6 Ways to Get Discounts on Car Insurance

Are you looking for car insurance discounts to offset the upcoming increase in your car insurance rates? Maybe you want to protect yourself better than the California minimum car insurance requirements but want it to be more affordable. The good news is that there are several ways to get discounts on car insurance, and often, it’s as easy as simply asking. Wawanesa Insurance offers multiple ways to save money on car insurance and significantly lower your premiums. Let’s see how.

Understanding Car Insurance Discounts

Of course, you know why you want a car insurance discount — you want to save money. But why do auto insurance companies offer customers discounts when it could result in large payouts if the customer is in an accident?

Any auto insurance company is in the business of risks and risk management. Every customer they insure represents a risk, but some customers actively work to minimize the risks they take and maximize their safety. Wawanesa rewards customers who consistently demonstrate safe driving habits and take precautions to prevent insurance claims. An unblemished driving record with no tickets or accidents for three years demonstrates that the customer drives responsibly and well.

Completing a driving course can help you sharpen your skills and avoid collisions. Installing a theft-prevention device makes your vehicle less likely to be stolen. Behaviors like these demonstrate that you are an excellent risk, and Wawanesa rewards these behaviors with discounts for car insurance.

What will you do with the money you save on car insurance with these discounts? While you could swing through Starbucks more often, you could also afford to get your car tuned up, likely postponing costly repairs. Or get better insurance coverage for better financial protection.

1. Safe Driver Discount

The Wawanesa tagline, “Good drivers deserve great rates,” means that one of the easiest ways to get discounts on car insurance is to just keep doing what you're already doing. That is, drive carefully. If you’re the proud owner of a clean driving record, you're eligible for a good driver car insurance discount with Wawanesa.

It’s pretty easy to score this one if you can check all three of the following:

• You've been a licensed driver for at least three years.
• You haven't earned more than one point on your record in the past three years.
• You haven't been convicted of a DUI-type offense within the past 10 years.

However, don't despair if you still have a point lingering on your record. You can still be on the road to getting the Wawanesa good driver discount. As long as you haven’t earned any more points in the past three years, you’ll still qualify.

2. Multi-Policy Discounts

Whether you own or rent your home, you should have insurance to protect it if it’s damaged. If you or someone else in your household has another car that needs insurance, Wawanesa offers discounts when you bundle your policies. Simplify your insurance, get top-quality customer service, and save on your premium."

3. Defensive Driving Courses

In addition to scoring discounts for car insurance, these courses are an excellent opportunity to brush up on the rules of the road you used to know (how far before the turn should you signal?) and newer laws, such as those regarding cell phone use. They also sharpen your driving skills by providing targeted tips and exercises to help you improve your reaction times and depth perception. As you refresh your skills and knowledge, you will improve your chances of avoiding a car accident.

If you’re 55 or older, you'll save money on car insurance just by completing the Mature Driver Improvement Course. Older drivers can often face increased dangers on the road. According to the CDC, drivers aged 70 and older have higher crash death rates per mile driven than middle-aged drivers (aged 35-54). In addition, age-related changes in vision, hearing, and cognitive functioning can create specific risks. A refresher course that keeps common road dangers and safety tips at the front of your mind can make you safer.

While paying less for your premiums is reason enough to dive into some driver training, the truth is that updated driver education is truly a great gift to give yourself or suggest to an older relative. Research shows that driver training programs can help mature drivers improve road safety knowledge, self-perceptions of driving ability, and behind-the-wheel performance. Remember that only courses that are specifically approved by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will qualify you for the Wawanesa Mature Driver Improvement Course Discount.

4. Anti-Theft Device Installations

Several anti-theft devices, both factory-installed and after-market, make it harder for thieves to steal your car. Some turn off your vehicle so it cannot be driven while alarms draw attention to a thief while they try to steal your car. Others, like vehicle tracking systems, make it easier to recover a stolen vehicle. VIN etching is a simple method that makes your car traceable and deters theft while qualifying you for a car insurance discount.

5. Get Rewarded With a Loyalty Discount

Nobody likes the hassle of switching policies just to save money. One of the easiest ways to get discounts on car insurance is to simply stay put if you use a company that rewards loyalty. Wawanesa starts rewarding you for your loyalty after your first year as a customer, and the discount keeps growing the longer you stick around.

6. Increase Your Deductible

This last money-saving strategy is not a car insurance discount, per se. However, it can cut your premiums significantly. If you’re comfortable with the possibility of paying more out of pocket if you’re involved in an accident, a higher deductible translates to lower monthly rates. And you can always sock away the money you’re saving for the rainy day when you might rear-end the driver in front of you.

Combining Discounts for Maximum Savings

You can combine these ways to save money on car insurance to lower your premiums even further. For instance, you can rack up significant savings if you’re a good driver with a clean driving record, take an approved defensive driving course, and install anti-theft devices.

Documentation Needed for Car Insurance Discounts

For some car insurance discounts, your insurance company has all the information they need. For instance, they know your driving record, how long you’ve been with the company, and what policies you carry. If you take an authorized defensive driving class, the training program will provide the DMV certification of completion for you to send to your insurance company. When you install anti-theft devices on your car, save the receipts to forward them to your insurance agent.

Finding out what discounts are available for car insurance is the first step to saving money. Keep in mind that your list of car insurance discounts will vary by state. All the ways to get discounts on car insurance listed above are specific to drivers insured in California. Learn how much you could save by getting a quick free quote online or calling Wawanesa and speaking with one of our helpful agents.