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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, Western National offers slightly more affordable premiums than Travelers
• Travelers tends to be a much less expensive option for residents of rural areas
• Western National offers cheaper average rates for residents of urban areas

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

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering large discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Travelers or Western National as potential options, but between the two, which one has less expensive premiums for insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Western National is about $13 per month more affordable than Travelers.

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

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

Travelers or Western National: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Travelers and Western National only compete against each other in three states, with Travelers offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Minnesota, Western National is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at the overall average rates. Travelers is the less expensive option in Iowa and Wisconsin.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your car insurance cost than just where you call home. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

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

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of more than $45 less a month by choosing Western National over Travelers.

That being said, both companies will decrease prices by the time drivers turn 25. Western National offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Travelers still has the cheapest premiums at $141 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll generally enjoy the lowest car insurance prices out there. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly rates for auto insurance.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Travelers and Western National? Western National gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older over 15% cheaper 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 affordable for married policyholders than they are for those who are single. That's typically because married couples tend to own and insure more than one car, which can often earn you a discount.

If you're in the market for car insurance, Western National tends to have the most affordable average prices regardless of marital status, with prices nearly 10% cheaper for single policyholders and around 7% less expensive for married drivers.

Travelers vs. Western National: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get tickets and get into collisions, they run a larger risk of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, insurance carriers will tend to charge men more than women.

With Travelers, women generally pay more than $10 per month less than men, and almost $15 with Western National.

Looking at overall affordability, Western National comes out as the cheapest option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $11 a month and women save about $14 with Western National compared to the average Travelers policyholder.

Travelers or Western National: 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 auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

The two 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 includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside what you get with a liability policy).

In this case, Western National offers the most affordable average premiums for state minimum liability insurance, while Travelers has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $50 with Western National Insurance Company, while full coverage comes out to be around $25 more affordable with Travelers.

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

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

Accidents and tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is Travelers or Western National less expensive for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders with Western National car insurance policies don't report seeing their premiums increase after getting a ticket, but Travelers policyholders can expect to see their monthly bill increase by about 20%.

If you have a clean record, Travelers tends to offer the best rates at around 17% cheaper, while Western National has the edge for drivers with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Travelers drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums climb by $45, while those who have insurance through Western National will see about a $0 increase.

Overall, drivers who use Western National end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly prices averaging $154 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. For example, Travelers increases average rates by over $75 per month -- that's just under a 40% increase.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, Western National tends to be the much less expensive option with average prices of $154 a month compared to $205 from Travelers.

How does Credit Score Impact Travelers and Western National Rates?

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

The reasoning auto insurance companies use is that drivers with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so typically, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with more affordable premiums.

So, which carrier offers the lowest prices for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with Western National. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save over 40% compared to Travelers, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $28 or 20% cheaper every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have less-than-perfect credit, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best rates. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $19 less with Western National than Travelers, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving around $47 a month with Travelers.

Is Travelers or Western National 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 your monthly prices. Normally, those who drive less will end up with less expensive premiums since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

For both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles each year, as well as those who average twice that figure, Western National tends to be the more affordable option. Travelers's average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about 7% more expensive than Western National. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay around 8% more with Travelers over Western National.

Travelers vs. Western National: 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 car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a substantial impact as well. Usually, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

Looking at these carriers side-by-side, Western National boasts the lowest average prices in urban and suburban areas, while Travelers wins in rural areas.

In urban areas, Western National's average rates are about $177 while Travelers offers premiums around $204. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly premium of about $127 with Western National compared to $160 with Travelers. Those in rural areas can expect to pay around $136 per month with Travelers compared to Western National's $158.

Travelers vs. Western National Discounts

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

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to find all the ones you qualify for or to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Travelers and Western National 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 knocks Western National out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 13 more discounts than Western National.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver, distant student discounts, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company. Travelers also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, alternative fuel discounts, and more that Western National does not.

On the flip side, Western National has a couple unique discounts of its own -- corporate discounts, employee discounts, family discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Travelers or Western National 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 company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, is Travelers or Western National the right carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

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

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• Your credit score is high.
• You're buying auto insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

Travelers might be best for you if...

• You haven't received any speeding tickets or been in an accident in the last few years.
• You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Travelers and Western National. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Travelers and Western National. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of top auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Travelers vs. Western National FAQs

Is Travelers or Western National cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Western National is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $154 per month compared to $167 for Travelers. But Western National won't necessarily be the most affordable company for every driver, since there are multiple different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Travelers or Western National?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Western National offers less expensive premiums for policyholders with an at-fault accident on their record, while Travelers is more affordable for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores.

Why do Travelers and Western National offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at quite a few different factors when determining the prices they charge drivers. Things such as gender, your driving record, where you live, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Travelers and Western National calculate rates using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple 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. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Travelers or Western National 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.