Good Driver Auto Insurance Discounts
Good Driver Auto Insurance Discounts
Maintaining a spotless driving record can lead to great savings on your car insurance. Not only does it keep your insurance premiums low but, depending on your carrier, it can also earn you a good driver and/or a claim-free discount.
Good Driver Discounts
Each auto insurance carrier adheres to a different incentive policy. Some companies, for example, offer a discount for every year you avoid an at-fault accident or moving violation.
Others gauge safe driving discounts on driving records over a period of years. For example, many companies reward modest discounts for 3 consecutive years of safe driving.
Qualifying for Good Driver Discounts
When determining if you qualify for a good driver discount, keep in mind that each car insurance company has a different definition of safe driving. It generally means:
- Avoiding at-fault accidents.
- Having a clean driving record free of moving violations like speeding, reckless driving, and DUI/DWI.
If you have questions regarding this discount, contact your insurance agent.
NOTE: If your driving record is checkered with violations, all hope for this discount is not lost. Some carriers will grant you safe driver status even if you've had a DUI/DWI conviction. To qualify, you must show proof of a spotless driving record for an extended period of time. This again varies with each carrier.
Claim-Free Discounts
Claim-free, or accident-free, discounts are very similar to good driver discounts. In fact, you may find your car insurance company only offers one or the other.
This discount type rewards drivers for avoiding car accidents and not filing a claim for a specific period of time.
If you continue driving safely and maintaining a clean driving record after the full amount of time required, you might even be eligible for an increased discount.
Other Discounts for Safe Drivers
Good driver and claim-free discounts aren't the only discounts offered to customers who practice safe driving. You can also be rewarded for allowing your insurance company to monitor your driving habits and for taking driver training classes.
Usage-Based Discounts
Usage-based discounts, often referred to as “pay-as-you-drive" programs, are somewhat similar to good driving discounts, with one major exception: your driving is monitored to prove that you are driving safely.
When you sign up for a usage-based discount, you are provided a telematic device to install in your car. It will record driving behaviors such as:
- How fast you drive.
- How hard you brake.
- The times of day that you drive.
These programs claim to let you determine exactly how much you'll pay on your premium, because the discount is calculated using the statistics provided by the telematic device.
To learn more, visit our Low-Mileage and Usage-Based Discounts page.
Defensive Driving and Driver Training Discounts
If you take the initiative to complete driver's education (if you're a young driver) or defensive driving training (if you're an older driver), you may be eligible for a discount from your car insurance company.
Because safe drivers are less likely to get into accidents and file claims, insurance companies save money on these drivers and tend to reward these customers with savings.
If your training does indeed reduce your accidents and moving violations, you might just qualify for a good driver and/or claim-free discount.
To learn more about how to qualify for these discounts, visit our Defensive Driving and Driver Training Discounts page.