Safeco vs. Travelers: Which Is the Best? (2025)
Travelers’ customizable coverage and robust discounts earn it an IQ Score of 8.5, higher than Safeco’s 8.1.
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Written byEmily Guy Birken
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Plutus Award winner
Over 12 years writing about insurance and personal finance
Emily is a Plutus Award-winning freelance writer and former educator who makes complex financial topics easy to understand. She specializes in the science behind money habits and has written for outlets like The Huffington Post, Business Insider, and The Washington Post.
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Edited byDanny Smith
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As Insurify’s home and pet insurance editor, Danny also specializes in auto insurance. His goal is to help consumers navigate the complex world of insurance buying.
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Data reviewed byKonstantin Halachev
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7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.
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Table of contents
Safeco and Travelers are two national insurance companies with long histories in the insurance industry. Safeco, a subsidiary of Liberty Mutual, offers competitive average rates but a limited number of add-on coverages. Travelers, on the other hand, has a robust selection of coverage options, but it receives mostly negative reviews on Trustpilot.
To determine whether Safeco, Travelers, or another insurer is right for you, it’s important to compare each company. Look at everything from rates and discounts to customer service and coverage options so you can make an informed decision.
Quick Facts
Drivers insured with Safeco can save 10% instantly by enrolling in the RightTrack telematics program.
Budget-minded consumers will find more discounts with Travelers but lower average rates with Safeco.
Travelers offers gap insurance and rideshare coverage (in select markets), while Safeco doesn’t.
Safeco vs. Travelers: The verdict
Drivers can get auto insurance coverage through either Safeco or Travelers, but each of these insurers has different strengths and weaknesses. Travelers offers far more discount options, but Safeco’s average rates are lower, whether you have a clean driving record or some incidents in your history.
Customers looking for more coverage options may want to check Travelers, however, as this insurer has more add-ons available than Safeco. Here’s how each insurer stacks up.
Factor  | Safeco | Travelers |
|---|---|---|
| Insurify Quality (IQ) Score | 8.1 | 8.5 |
| J.D. Power customer satisfaction score | 801 out of 1,000 | 806 out of 1,000 |
| Average quote: liability only | $88 | $99 |
| Number of available discounts | 3 | 12 |
| Number of states where it operates | 50 | 42 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Our editorial team spent more than 350 hours developing the Insurify Quality (IQ) Score and scoring insurance companies. The IQ Score objectively analyzes and calculates a score for insurers using more than 15 crucial criteria. The team weighted criteria by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings.
We rate each company on a 1 to 10 scale based on five categories: financial ratings, customer satisfaction, affordability, customer support and transparency, and availability. Insurify updates ratings once a year or as more recent information becomes available.
- Third-party financial ratings: Insurify uses data from AM Best, S&P, Moody’s, and more to compare insurance companies’ credit and ability to pay out future claims.
- Customer satisfaction: To calculate this score, Insurify analyzed more than 55,000 customer reviews across 155 car insurance companies. We also consider third-party ratings from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and Trustpilot.
- Affordability: Our data scientists analyzed more than 90 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partners across the U.S., as well as available discounts, to calculate an affordability score.
- Customer support and transparency: This measures coverage options, ease of claims filing, and the insurer's transparency surrounding discounts, coverages, and claims process.
- Availability and reach: Insurify scores availability and reach by identifying the number of states in which insurers offer coverage and company size by market share.
Safeco
Though Safeco doesn’t have a robust list of coverages or discounts, it makes up for that with competitive prices. Its safe driver program, RightTrack, can also be a great way for good drivers to maximize their savings.
| User Reviews | 4.3 |
|---|---|
| IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 8.1 /10 |
| Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $88/mo |
| Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $142/mo |
4.3
Best choiceBased on 928 verified guest reviews and ratings
How drivers feel about Safeco
Drivers appreciate the smooth claims process and periodic safe driving checks but dislike the frequent and significant rate increases without clear explanation.
AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Cash back for being claims free
Optional coverages
Diminishing deductible
How drivers feel about Safeco
Drivers appreciate the smooth claims process and periodic safe driving checks but dislike the frequent and significant rate increases without clear explanation.
AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Cash back for being claims free
Optional coverages
Diminishing deductible
Reviews (510)
Robert
Verified Review
I've Had This Insurance for Almost a Year and They Have Increased the Cost with Each 6-Month Bill
Reviewed in Virginia on November 2025
It's okay, kind of expensive. I don't like the price the company charges; way too much.
Harry
Verified Review
Best Price
Reviewed in Pennsylvania on November 2025
I have been unable to beat their rates.
Sharon
Verified Review
Good insurance but very expensive. I've asked year after year for lower rates without losing coverage, but I'm always told they couldn’t do any better.
Reviewed in Colorado on November 2025
Good insurance but very expensive. I've asked year after year for lower rates without losing coverage, but I'm always told they couldn’t do any better.
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
613NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
1.72A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
AWhy we picked this company
Safeco, a Liberty Mutual company, has been in business for nearly 100 years. Safeco stands out for some of its optional offerings. If your new car is less than a year old with under 150,000 miles, Safeco’s new vehicle replacement coverage pays the value of a comparable new car if yours is stolen or totaled. Safeco also offers cash back for policyholders who remain claims-free over a six-month review period, as well as a diminishing deductible for being claims-free. The company also scored above average for customer satisfaction in J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study.
Pros
Pays cash back to customers who remain claims-free
Many options for customizing car insurance
Accident forgiveness available
Cons
May not be the cheapest option for drivers with infractions on their records
Customer reviews indicate room for improvement in customer service
Higher-than-average number of complaints with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners
Travelers
Drivers looking to customize their coverage may want to check out Travelers since this insurer offers several coverage add-ons that can help make your policy the right size for your needs. Policyholders also have access to a mobile app and 24/7 customer service, as well as a number of generous discounts.
| User Reviews | 4.8 |
|---|---|
| IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 8.5 /10 |
| Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $99/mo |
| Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $186/mo |
4.8
Best choiceBased on 994 verified guest reviews and ratings
How drivers feel about Travelers
Customers appreciate the insurer’s communicative customer service and efficient claims process. But they’re dissatisfied with the consistent and sometimes significant price increases, even for those with clean driving records.
AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Numerous discounts
Gap insurance
Rideshare coverage
How drivers feel about Travelers
Customers appreciate the insurer’s communicative customer service and efficient claims process. But they’re dissatisfied with the consistent and sometimes significant price increases, even for those with clean driving records.
AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Numerous discounts
Gap insurance
Rideshare coverage
Reviews (503)
Janet
Verified Review
I don't need more stress
Reviewed in South Carolina on November 2025
I have had issues with their billing. Because my payment was a few dollars off, they canceled my policy. Too much stress.
Lance
Verified Review
Seniors Get No Respect
Reviewed in Pennsylvania on November 2025
Way too expensive, especially for seniors. I now drive 10-15 miles a day at best. I don't use the vehicle much; it sits most of the time.
Paul
Verified Review
Poor system for customer service!
Reviewed in Pennsylvania on November 2025
Good until I tried to reach them and talk to a human. Tried 3 times, and each time I was forwarded to the voicemail of a woman on vacation and not available! After the 3rd time, I changed insurance companies for my homeowners and car insurance policies!
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
616NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
0A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
A++Why we picked this company
Travelers is the sixth-largest insurer in the U.S. by market share and has been in business for more than 150 years. The company sells auto, homeowners, renters, flood, pet, and other types of insurance. In addition to standard auto coverages, like liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, Travelers offers gap insurance, accident forgiveness, new car replacement, and more optional coverages. Drivers can save with numerous discounts, including for bundling policies or insuring a new car. Travelers’ IntelliDrive program rewards policyholders with up to a 30% discount for safe driving.
Pros
Accident forgiveness available
Offers discount for hybrid and electric cars
A++ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best
Cons
Rideshare coverage not available in all states
High number of negative customer reviews with the Better Business Bureau
Higher-than-average number of complaints with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners
Safeco RightTrack vs. Travelers IntelliDrive
Both Safeco and Travelers offer a telematics program allowing safe drivers to save money.
Drivers who sign up for Safeco’s RightTrack receive an instant 10% discount just for enrolling and can save up to 30% with safe driving. The program requires you to download Safeco’s mobile phone app. The app will monitor your driving for 90 days and use that information to assign you a score based on your behavior on the road.
While the discount you receive at the end of the 90-day period is guaranteed for the life of your policy, it may be less than the initial 10% discount you received for signing up. If that’s the case, Safeco will bill you for the difference.[1]
Enrolling in the Travelers IntelliDrive program can also score you a discount of up to 10% (depending on your state). Like Safeco’s program, IntelliDrive requires you to download the mobile app, which will monitor your driving for 90 days to determine your discount rate when you renew.
You may be able to save up to 30% with IntelliDrive — but using this telematics program could also result in a higher premium if the app clocks you engaging in unsafe driving behavior.[2]
)
Usage-Based Insurance: Benefits, Drawbacks and How It Works
Safeco vs. Travelers: Which is the cheapest?
The cheapest car insurance rates for your specific needs will vary from insurer to insurer. A number of factors influence your premium costs, including your age, marital status, credit score, location, and driving history. The best way to find the lowest rates is to shop around.
Insurify has found the average rate for Safeco’s auto insurance premiums is cheaper than Travelers’, even though Travelers has better discounts. This is true for every type of driver, including drivers with poor credit scores, drivers with a DUI, and other high-risk drivers.
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Safeco: Cheapest for drivers with a clean driving record
People with a clean driving record usually enjoy the lowest rates offered by any insurance company. Good drivers will find that Safeco’s full-coverage and liability-only rates for people with clean records are cheaper than Travelers’ premium rates.
Driver Type | Safeco | Travelers |
|---|---|---|
| Clean driving record | $88 | $99 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Safeco: Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket
Drivers who have a speeding ticket on their record will pay more than people with clean driving records, but Safeco has lower rates for these types of high-risk drivers for both full-coverage insurance and liability insurance policies.
Driver Type | Safeco | Travelers |
|---|---|---|
| Drivers with a speeding ticket | $121 | $129 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Safeco: Cheapest for teen drivers
Because of their inexperience behind the wheel, young drivers generally have the highest insurance rates of any driver. Safeco’s rates for teen drivers beat Travelers in this category as well.
Driver Type | Safeco | Travelers |
|---|---|---|
| 18-year-old | $192 | $225 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Safeco: Cheapest for drivers with bad credit
Depending on what state you live in, auto insurers may partially base your premium rates on your credit score since drivers with poor credit are statistically more likely to make claims. If you have bad credit, Safeco has cheaper rates for you than Travelers.
Driver Type | Safeco | Travelers |
|---|---|---|
| Drivers with bad credit | $107 | $121 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Safeco: Cheapest for senior drivers
Drivers in their 70s may find their auto insurance rates going up since senior drivers may experience slower reflexes and other declines that affect their driving. Safeco’s rates are also less expensive for older drivers than Travelers’ rates for the same age group.
Driver Type | Safeco | Travelers |
|---|---|---|
| Senior drivers | $78 | $73 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Compare coverages: Safeco vs. Travelers
Both Safeco and Travelers offer the kinds of coverage that generally comprise “liability-only” policy offerings: bodily injury liability and property damage liability. These pay for damages to another party if you’re at fault in an accident.
In addition, both insurers offer personal injury protection, which pays for your medical expenses if you’re at fault in an accident, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which pays out if a driver without adequate insurance causes an accident. Both types of coverage may be optional or mandatory, depending on your state.
Finally, both Safeco and Travelers offer collision insurance, which covers damage to your vehicle if you cause an accident, and comprehensive insurance, which covers damage to your vehicle from anything other than a collision. These coverages are never legally required, although lenders or lease agreements may require them.
However, though Safeco and Travelers both offer other optional coverages, Travelers has a more robust list of these add-ons.[3] [4]
Coverage | Safeco | Travelers |
|---|---|---|
| Gap insurance | No | Yes |
| Rental coverage | Yes | Yes |
| Roadside assistance | Yes | Yes |
| New car replacement | Yes | Yes |
| Accident forgiveness | Yes | Yes |
| Rideshare coverage | No | Yes (in CO and IL only) |
Switching Insurers Could Save You Money
Insurify users can save up to $1,100 annually by comparing rates
Secure. Free. Easy-to-use.
Based on 7,669+ reviews
4.8/5
Compare discounts: Safeco vs. Travelers
Travelers far outstrips Safeco in discounts. With Safeco, you can save money by bundling several insurance products with your car insurance, like life insurance and homeowners insurance, as well as access discounts for multi-car policies and for safe driving. However, Travelers has a robust list of less common discounts, including affiliation, homeowner, and good student discounts.[5] [6]
But just because Travelers offers various discounts doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be the cheaper option of the two insurers. Remember that the average monthly cost of Travelers insurance across the entire United States is $186 for full coverage and $99 for liability-only, while Safeco’s average monthly cost is $142 for full coverage and $88 for liability-only coverage.
Discount | Safeco | Travelers |
|---|---|---|
| Clean driving record | Yes | Yes |
| Defensive driving course | No | Yes |
| Multi-policy | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-car | Yes | Yes |
| Low mileage | No | No |
| Telematics (safe driving app) | Yes | Yes |
| Anti-theft device | Yes | Yes |
| New car | No | Yes |
| Military/affiliation | No | Yes |
| Good student | No | Yes |
| Loyalty | No | Yes |
| Auto pay | No | Yes |
| Student away at school | No | Yes |
| Homeowner | No | Yes |
| Alternative fuel | No | Yes |
Safeco vs. Travelers FAQs
If you’re trying to decide between Safeco and Travelers car insurance coverage, here are answers to some of the most common questions about these insurers.
Is Safeco owned by Travelers?
No. Travelers and Safeco aren’t affiliated with each other. However, Safeco is owned by the Liberty Mutual Group.
Is Travelers a reliable insurance company?
Yes. Travelers has an AM Best financial strength rating of A++ (Superior), which means the company has the highest possible financial stability.[7] Policyholders can feel confident in Travelers’ financial strength and that the company has the reserves to pay its claims.
However, Travelers has primarily negative reviews on Trustpilot, with many complaints about the claims process.[8]
Is Safeco insurance good or bad?
It depends on what kind of driver you are and what kind of policy you’re looking for. Safeco offers inexpensive auto insurance to drivers looking for basic coverage. It doesn’t offer as many discounts or coverage options as other insurers. This company may be a good fit for some drivers, but it might be a bad fit for someone trying to customize their coverage.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 500+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
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Sources
- Safeco. "RightTrack."
- Travelers. "IntelliDrive®."
- Safeco. "Car insurance coverages."
- Travelers. "Types of Car Insurance Coverages."
- Travelers Insurance. "Car Insurance Discounts."
- Safeco. "Discounts."
- Ambest.com. "AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of The Travelers Companies, Inc. and Most Subsidiaries."
- Trustpilot. "Travelers Reviews."
)
Emily Guy Birken
Emily Guy Birken is a former educator, lifelong money nerd, and a Plutus Award-winning freelance writer who specializes in the scientific research behind irrational money behaviors. Her background in education allows her to make complex financial topics relatable and easily understood by the layperson.
Her work has appeared on The Huffington Post, Business Insider, Kiplinger's, MSN Money, and The Washington Post online.
She is the author of several books, including The 5 Years Before You Retire, End Financial Stress Now, and the brand new book Stacked: Your Super Serious Guide to Modern Money Management, written with Joe Saul-Sehy.
Emily lives in Milwaukee with her family.
Emily has been a contributor at Insurify since October 2022.
Edited byDanny Smith
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years in content creation and marketing
As Insurify’s home and pet insurance editor, Danny also specializes in auto insurance. His goal is to help consumers navigate the complex world of insurance buying.
Featured in
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.