GEICO vs Travelers: Which is Better for You?

Read on to see which company is best for you.
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Ross Martin

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Ross joined The Zebra as a writer and researcher in 2019. As a licensed insurance agent, he specializes in writing insurance content to help shoppers…

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Kristine Lee

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  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty

Kristine is a licensed insurance agent who joined The Zebra in 2019 as an in-house content researcher and writer. Before joining The Zebra, she was a…

GEICO vs. Travelers: Which company is best for you?

Both GEICO and Travelers enjoy widespread brand recognition and a large share of the auto insurance market, but which one is best for you? We've compared both companies to give you an idea of what you can expect as a customer. Read on to find out more.

GEICO car insurance

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Rating from The Zebra Question mark icon

GEICO has the second-largest share of the auto insurance market and is one of the most recognizable carriers in the country. The company generally receives good customer satisfaction ratings. Furthermore, GEICO is known for having some of the most affordable rates among major carriers. 

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5 stars Rating from The Zebra
Ratings based on price, customer service, coverage, and financial strength.
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Pros Cons
  • Affordable rates for most
  • Wide-ranging coverage options
  • Great customer satisfaction scores
  • Lack of local agents                                          

Travelers car insurance

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Rating from The Zebra Question mark icon

Among the oldest insurers in the United States, Travelers remains a popular insurance carrier that provides a number of bundling options. Available coverage types are similar to those offered by most other major insurance companies, and they offer a wide variety of discount options. However, Travelers receives scores less well than competitors regarding overall customer satisfaction. 

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4 stars Rating from The Zebra
Ratings based on price, customer service, coverage, and financial strength.
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Pros Cons
  • Affordable rates for most drivers
  • Wide-ranging coverage options
  • Plentiful discounts
  • Lower customer satisfaction scores overall

Which company comes out on top?

GEICO


GEICO comes out on top in most categories, including customer satisfaction, coverage options, and price. These factors make GEICO a strong choice for most drivers.


GEICO vs. Travelers: car insurance rate comparison

Choosing a car insurance company can be tricky: insurance rates differ by driving history, age and location. GEICO and Travelers are both popular insurers, each providing competitively priced policies in most states.

In an effort to simplify the comparison process, we've collected average rates from Travelers and GEICO below. Take a look at these rates to help you in your search for an affordable policy. Keep in mind, however, that the quotes you receive are likely to be different than our samples.

Cheapest average rates
Cheapest average rates

GEICO has the cheapest rates overall on average. However, this can vary from person to person, so it's always a good idea to get quotes from many different insurers to see which policy is most affordable.


GEICO vs. Travelers: pricing by credit score

If you have very poor credit, GEICO is likely to be the way to go. On average, GEICO offers more affordable rates than Travelers for drivers with credit scores of less than 580. Drivers with outstanding credit — a score of 800 or better — could consider either company, as both have similar rates for drivers with good to exceptional credit. View common insurance rates by credit level for Travelers and GEICO below.

 

RATES BY CREDIT LEVEL: TRAVELERS VS. GEICO
Credit score GEICO avg. annual premium Travelers avg. annual premium
Very Poor (300-579) $2,051 $3,224
Fair (580-669) $1,358 $1,773
Good (670-739) $1,485 $1,375
Very Good (740-799) $1,120 $1,182
Exceptional (800-850) $1,064 $1,069

Auto insurance data methodology

The auto insurance rates published in this guide are based on the results of The Zebra's State of Insurance car insurance pricing analysis. This analysis of more than 83 million insurance rates spans every U.S. ZIP code, using a sample user profile: a 30-year-old single male driver with a Honda Accord, good credit and full coverage at these levels:

  • $50,000 per person/$100,000 per incident for bodily injury liability
  • $50,000 per incident for property damage liability
  • $500 deductibles for collision and comprehensive coverage

To generate pricing for particular rating factors, we adjusted the driving profile based on common pricing factors used by major car insurance companies. These factors include credit score, coverage level, driving record and others.

In some instances, average rates from Liberty Mutual were derived from internally sourced sales data.

GEICO vs. Travelers: rates for high-risk drivers

If you're dealing with an at-fault collision, speeding ticket, reckless driving citation, your insurance premiums are likely to be higher. Those with a DWI may find Travelers preferable to rates offered by GEICO. However, GEICO's rates for most other infractions remain relatively affordable. Remember that each insurer has different post-violation pricing structures, so it's worth comparing quotes to understand which insurer suits you.

 
RATES BY CITATION: TRAVELERS VS. GEICO
Violation GEICO avg. annual premium Travelers avg. annual premium
At-fault accident (damage < $1,000) $1,857 n/a
At-fault accident (damage > $1,000) $1,580 n/a
DUI/DWI $2,550 $2,004
Reckless driving $2,238 n/a
Speeding ticket $1,395 $1,752

GEICO vs. Travelers: rates by age

Insurance companies use a driver's age as an estimator of risk. An auto insurance policy is usually priciest for teen drivers because of their increased odds of being involved in an accident. Rates tend to get more affordable as drivers age. Because every car insurance company prices age brackets differently, it's worth doing some comparison shopping.

As a general rule, teen drivers will pay more for coverage. However, both GEICO and Travelers tend to be more affordable for teens than many competitors. Take a look at how other age groups compare below.

 
RATES BY AGE: TRAVELERS VS. GEICO
Age tier GEICO avg. annual premium Travelers avg. annual premium
Teens $3,508 $3,622
20s $1,438 $1,645
30s $1,218 $1,348
40s $1,189 $1,237
50s $1,160 $1,167
60s $1,065 $1,165

Costs aside, GEICO and Travelers both have intriguing qualities, including discount programs, customer satisfaction ratings and policy add-ons. Be sure to get quotes and compare rates before making your final decision.

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Ratings comparison: GEICO vs. Travelers

When looking for a new auto policy, it pays to compare more than just price. Good ratings from customers and third-party agencies can lead you toward an insurance company that provides both affordable rates and great customer service. We've compiled a variety of ratings for both GEICO and Travelers to help you determine each company's customer satisfaction level, number of complaints and financial outlook.

GEICO vs. Travelers
Ratings comparison GEICO Travelers
Financial strength (A.M. Best) Superior Superior
JD Power (claims satisfaction) Average Average
JD Power (customer satisfaction) Average Below average
NAIC rating Average Good
The Zebra's editorial review score 5/5 4/5
The Zebra's Customer Satisfaction Survey 4.4/5 4.3/5

Which company scores best?

GEICO


GEICO scores higher than Travelers in most areas, including The Zebra's own editorial review and our annual Customer Satisfaction Survey, which you can see in more detail below.


The Zebra's Customer Satisfaction Survey

The Zebra conducted a survey to get a sense of which major car insurance providers are viewed by their customers. Find a rundown of the results below. 

survey logo
GEICO

GEICO came in fourth place overall with a score of 4.4. Below are some highlights from the survey.

  • GEICO placed first for Online Satisfaction (website and apps)
  • Scored well for Customer Service and Willingness to Recommend
  • Viewed most favorably by drivers in the Boomer generation
survey logo
Travelers

Travelers auto insurance came in sixth place overall (out of 15 carriers) with a score of 4.3. The company scored well in most categories. See highlights below.

  • Scored well in Online Satisfaction (4.4)
  • In the top 5 for Claims and Customer Service Satisfaction

The Zebra Customer Satisfaction Survey methodology

Findings are based on an online quantitative survey of 4,794 current U.S. auto and home insurance customers, with Census-balanced sampling by age, gender and region. Categories with n=<20 responses are considered insufficient sample size and are not reported. This survey was developed by The Zebra and executed by independent research firm Maru/Blue in 2023.


GEICO vs. Travelers: discount comparison

Car insurance discounts can help you bring down your insurance premiums. Take a look at the discounts available from GEICO and Travelers below.

GEICO vs. Travelers: discount comparison
Discount comparison GEICO Travelers
Good student ✓ ✓
Multiple policies ✓ ✓
Multiple vehicles ✓ ✓
Anti-theft device(s) ✓
Anti-lock brake system ✓
Air bags ✓
Good driver ✓ ✓
Defensive driver ✓
Student away at school ✓
Driver training ✓ ✓
Green vehicles ✓
Affinity membership alum ✓ ✓
Advanced purchase ✓
Pay in full ✓
Home owner ✓
eSign or ePay
Telematics ✓
New Vehicle ✓ ✓
Annual Mileage ✓
Military ✓

In addition to the discounts above, GEICO also offers a senior citizen discount to qualifying drivers.


Telematics options: GEICO vs. Travelers

GEICO and Travelers have both moved into the realm of telematics car insurance in recent years. For safe drivers, this can lead to reduced rates. Take a look at the comparison below to see if one option stands out for your insurance needs.

GEICO logo
GEICO DriveEasy

GEICO Drive Easy Pro is an app that tracks your driving habits to better assess your level of risk. For safe drivers, this can sometimes result in cheaper rates. Currently, the app is rated on app stores at 3.5 out of 5 stars (both Google Play and the Apple Store).

Travelers IntelliDrive®
Travelers IntelliDrive®

Travelers IntelliDrive offers drivers the chance to save up to 20%. Participating policyholders must download a mobile app that tracks your driving habits for 90 days, after which time you might see savings. Bear in mind that this program is not available in all states.

Zebra tip: Explore telematics offerings from both companies


While GEICO boasts great online reviews overall, its telematics app suffers lower scores across multiple platforms. Travelers, on the other hand, scores quite well. Still, both options could be worthwhile to safe drivers.


Roadside assistance: GEICO vs. Travelers

No one wants to be caught on the side of the road after a breakdown. Check out the different roadside assistance packages offered by both GEICO and Travelers below.

GEICO

GEICO's roadside assistance offers the following:

  • Towing
  • Jump starts
  • Tire changes (when you have a spare)
  • Up to $100 for lockout services
  • Fuel delivery
  • Winching for stuck vehicles (depending on severity)

 

Travelers

Travelers offers two tiers of Roadside assistance, both available 24-hours a day. Have a look at how each package compares below:

Plan features Basic plan Premier Roadside Assistance
Towing

Yes (up to 15 miles)                            

Yes (up to 100 miles)
Jump starts

Yes

Yes
Fuel Delivery

Yes

Yes
Flat tire change

Yes

Yes
Lockout services

Yes

Yes
Winching services

Yes

Yes
Trip interruption coverage*

No

Yes
Personal property coverage**

No

Yes

 

*Covers up to $200 per day, up to a maximum of $600

** Provides $500 of coverage for personal property damaged or stolen

tow truck

GEICO vs. Travelers: home insurance

While both companies are major providers of auto insurance, Travelers has a much larger presence in the home insurance market. GEICO offers homeowners insurance through a number of partner companies instead of under its own banner. That said, both companies can offer a variety of coverage types with plenty of add-ons that many homeowners could find sufficient. Read more about each company's home insurance offerings in our comparison below.

GEICO homeowners insurance review

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Rating from The Zebra Question mark icon

While not as large a portion of its business as auto insurance, homeowners coverage remains an important part of GEICO's product offerings. The company partners with many insurers throughout the nation to provide home insurance. Still, customer service scores and third-party ratings remain high. 

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4 stars Rating from The Zebra
Ratings based on price, customer service, coverage, and financial strength.
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  • The Zebra Customer Satisfaction Survey – 4.4/5: GEICO's home insurance coverage earned a relatively high score in The Zebra's 2021 customer satisfaction survey.
  • Claims satisfaction (J.D. Power) – Not rated 
  • Customer satisfaction (J.D. Power) – Not rated 
  • Financial strength (AM Best) – Superior: GEICO received an 'A' rating from AM Best, underlining its solid financial standing. 
  • NAIC Rating – Excellent: The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) received fewer customer complaints than average regarding GEICO homeowners insurance in 2020.

Travelers homeowners review

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Rating from The Zebra Question mark icon

As with its auto coverage, Travelers has a large footprint in the home insurance space. The company has a variety of coverage options, discounts and reasonable rates overall. However, the company's homeowners offering didn't do quite as well in The Zebra Customers Satisfaction Survey. Find out more about the company and their ratings below.

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3.5 stars Rating from The Zebra
Ratings based on price, customer service, coverage, and financial strength.
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  • The Zebra Customer Satisfaction Survey — 4.3/5: Travelers received a 4.3 out of 5 in The Zebra's survey of customer satisfaction, 14th out of 15 companies.
  • Claims satisfaction (J.D. Power Rating) — Average: In J.D. Power's most recent property claims satisfaction report, Travelers came in just below the industry average.
  • Customer satisfaction (J.D. Power Rating) — Below average: Travelers fell below the industry average in J.D. Power's customer satisfaction study.
  • Financial strength — Excellent: According to AM Best, Travelers has strong financials and will be able to handle your claims.
  • NAIC Rating — Good: Fewer complaints were logged by the NAIC in regards to Travelers' homeowners insurance, falling just below the national complaint index.

Which company comes out on top?

Tie


Both GEICO and Travelers can pair customers with respectable homeowners policies. Because GEICO doesn't actually underwrite their own policies, it's harder to rate them higher than Travelers. For that reason, we feel that both companies are worth exploring for homeowners insurance.


GEICO vs. Travelers: home insurance rate comparison

Travelers's average annual homeowners insurance rate is $1,500. Because GEICO does not underwrite its own homeowners policies, it's more difficult to provide accurate rate data.

Your individual rates are likely to vary from one company to another. This is because companies have different methods for underwriting. Rates are highly dependent upon both where you live and your individual profile. Some companies, for instance, may place more weight on factors such as area crime, proximity to fire-fighting services and the age of your home. For this reason, it's highly recommended that you shop for homeowners quotes from a many different sources, as this will likely lead you to the best rate.

Cheapest average rates
Cheapest average rates

Based on the data we have available, Travelers has the cheapest home insurance rates at around $125 per month.

Homeowners insurance data methodology

The homeowners insurance rates published in this guide are based on The Zebra's analysis of the cost of home insurance in every U.S. ZIP code. These rates are based on a sample user profile: a 45-year-old married homeowner living in a 2,500-square-foot single-story home built in 2011 with these coverage levels:

  • $200,000 for the dwelling
  • $20,000 for other structures
  • $100,000 for personal property
  • $100,000 for personal liability
  • $1,000 deductible

To generate pricing for particular rating factors, we adjusted the homeowner profile based on common pricing factors used by major home insurance companies. These factors include location, coverage limits, claims record and others.


GEICO vs. Travelers: homeowners discount comparison

Home insurance discounts are a great way to save money on your premiums. Both companies offer such discounts, though Travelers provides substantially more options for finding savings. 

GEICO VS. Travelers: HOMEOWNERS DISCOUNT COMPARISON
Discount comparison GEICO Travelers
Claims free ✓
Recent home buyer ✓
Multi-policy ✓ ✓
Early signing
Newer/more durable roof
Protective devices (smoke/burglar alarms, etc...) ✓ ✓
Paid in full
Auto pay ✓
Green home ✓

It's important to note that there may be more options for discounts through GEICO's partner companies.


Other insurance products and bundling options

GEICO and Travelers both have options for bundling multiple policy types. Bundling policies can lead to savings in many cases. See our table below for a side-by-side comparison.

GIECO VS. TRAVELERS: Other insurance products
Other products GEICO Travelers
Boat insurance ✓ ✓
Condo insurance ✓ ✓
Life insurance ✓
Homeowners insurance ✓ ✓
Travel trailer insurance ✓
Renters insurance ✓ ✓
RV insurance ✓
Motorcycle insurance ✓ ✓
Mobile home insurance ✓
Umbrella ✓ ✓
Offroad vehicles and ATVs ✓ ✓
Pet ✓ ✓

Find the best insurance policy for your needs.

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About The Zebra

The Zebra is not an insurance company. We publish data-backed, expert-reviewed resources to help consumers make more informed insurance decisions.

  • The Zebra’s insurance content is written and reviewed for accuracy by licensed insurance agents.
  • The Zebra’s insurance content is not subject to review or alteration by insurance companies or partners.
  • The Zebra’s editorial team operates independently of the company’s partnerships and commercialization interests, publishing unbiased information for consumer benefit.
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