Certain Drivers Get More Discounts

Updated: January 2022

With driver-based discounts, you could save just for being a particular age, owning a home, working for a certain company, or demonstrating safe driving habits. While many of these are only eligible for certain groups of people, it’s important to be aware of all these options so that you know where you can save as the circumstances of your life change.

Life Event Discounts

These discounts are in a way based on chance -- drivers who are in certain age groups or who are in certain stages of life have extra saving opportunities when it comes to car insurance. Here are some of the most common discounts in this category:

Marriage Discounts: Are you married? Congrats! This could save you money on car insurance, whether it's through a marriage discount or through a discount for adding your spouse as another driver to your policy.
Homeowner Discounts: Whether you recently bought a home or you’ve owned one for years, being a homeowner can earn you discounts. You might also consider bundling your car insurance and home insurance to save even more.
Senior Discounts: If you’re over 65, make sure you’re taking advantage of any discounts available to you. Many states require carriers to offer discounts to seniors that take qualifying driving safety courses.
Student Discounts: Students can get discounts in a variety of ways, including for having good grades. If you are a college student wondering if you should just cancel your car insurance while you’re away at college with no car, know that many insurance carriers offer discounts for exactly this situation -- that way you’ll still be able to drive when you do visit home.

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Work-Related Discounts

Where you work matters, even when it comes to how much you spend on car insurance. While we can’t compile all of the workplaces that might offer discounts, here are some of the main groups we see save the most:

Military Discounts: If you are currently in the military or you are a veteran, many car insurance companies offer discounts. Check out our guide to military car insurance discounts to learn more.
Teacher and Healthcare Worker Discounts: Teachers and healthcare workers are also commonly eligible for extra savings.
Company Affiliation Discounts: This will depend on the company or organization you are a part of, but many companies have partnerships with insurance carriers that allow for employee discounts. Check with your organization/company to see if this might work for you.

Habit-Related Discounts

Habits are one area we can all make adjustments in. By having safe driving habits, you not only decrease your risk of accidents, but you also increase your chances of saving money on your insurance. Here are some examples:

Low-mileage Discounts: In this case, the less you drive, the better. Drivers that drive less than average could be in for savings. Mileage limits vary and some carriers may ask that you use a tracking app to get an accurate read on how much you drive.
Safe Driver Discounts: If you are a particularly safe driver, there’s a good chance you’re eligible for discounts. Carriers can determine this by checking out your driving record.
Defensive Driving Discounts: This is one type of discount you can actively pursue. By taking defensive driving courses, you might qualify for discounts on your car insurance. Make sure to check with your insurance provider before enrolling in a course.

Usage-Based Discounts

We already touched on this in the previous section, but usage-based savings for car insurance are becoming increasingly common. Both new and traditional car insurance companies are starting to acknowledge that our driving habits should matter when it comes to how much we pay for car insurance. Drivers that drive less, typically drive during the day, or are simply safer drivers than most have the potential to save on car insurance by going with a carrier that will take these factors into account when calculating rates.

Driver-based discounts in general can be one of the easiest ways to save on your insurance, as many are simply based on where you’re at in life right now. Once you’ve compared quotes on our site, be sure to ask the carriers you’re most interested in what driver-related discounts they offer so you can get the best savings possible.