's $204. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay around $105 a month for Wawanesa and $160 for Travelers. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the lowest rates from both companies, with average monthly premiums coming in at $95 and $136 for Wawanesa and Travelers respectively.

Travelers vs. Wawanesa Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem challenging to find all the of the ones you're eligible for.

Below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Travelers and Wawanesa so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Travelers knocks Wawanesa out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 23 more discounts than Wawanesa.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a good driver and mature driver discounts. Travelers also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, alternative fuel discounts, and more that Wawanesa does not.

Wawanesa's discounts come through just two categories -- Good Driving and Mature Driver.

Final Thoughts: Is Travelers or Wawanesa Best for You?

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

Wawanesa might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing auto insurance by yourself.
• You want to save money on your insurance after a collision.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's car insurance policy.

Travelers might be best for you if...

• You have below-average credit.
• Your credit score is high.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Travelers and Wawanesa and that it aids in making a more informed decision about 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 multiple companies, not just Travelers and Wawanesa. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Travelers vs. Wawanesa FAQs

Is Travelers or Wawanesa cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Wawanesa is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $104 per month compared to $167 for Travelers. However, Wawanesa won't necessarily be the most affordable company for every 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 Wawanesa?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, Wawanesa offers more affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their record, while Travelers is cheaper for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores.

Why do Travelers and Wawanesa offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers take a look at lots of different factors when determining the premiums they charge policyholders. Things such as age, gender, your driving record, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Travelers and Wawanesa calculate prices using different variables, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different companies.

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

The only way to find the car insurance carrier 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 makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Travelers or Wawanesa 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.