American Family vs. Travelers Auto Insurance (2021)
Our American Family vs. Travelers auto insurance guide will help you decide between two stellar companies when taking into consideration your unique factors such as age, driving record, and credit score. American Family is a better choice for those with teen drivers in their household. Travelers offers more discounts than American Family.
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UPDATED: May 2, 2021
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- American Family has a higher customer complaint ratio
- Travelers’ rates for teen drivers are over twice as much as American Family’s
- American Family’s rates for 25-year-old males are cheaper
- American Family is better for those with a speeding ticket
- Travelers is better for those with an accident and offers more discounts than American Family
In our American Family vs. Travelers auto insurance guide, we compare auto insurance rates by age, driving record, and credit score. We also compare available discounts and ratings from agencies with a credible and trustworthy view of auto insurance companies.
Before jumping into our American Family vs. Travelers review, enter your ZIP code to start comparing multiple companies in your local area.
Table of Contents
Is American Family auto insurance or Travelers auto insurance cheaper based on age?
The more we drive in a variety of situations and the longer we drive, the safer and more aware we become when behind the wheel. For this reason, auto insurance companies use age as one of the most influential factors in quoting your auto insurance rates.
In most states, it’s legal to base auto insurance rates on marital status and gender; however, some have banned it. Let’s compare American Family’s auto insurance rates and Travelers’ auto insurance rates based on age, gender, and marital status.
Demographic | American Family Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates | Travelers Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates |
---|---|---|
Single 17-year-old female | $5,997 | $9,307 |
Single 17-year-old male | $8,131 | $12,851 |
Single 25-year-old female | $2,289 | $2,325 |
Single 25-year-old male | $2,695 | $2,491 |
Married 35-year-old female | $2,203 | $2,179 |
Married 35-year-old male | $2,224 | $2,200 |
Married 60-year-old female | $1,993 | $2,052 |
Married 60-year-old male | $2,014 | $2,074 |
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Travelers’ rates for teen drivers are more than double that of American Family. Interestingly, though, Travelers’ rates and American Family’s rates for drivers 25 and older are fairly competitive.
Of note, Travelers car insurance rates for single 25-year-old males are 8 percent cheaper than American Family car insurance rates.
If you have young drivers in your family, specifically under 25, expect to get much better rates with American Family.
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Is American Family auto insurance or Travelers auto insurance cheaper based on driving record?
Speeding tickets, accidents, or DUIs on your driving record will raise your auto insurance rates no matter what company you pick because you become a higher-risk driver.
Infraction | American Family Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates | Travelers Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates |
---|---|---|
Clean record | $2,694 | $3,448 |
With one speeding violation | $3,026 | $4,261 |
With one accident | $3,723 | $4,290 |
With one DUI | $4,330 | $5,741 |
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Overall, American Family car insurance quotes are lower for drivers with a bad driving record than are Travelers car insurance quotes.
When it comes to having a speeding ticket or an accident on your record, both company’s rates vary considerably.
If you get a speeding ticket while with Travelers, expect your rate to increase 24 percent while with American Family, it would increase only 12 percent.
Alternatively, if you cause an accident while with Travelers, expect your rate to be the same as if you got a speeding ticket while with American Family, it would increase by 38 percent.
Both companies show about the same percent increase (61 to 67 percent) in rates comparing a driver with a clean record to a driver that has a DUI on their record.
Is American Family auto insurance or Travelers auto insurance cheaper based on credit score?
If you experience some type of financial trauma such as medical debt or going through a divorce, a good credit score can drop in a matter of months.
In most states it’s legal for auto insurance companies to factor in your credit score when determining your rates; however, some are banning this along with factoring in gender and marital status.
Based on the assumption that those with higher credit scores are more responsible and overall safer drivers less likely to file a claim, auto insurance companies justify using your credit score to determine your rates.
Is it easier to find affordable American Family car insurance or affordable Travelers car insurance? Well, let’s take a look at how American Family and Travelers address rates for drivers with varying credit scores.
Credit History | American Family Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates | Travelers Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates |
---|---|---|
Good Credit (670-739) | $2,692 | $4,059 |
Fair Credit Score (580-669) | $3,170 | $4,344 |
Poor Credit Score (300-579) | $4,468 | $5,160 |
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American Family, initially, has cheaper auto insurance rates than Travelers, but if choose Travelers and your credit score gets worse while with them, they are much more forgiving than American Family.
If you have a bad credit history, American Family is the better option at first; however, you may consider switching if you do experience financial trauma in the future.
It may be that basing auto insurance rates on gender, marital status, and/or credit score has been outlawed in your state.
Does American Family or Travelers have better auto insurance discounts?
An auto insurance company often determines discounts based on its philosophy and values. Therefore, if you have a bad driving record or low credit score, getting good discounts will offset your high rates.
Our source lists only three American Family auto insurance discounts: defensive driver, airbags, and using their driving device or app.
Discounts | American Family | Travelers |
---|---|---|
Adaptive Cruise Control | n/a | n/a |
Adaptive Headlights | n/a | n/a |
Anti-lock Brakes | yes | n/a |
Anti-Theft | yes | n/a |
Claim Free | yes | 23 |
Continuous Coverage | yes | 15 |
Daytime Running Lights | n/a | n/a |
Defensive Driver | 10 | 10 |
Distant Student | n/a | 7 |
Driver's Ed | n/a | 8 |
Driving Device/App | 40 | 30 |
Early Signing | n/a | 10 |
Electronic Stability Control | n/a | n/a |
Emergency Deployment | yes | n/a |
Engaged Couple | yes | n/a |
Family Legacy | yes | n/a |
Family Plan | yes | n/a |
Farm Vehicle | yes | n/a |
Fast 5 | yes | n/a |
Federal Employee | yes | n/a |
Forward Collision Warning | n/a | n/a |
Full Payment | n/a | 7.5 |
Further Education | yes | n/a |
Garaging/Storing | yes | n/a |
Good Credit | n/a | n/a |
Good Student | n/a | 8 |
Green Vehicle | n/a | 10 |
Homeowner | yes | 5 |
Lane Departure Warning | n/a | n/a |
Life Insurance | n/a | n/a |
Low Mileage | n/a | n/a |
Loyalty | yes | n/a |
Married | n/a | n/a |
Membership/Group | n/a | n/a |
Military | yes | n/a |
Military Garaging | yes | n/a |
Multiple Drivers | n/a | n/a |
Multiple Policies | n/a | 13 |
Multiple Vehicles | n/a | 8 |
New Address | n/a | n/a |
New Customer/New Plan | n/a | n/a |
New Graduate | yes | n/a |
Newer Vehicle | yes | 10 |
Newly Licensed | n/a | n/a |
Newlyweds | n/a | n/a |
Non-Smoker/Non-Drinker | n/a | n/a |
Occasional Operator | n/a | n/a |
Occupation | n/a | n/a |
On Time Payments | n/a | 15 |
Online Shopper | n/a | n/a |
Paperless Documents | n/a | n/a |
Paperless/Auto Billing | n/a | 3 |
Passive Restraint | 30 | n/a |
Recent Retirees | yes | n/a |
Renter | yes | n/a |
Roadside Assistance | yes | n/a |
Safe Driver | n/a | 23 |
Seat Belt Use | n/a | n/a |
Senior Driver | n/a | n/a |
Stable Residence | yes | n/a |
Students & Alumni | n/a | n/a |
Switching Provider | n/a | n/a |
Utility Vehicle | n/a | n/a |
Vehicle Recovery | yes | n/a |
VIN Etching | yes | n/a |
Volunteer | yes | n/a |
Young Driver | n/a | n/a |
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American Family offers up to a 20 percent discount for using its driving app or driving device while Travelers offers up to 30 percent.
But, if you don’t prefer to use a driving app, you can still save up to 23 percent with Travelers if you are claim-free or a safe driver with no record of infractions.
Important to note, most of Travelers’ discounts are in small amounts, so it may be possible to stack several of them. You may also have the option to save more by bundling with your life insurance policy or home insurance policy.
You may be wondering, is American Family home insurance good? What about Travelers home insurance? Be sure to get quotes for home insurance from multiple companies and compare them closely.
The discounts provided by auto insurance companies also target particular categories of drivers, so be sure to inquire if there are any extra discounts by calling American Family or Travelers customer service at the American Family or Travelers phone number.
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Does American Family or Travelers have better auto insurance mobile apps?
Usage-based auto insurance has become a hot trend in the auto insurance industry in the last decade or so, and all of the larger auto insurance companies have a driving app that uses your mobile phone or a device installed into your vehicle.
Large auto insurance companies also provide a more general app to enable you to pay your bill, make changes to your coverage levels, and use it for electronic verification of insurance in states that permit it.
How does American Family and Travelers auto insurance compare in financial strength and customer satisfaction?
Purchasing auto insurance is an important financial responsibility, so you want to make sure you’re selecting the appropriate company that will be there for you when you need it most.
A company’s financial strength, customer satisfaction with the claims process, and customer complaints should be reviewed prior to making your decision.
The following three agencies provide insight into these factors:
A.M. Best scores companies based on their ability to meet their ongoing insurance obligations such as balancing premiums collected and claims paid. The highest score A.M. Best awards is Superior A++.
Consumer Reports collects annual data from its subscribers regarding customer satisfaction of the claims process, step by step. In their 2017 survey, 27 insurance companies were rated, and scores ranged between 86 to 96.
And the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) calculates a complaint ratio based on total number of customers against total number of complaints. In 2017, the national average complaint ratio was 1. The lower the ratio, the better.
Rating Agency | American Family | Travelers |
---|---|---|
AM Best Rating | A | N/A |
Consumer Reports | 89 | 90 |
NAIC Company Complaint Ratio | 0.79 | 0.09 |
NAIC Total Complaints | 73 | 2 |
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Unfortunately, A.M. Best does not provide a financial strength rating for Travelers, but, if you’re looking to buy American Family car insurance, it should feel good to know American Family comes in pretty strong.
However, if you’re looking to buy Travelers car insurance, know that Travelers has a smaller customer complaint ratio. Before eliminating American Family entirely, be sure to find more details on the NAIC website.
Also, be sure to check Travelers and American Family insurance ratings from J.D. Power.
Now that you’ve finished our American Family vs. Travelers review, use our FREE comparison tool to compare auto insurance to other companies’ auto insurance quotes in your area.