Travelers vs. West Bend Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, West Bend Mutual offers significantly more affordable rates than Travelers
• Travelers offers more discounts than West Bend Mutual Insurance
• West Bend Mutual offers more affordable prices for policyholders who have a clean driving record, free of accidents, tickets, or DUIs

Travelers vs. West Bend Mutual: 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 hefty discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might be considering Travelers or West Bend Mutual as potential options, but which one will offer you less expensive premiums?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Travelers is about $36 more per month than West Bend Mutual.

But West Bend Mutual may not be the most affordable or best option for each driver out there. After all, auto insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your age, where you call home, your driving record, or even your credit score (among other things), so rates could change drastically from person to person.

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

Travelers or West Bend Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Travelers and West Bend Mutual only compete against each other in three states, with West Bend Mutual offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Wisconsin, Travelers is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at the overall average prices. West Bend Mutual is the cheaper option in Iowa and Minnesota.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance payment than just where you call home. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for car insurance than any group on the road. The reason is that 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 auto insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of $25 less a month by choosing West Bend Mutual over Travelers. It's worth noting that Travelers offers car insurance in 31 different states compared to West Bend Mutual's three, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, with both carriers, you'll see your premiums lower significantly by the time drivers turn 25. West Bend Mutual offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Travelers's average rates drop more than 60% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

When looking at Travelers and West Bend Mutual specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? West Bend Mutual gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $40 more affordable than the national average for Travelers.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive auto insurance rates than married couples. That's typically because married policyholders tend to own and insure multiple cars, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, West Bend Mutual is the clear winner for single drivers, with prices around $28 per month less expensive than Travelers, on average. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - West Bend Mutual offers the lowest average rates.

Travelers vs. West Bend Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and file an insurance claim. That means when it comes to car insurance men will usually end up paying a little more.

On average, men see premiums about 6% a month higher with Travelers, and over 10% with West Bend Mutual.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, West Bend Mutual offers the most affordable average prices for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $33 per month and women save around $38 with West Bend Mutual compared to the average Travelers policyholder.

Travelers or West Bend Mutual: 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. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

That being said, most policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which generally refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages alongside liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, West Bend Mutual normally offers significantly cheaper rates of $77 compared to Travelers's $108. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, West Bend Mutual again has the edge, with policies about $40 a month more affordable than Travelers, on average.

Is Travelers or West Bend Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

Tickets and at-fault collisions will most likely raise your prices, but is Travelers or West Bend Mutual less expensive 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 West Bend Mutual typically raises rates around $25 a month, on average.

However, West Bend Mutual tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent speeding ticket and those with clean records, offering premiums that are 34% and 32% more affordable, respectively, compared to Travelers.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Travelers drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their prices climb by $45, while those who have insurance through West Bend Mutual will see about a $80 increase.

Overall, drivers who use West Bend Mutual end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly rates averaging $163 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 ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. For example, West Bend Mutual increases average premiums by $85 per month -- that's over a 50% increase.

West Bend Mutual has the overall cheapest prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $169 a month, but it's worth noting that Travelers's average rates come from 31 states compared to just three for West Bend Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Travelers and West Bend Mutual Rates?

Did you know that many car insurance carriers take into account your credit score when calculating rates? This isn't always the case (for example, Massachusetts and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect a lot of policyholders out there.

The reasoning auto 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 premiums, while those with poor credit will usually be forced to pay more.

Looking specifically at Travelers and West Bend Mutual, which company has the lowest rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, you'll usually find a better deal with West Bend Mutual. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 20% compared to Travelers, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $27 or 19% cheaper every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

West Bend Mutual typically offers lower prices than Travelers when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $40 a month less with West Bend Mutual compared to Travelers, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of around $51 monthly.

Is Travelers or West Bend Mutual 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 car insurance carriers will charge for coverage. That's because the more miles you put on your vehicle, the more likely you are to get into an accident and cause an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much West Bend Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Travelers, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles each year paying about $5 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, West Bend Mutual is the more affordable option for drivers in both categories.

Travelers vs. West Bend Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can play a sizable role in how much you pay for insurance. Generally, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

West Bend Mutual boasts the most affordable average premiums for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the lowest prices from both companies, but West Bend Mutual comes out on top with average rates around $113 per month. West Bend Mutual also has less expensive average premiums for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 23% and 24% per month respective difference when compared to Travelers policyholders in similar areas.

Travelers vs. West Bend Mutual Discounts

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

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

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Travelers and West Bend Mutual so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Travelers blows West Bend Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering nine more discounts than West Bend Mutual.

Both carriers offer many of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, distant student discounts, discounts for being a good driver, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company -- but Travelers also offers advance quote discounts, alternative fuel discounts, continuous insurance discounts, and more that West Bend Mutual does not.

On the flip side, West Bend Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- advanced safety feature discounts, excess vehicle discounts, marital status discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Travelers or West Bend Mutual Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the factors car insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which insurance company is the right one for you and your specific needs?

West Bend Mutual might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing insurance by yourself.
• Your neighborhood is in a city.
• You're buying car insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

Travelers might be best for you if...

• You already have plans to move to another state -- West Bend Mutual Insurance is only available in three states.
• You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Travelers and West Bend Mutual and that it aids in making a more informed 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 West Bend Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Travelers vs. West Bend Mutual FAQs

Is Travelers or West Bend Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, West Bend Mutual is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $131 a month compared to $167 for Travelers. That being said, West Bend Mutual won't necessarily be the cheapest company for each policyholder, since there are several different variables that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

Who is better, Travelers or West Bend Mutual?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No one carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile.

Why do Travelers and West Bend Mutual offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies take a look at quite a few different factors when determining the premiums they charge drivers. Variables such as where you live, where you park your car, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Travelers and West Bend Mutual calculate prices using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

How do I know if Travelers or West Bend Mutual 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 do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Travelers or West Bend Mutual 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.