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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Travelers offers significantly cheaper prices than Wolverine Mutual
• Travelers has more affordable rates for people who are single and purchasing insurance by yourself
• Wolverine Mutual offers more affordable prices for residents in Michigan

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

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering huge discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Travelers or Wolverine Mutual as your top options, but which carrier has cheaper rates for car insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Travelers is quite a bit cheaper than Wolverine Mutual, with premiums averaging $167 per month compared to $224 with Wolverine Mutual.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean Travelers will be the more affordable option for each driver. 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, at the end of the day, rates from every company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Travelers or Wolverine Mutual is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average premiums can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Travelers or Wolverine Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Travelers and Wolverine Mutual only compete against each other in Michigan, where Wolverine Mutual offers the cheaper average prices. For Michigan residents, Wolverine Mutual offers insurance for $224 per month on average. Travelers's average rates come out to be over 70% more expensive, at $572 monthly.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance bill than just your home state. Continue reading to learn more about how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for auto insurance than any group on the road. The reason is that young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance premiums. As you can see above, teens who use Travelers save nearly $80 a month compared to those who use Wolverine Mutual. It's worth noting that Travelers offers car insurance in 31 different states compared to Wolverine Mutual's one, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both companies will reduce rates by the time drivers turn 25. Wolverine Mutual offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying a third less what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Travelers still has the lowest premiums at $141 a month.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the most affordable prices you'll ever find.

So, which company offers the best rates to retired drivers? Wolverine Mutual gets the slight edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older almost 10% less expensive 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 premiums than married drivers. That's because policies for married couples typically cover several cars, which quite a few carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Travelers is the clear winner for single policyholders, with rates about $60 per month more affordable than Wolverine Mutual, on average. The advantage for married policyholders with Travelers is also obvious, where drivers save nearly 30% a month.

Travelers vs. Wolverine Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get tickets and get into accidents, they have an increased chance of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, men tend to pay more for car insurance than women.

Typically, men see prices around 6% per month higher with Travelers; women and men end up paying same monthly premiums with Wolverine Mutual.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Travelers comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $63 a month and men save about $52 with Travelers compared to the average Wolverine Mutual policyholder.

Travelers or Wolverine 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.

Insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are several different coverages that account for a bunch of different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Travelers normally offers slightly less expensive prices of $108 compared to Wolverine Mutual's $114. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Travelers again has the edge, with policies around $100 per month cheaper than Wolverine Mutual, on average.

Is Travelers or Wolverine Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and at-fault accidents on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the cheapest premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Travelers policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $32 a month if they get a ticket, while Wolverine Mutual generally raises rates about $29 per month, on average.

But Travelers has less expensive premiums for drivers in both categories, offering prices that are $18 and $15 cheaper, respectively, compared to Wolverine Mutual.

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% -- increase in their car insurance rates. Drivers who use Wolverine Mutual for their auto insurance will see a monthly bill around $42 (or 22%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their insurance company.

Overall, the more affordable premiums come from Travelers, with monthly rates averaging $173 compared to Wolverine Mutual's $188.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly car insurance bill -- normally a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. Wolverine Mutual drivers usually see a 62% increase in their auto insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Travelers will usually climb prices by about 38%.

Travelers has the overall lowest premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $205 per month, but it's worth noting that Travelers's average rates come from 31 states compared to just one for Wolverine Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Travelers and Wolverine Mutual Rates?

Did you know that many insurance companies take into account your credit score when calculating prices? Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it will come into play for several drivers.

The reasoning car insurance companies use is that policyholders 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 cheaper rates.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Michigan is one of a handful of states that does not allow auto insurance carriers from using credit scores to calculate rates. And since Wolverine Mutual is only available in Michigan, there is no data available on how credit score impacts premiums because it's not a factor at all. This may be a good thing, since Travelers and other companies tend to increase rates quite a bit in other states if you don't have excellent credit.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have less-than-stellar credit and live in Michigan, the good news is it won't cost you extra when it comes to car insurance. As you can see, poor credit can really cost Travelers drivers in other states, but no need to worry if you live in Michigan.

Is Travelers or Wolverine Mutual 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 big impact on your monthly premiums? That's because the fewer miles you drive, the less 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 Wolverine Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for Travelers, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle annually paying around $5 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, Travelers is the more affordable option for drivers in both categories.

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

Where you call home can have a considerable impact on your monthly auto insurance cost. Generally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas due to the small number of cars that are on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Travelers usually comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Travelers offers rates about $204 monthly compared to Wolverine Mutual's $344. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay around $160 a month for Travelers and $192 for Wolverine Mutual. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the most affordable premiums from both companies, with average monthly prices coming in at $136 and $137 for Travelers and Wolverine Mutual respectively.

Travelers vs. Wolverine Mutual Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many auto 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 can take advantage of or to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

In the section below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Travelers and Wolverine Mutual so that you can see which one can save you the most money each month.

Travelers blows Wolverine Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 16 more discounts than Wolverine Mutual.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like distant student discounts, discounts for being a good student, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company. Travelers also offers advance quote discounts, alternative fuel discounts, anti-theft discounts, and more that Wolverine Mutual does not.

On the flip side, Wolverine Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- military discounts and seat belt discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Travelers or Wolverine Mutual Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your 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 company for you and your specific driver profile?

Travelers might be best for you if....

• You value the experience that comes with a large national car insurance company.
• Your neighborhood is in a city.
• You've started working from home and don't have much of a commute.

Wolverine Mutual might be best for you if...

• You live in one of the following states: Michigan.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your insurance.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Travelers and Wolverine Mutual. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your car 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 auto insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of companies, not just Travelers and Wolverine Mutual. 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 carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Travelers vs. Wolverine Mutual FAQs

Is Travelers or Wolverine Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Travelers is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $167 per month compared to $224 for Wolverine Mutual. That being said, Travelers won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for everyone, since there are many different factors that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance payment.

Who is better, Travelers or Wolverine Mutual?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for each driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile. For example, Travelers offers cheaper premiums for single policyholders, while Wolverine Mutual is more affordable for drivers who have already retired.

Why do Travelers and Wolverine Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at many different variables when determining the prices they charge drivers. Things like gender, your driving record, age, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Travelers and Wolverine Mutual calculate rates using different factors, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once 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 most affordable premium. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Travelers or Wolverine 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.