Being a safe, responsible motorist doesn’t just keep you and everyone else on the road safer. It can also help you unlock car insurance discounts, making insurance policies more affordable. Who doesn’t want to be rewarded for safe driving?
If you’re interested in saving money through a safe driver program, you’re in the right place. This guide will explore the top insurers offering safe driver discounts and how these programs work. You’ll also learn tips on qualifying for these programs and how to maximize these car insurance discounts to get the best possible deal.
Top Car Insurance Companies Offering Safe Driver Discounts
Several top insurance companies offer safe driver discounts. But how do insurance companies define safe driving?
Typically, these programs reward behavior such as:
- Not causing any vehicle accidents
- Not getting any traffic tickets
- Avoiding harsh braking
- Maintaining consistent speeds below the speed limit
- Taking a defensive driving course
Progressive, for example, offers the Snapshot program, which encourages drivers to avoid hard braking and acceleration, stay off the phone, and refrain from driving between midnight and 4 AM on weekends. Drivers who stick to these suggestions can significantly reduce their Progressive car insurance premiums. High-risk driving can increase your premiums, though, so stay focused on safe driving.
Liberty Mutual also has a safe driver program called RightTrack. In this program, you can earn up to a 30% car insurance premium reduction for staying off your phone while driving, driving at safe speeds, avoiding hard braking, and driving during safe times of day.
How Usage-Based Insurance and Telematics Programs Work
These safe driver insurance programs fall under the umbrella of usage-based insurance (UBI). With UBI, also known as telematics, car insurance policies are based on the policyholder’s driving habits.
The amount you pay on UBI policies is tied to factors like:
- How many miles you drive
- Your driving behavior (e.g., speed, acceleration, braking)
- The time of day you typically drive
Insurance companies use this information and other data to decide how likely you are to file a claim. Safe drivers who record lower mileage and keep up good driving habits get rewarded with lower premiums.
That’s why selecting a UBI car insurance policy is one of the best ways how to lower your car insurance costs — as long as you’re a safe driver.
You don’t just tell insurance companies how you drive, though. They use telematic apps or devices that plug into your vehicle to monitor your driving behavior. These devices track your mileage, braking, acceleration, and possibly cell phone use, then report the data back to the insurance companies. You need to maintain safe driving characteristics to get the advertised discounts.
EverDrive is one example of a telematic mobile app you can use to monitor your driving habits. As you use the app, it passively monitors your driving and scores your driving skills. You can review the diagnostics later to gain insights and try to improve your score.
How Safe Driver Discounts Compare to Standard Savings
Car insurance can be expensive, so drivers are always looking for discounts to help bring down their premiums, such as these common options:
- Multi-policy or bundling discount: A discount for combining your auto insurance policy with other insurance coverage, like your homeowners or renters insurance. Ranges from 5 to 30% off your insurance premiums.
- Anti-theft discount: Some insurance providers offer a discount if you install an anti-theft device in your car, like an alarm, GPS tracking system, or passive disabling system. Depending on which anti-theft system you choose, your discount will range from 5 to 25% off the comprehensive portion of your car insurance premium, if you have a comprehensive policy.
- Good student discount: If you’re a student who maintains a strong grade point average, you may qualify for a good student discount. These discounts typically reduce your premiums by 10 to 15%.
- Defensive driving or safe driver course insurance discount: To encourage drivers to take defensive driving courses, insurance companies may discount premiums for those who successfully complete them. A defensive driving discount is around 10%.
- Safe car discount: You may also be able to get a discount for driving a vehicle with more safety features. The safe car discount might reduce your premiums by 10 to 20%.
By contrast, a safe driving discount can get you up to 30% off your car insurance premiums. You’re not just limited to one discount, though. Try to stack as many discounts as you can to maximize your savings.
Get Customized Quotes To Find the Best Car Insurance for Safe Drivers
Each insurance company’s safe driver program is slightly different, so it’s worth investigating several. Dig around a little to see which programs you might qualify for and which offer the best discounts while still providing the coverage you want.
But instead of requesting quotes from lots of individual insurance providers, compare all your car insurance options at once with EverQuote. In just a few minutes, EverQuote can provide customized car insurance quotes tailored to your driver profile. You’ll be able to compare premiums, coverage limits, and other details — all in one place. It’s never been easier to find your ideal auto insurance plan.
Get your free custom car insurance comparison today from EverQuote.