Geico vs. Travelers: Which Offers More Affordable Auto Insurance Quotes (2023)
We look at rates for both companies based on age, driving record, and credit score. GEICO has cheaper rates for teen drivers, but Travelers has a wider variety of car insurance discounts.
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Jimmy McMillan
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Jimmy McMillan is an entrepreneur and the founder of HeartLifeInsurance.com, an independent insurance brokerage. His company specializes in insurance for people with heart problems. He knows personally how difficult it is to secure health and life insurance after a heart attack. Jimmy is a licensed insurance agent from coast to coast who has been featured on ValientCEO and the podcast Modern Li...
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UPDATED: Sep 16, 2023
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- You can save over 85 percent on auto insurance for your teen driver by choosing Geico over Travelers.
- If you have a bad driving record, Geico is a better choice than Travelers.
- Geico has heftier discounts, but Travelers has a wider variety.
In our Geico vs Travelers auto insurance guide, we examine rates by your particular characteristics: age, gender, marital status, driving record, and credit score. We also compare discounts and ratings from credible agencies that rate all the best auto insurance companies.
Keep reading to compare Geico insurance and Travelers insurance, or enter your ZIP code to find affordable auto insurance rates in your area.
Is Geico auto insurance or Travelers auto insurance cheaper based on age?
The older we get, the more driving experience we have. Car insurance companies use age as one of the most influential factors in determining your auto insurance rates.
It’s legal to base car insurance rates on marital status and gender in most states; however, some have outlawed it. Let’s compare Geico and Travelers auto insurance rates based on age, gender, and marital status.
| Age, Gender, and Marital Status | Geico Average Annual Rates | Travelers Average Annual Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Single 17-year-old female | $5,654 | $9,307 |
| Single 17-year-old male | $6,279 | $12,851 |
| Single 25-year-old female | $2,379 | $2,325 |
| Single 25-year-old male | $2,263 | $2,491 |
| Married 35-year-old female | $2,303 | $2,179 |
| Married 35-year-old male | $2,312 | $2,200 |
| Married 60-year-old female | $2,247 | $2,052 |
| Married 60-year-old male | $2,283 | $2,074 |
Geico has some of the best auto insurance rates for teens. By contrast, you will pay 85 percent more with Travelers if you have a young driver in your household.
When it comes to auto insurance for those of us 25 and older, Travelers is about 3 percent cheaper than Geico, so expect to pay about the same.
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Is Geico 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 high-risk driver.
| Infraction | Geico Average Annual Rates | Travelers Average Annual Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Clean record | $2,146 | $3,448 |
| With one speeding violation | $2,645 | $4,261 |
| With one accident | $3,193 | $4,290 |
| With one DUI | $4,876 | $5,741 |
If you have a clean driving record, expect to pay about $1,300 more with Travelers than you would with Geico.
It’s also important to take a closer look at how punitive each company is if you sign up with a clean driving record but then later get an infraction.
Geico has steeper penalties if you get a speeding ticket, cause an accident or get a DUI. Your rates with Geico will more than double if you get a DUI.
By choosing Travelers, you may pay more for having good credit, but they aren’t as harsh. Travelers increase their customers’ rates by 67 percent if the driver gets a DUI.
Is Geico auto insurance or Travelers auto insurance cheaper based on credit score?
A good credit score can drop in a matter of months if you experience some type of financial trauma such as medical debt or going through a divorce.
In most states, it is legal for auto insurance companies to base rates on your credit score; however, some are outlawing this along with basing rates on gender and marital status.
Based on the assumption that those with higher credit scores are more responsible and, overall, safer drivers are less likely to file a claim, auto insurance companies justify using your credit score to determine your rates.
Let’s take a look at how Geico and Travelers address rates for drivers with low credit scores.
| Credit Score | Geico Average Annual Rates | Travelers Average Annual Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Good Credit (670-739) | $2,435 | $4,059 |
| Fair Credit Score (580-669) | $2,987 | $4,344 |
| Poor Credit Score (300-579) | $4,260 | $5,160 |
No matter what your credit score is, your rates will be cheaper with Geico than with Travelers.
Once you are with Geico, and your credit score drops, expect your auto insurance rates to increase by 75 percent as compared to Travelers, which will increase your rates by only 27 percent. Read our Travelers auto insurance review to compare rates..
Before you judge these two companies’ rates based on credit score alone, read about your state auto insurance requirements and examine rates from a variety of companies.
Hopefully, if you have bad credit, you live in a state that has outlawed this practice.
Does Geico or Travelers have better auto insurance discounts?
Auto insurance company discounts vary widely, and they are usually based on a company’s values and philosophy. That’s why it pays to shop around, especially if you have a bad driving record or low credit score. Discounts can help offset high rates.
| Discounts | Geico Discount Percentage | Travelers Discount Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-lock Brakes | 5 | n/a |
| Anti-Theft | 25 | n/a |
| Claim Free | 26 | 23 |
| Continuous Coverage | n/a | 15 |
| Daytime Running Lights | 1 | n/a |
| Defensive Driver | n/a | 10 |
| Distant Student | n/a | 7 |
| Driver's Ed | n/a | 8 |
| Driving Device/App | n/a | 30 |
| Early Signing | n/a | 10 |
| Emergency Deployment | 25 | n/a |
| Federal Employee | 8 | n/a |
| Full Payment | n/a | 7.5 |
| Good Student | 15 | 8 |
| Green Vehicle | n/a | 10 |
| Homeowner | n/a | 5 |
| Military | 15 | n/a |
| Multiple Policies | 10 | 13 |
| Multiple Vehicles | 25 | 8 |
| Newer Vehicle | n/a | 10 |
| On Time Payments | n/a | 15 |
| Paperless/Auto Billing | n/a | 3 |
| Passive Restraint | 40 | n/a |
| Safe Driver | 15 | 23 |
| Seat Belt Use | 15 | n/a |
| Vehicle Recovery | 25 | n/a |
When comparing discounts offered by either company, Geico has a total of 12 auto insurance discounts and Travelers has a total of 17 discounts.
Geico offers excellent discounts. The highest discounts range between 25 and 40 percent for being claim-free, having multiple vehicles on your policy, as well as having air bags, anti-theft equipment, and a vehicle recovery system.
Travelers offers a claim-free discount of 23 percent. Other great discounts ranging from 15 percent to 30 percent are for making on-time payments, having continuous coverage, being a safe driver, and using the Travelers driving app.
The discounts offered by auto insurance companies often target specific types of drivers, so, when you get your Travelers and Geico quotes, be sure to ask if there are any additional discounts.
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What types of auto insurance coverages are offered by Geico and Travelers?
Since both Geico and Travelers are two of the 10 companies that make up most of the market share, they have the means to offer a wider variety of auto insurance coverages that go beyond the standard six coverages which are listed below.
Be sure you understand the various auto insurance coverage types before purchasing each one:
- Liability auto insurance coverage – bodily injury and property damage
- Comprehensive auto insurance coverage
- Collision auto insurance coverage
- Uninsured/Underinsured auto insurance coverage
- Medical Payments (MedPay) auto insurance coverage – particularly important in states that require no-fault auto insurance
- Personal Injury Protection (PIP) auto insurance coverage
Be sure to take a closer look at any specialty coverages such as rental reimbursement, roadside assistance, guaranteed auto protection (GAP), mechanical breakdown, and recreational vehicles such as ATVs or boats.
Does Geico or Travelers have better mobile apps?
Usage-based auto insurance has become an individualized trend in the last decade or so, and all the bigger auto insurance companies have a driving app that uses your mobile phone or a device installed in your auto.
Large auto insurance companies also provide a more general app to enable you to view your policy, make changes, and pay your bill. Usually, your Geico login or Travelers insurance login will work with both the general app and the driving app.
Read our Geico DriveEasy review and compare it to our Travelers’ IntelliDrive review to decide if usage-based auto insurance is right for you.
How does Geico and Travelers auto insurance compare in financial strength and customer satisfaction?
Buying auto insurance is a big financial responsibility, so you want to make sure you are choosing the right company that will be there for you when you need it.
A company’s financial strength, customer satisfaction with the claims process, and customer complaints should be examined before you make 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 Geico claims process and the Travelers claims process, step by step. In their 2017 survey, 27 insurance companies were rated, and scores ranged between 86 and 96.
And the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) calculates a complaint ratio based on the total number of customers against the total number of complaints. In 2017, the national average complaint ratio was 1. The lower the ratio, the better.
Let’s take a closer look at external ratings for Geico and Travelers.
| Rating Agency | Geico | Travelers |
|---|---|---|
| AM Best Rating | A++ | N/A |
| Consumer Reports | 89 | 90 |
| NAIC Company Complaint Ratio | 0.68 | 0.09 |
| NAIC Total Complaints | 333 | 2 |
Both Geico and Travelers are highly rated when it comes to customer satisfaction with the claims process. Both Travelers and Geico customer service are strong.
Geico has a higher customer complaint ratio but holds an A++ from AM. Best.
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Geico vs Travelers: The Bottom Line
We’ve put together a comparison of our Travelers vs Geico car insurance guides to help you decide which company is best for you. We looked at rates based on age, driving history, and credit score. Geico has cheaper car insurance rates for teens, but Travelers has more car insurance discounts.
Ready to buy auto insurance? When you’re unsure which company to choose, you can always use our FREE comparison tool to compare auto insurance quotes from the auto insurance companies in your area.