How to Get a Good Driver Insurance Discount
Key takeaways
- Many car insurance companies offer discounts for good drivers who have clean driving records.
- State Farm and USAA have the best good driver discounts (of up to 30%).
How do I get a good driver insurance discount?
To get a good driver discount, you usually need to have a clean driving record that’s free of tickets, accidents and other traffic incidents.
Insurance companies offer good driver discounts to encourage safe driving and limit claims.
Some of the car insurance companies that offer a good or safe driver discount:
- Progressive
- Shelter
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- Travelers
- USAA
Who has the best good driver insurance discounts?
State Farm and USAA have the best good driver discounts. You can save up to 30% with both of these companies if you get this discount.
USAA only sells car insurance to members of the military and their families, though, so State Farm is your best bet if you’re nonmilitary.
Safe driver discounts by company
| Company | Maximum safe driver discount |
|---|---|
| AAA | 20% |
| Chubb | 20% |
| Country Financial | 25% |
| Geico | 22% |
| Progressive | $322 |
| Shelter | 20% |
| State Farm | 30% |
| The Hartford | 10% |
| USAA | 30% |
Beyond the discount
When looking at car insurance companies that offer safe driver discounts, pay attention to the rate the company offers as well as its discount amount.
Basically, what matters is your final payment. One company may give you a better discount than another company, but if the second company’s overall rate is lower, it could still be the best company for you.
This is one of the reasons why you should compare car insurance quotes from several companies side by side before you renew or buy a policy.
How do I keep my good driver discount?
Keeping a good driver discount requires good driving habits. A couple of things you can do to stay or become a good driver are to drive less and pay attention while on the road.
Reduce driving time
The less you drive, the lower your chances are of getting a ticket or getting into an incident. Also, some companies offer usage-based car insurance that tracks your driving habits, including how often you drive, that can also save you money on your car insurance.
Avoid distracted driving
Texting, video calling or anything else that pulls your eyes off the road increase your chances of an accident. Focus on the road when driving, and practice good defensive driving skills to keep your driving record clean.
How does my driving record affect my car insurance rates?
A bad driving record usually means higher car insurance rates. For example, AAA car insurance policyholders can see their rates go up 74% after an accident.
Your driving record reflects your claim risk. If you have a history of speeding tickets, accidents or DUIs, car insurance companies think you are more likely to file a claim or have a claim filed against you.
Your driving record isn’t the only factor used to calculate your car insurance rates. Some others are:
- Your age
- Your ZIP code
- The make and model of your car
Car insurance rates by driving incident
| Company | Clean record | Ticket | Accident | DUI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAA | $2,988 | $3,954 | $5,205 | $6,962 |
| Country Financial | $1,491 | $1,952 | $2,162 | $4,874 |
| Farmers | $3,462 | $4,589 | $5,535 | $5,307 |
| Geico | $2,109 | $2,763 | $3,634 | $5,067 |
| Mercury | $1,707 | $2,420 | $2,706 | $3,026 |
| Nationwide | $2,402 | $3,178 | $3,853 | $5,332 |
| Nodak | $2,170 | $2,467 | $3,641 | $3,057 |
| Progressive | $2,078 | $2,728 | $3,102 | $2,656 |
| Shelter | $2,056 | $2,295 | $2,532 | $3,018 |
| State Farm | $1,604 | $1,755 | $1,846 | $3,901 |
| The Hartford | $3,186 | $4,254 | $4,945 | $4,882 |
| Travelers | $1,806 | $2,319 | $2,524 | $2,737 |
| USAA* | $1,322 | $1,603 | $1,809 | $2,576 |