How To Get a Good Driver Discount on Car Insurance
 Written by Preston Micalizio Preston MicalizioPreston Micalizio writes insurance content for SmartFinancial. He brings three years of professional experience writing ... Read more |  Edited by Richard MurphyRichard MurphyRichard Murphy manages content on SmartFinancial's website. With a strong background in content strategy and copywriting... Read more |
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You can earn a good driver discount and save money on your car insurance premiums by avoiding car accidents, insurance claims and traffic violations. Multiple types of car insurance discounts are based on maintaining safe driving habits for a certain number of years, although they may not be offered by every insurance company or in every state.
Keep reading to learn more about this auto insurance discount, how it can help you save money on insurance costs and how to earn it.
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Key Takeaways
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What Is a Good Driver Discount?
Good driver discounts go to low-risk drivers who have a clean driving record. While the criteria may vary between insurers, a clean driving record often means having no accidents, traffic offenses or filed claims, typically within the past three to five years.[1]
Your insurer will search your driving record and claims history to determine whether you qualify for a good driver discount. Since drivers who avoid making claims and remain lower risk by avoiding traffic violations and accidents are less likely to make a claim in the future, insurers offer these discounts to further incentivise responsible driving choices and reward good drivers with reduced premiums.
How Do Good Driver Discounts Work?
Many insurance companies offer a good driver discount if you meet their eligibility requirements, which can vary between insurers and the type of discount offered. Additionally, if you suddenly no longer meet those requirements, such as getting into an accident, receiving a traffic violation or making an auto insurance claim, you may lose access to this discount. Don’t panic, though – you’ll likely be able to regain the good driver discount if you manage to keep your record clean for the necessary amount of time given by your insurer.
Depending on the insurer, you may be offered one or multiple of the following discounts due to safe driving behaviors:
- Accident-Free Discount: Insurance companies offer a discount on your car insurance premium if you have been accident-free for a specified period, typically three to five years.[2]
- Violation-Free Discount: Your insurance company may give you a discount on your insurance premium if you haven't had a traffic violation. However, the length of time without a violation varies between insurers.[3]
- Defensive Driving Discount: Many drivers can earn additional discounts by taking a defensive driving course. Once complete, you typically are issued a certificate that you can share with your insurance company for a discount.[4]
- Claims-Free Discount: Drivers are eligible for a claims-free discount if they have not filed a claim, typically for at least the past three to five years.[3]
- Safe Driver Discount: Some carriers combine violation-free and accident-free records.[5]
- Telematics Discount: A telematics program monitors drivers by tracking their driving habits, helping to ensure they make responsible choices behind the wheel. Insurers then offer good driver discounts based on driving performance.[6]
For example, a defensive driving discount is only available for those age 55 and older in certain states from Nationwide.[7] Similarly, safe driver discounts are not available from Travelers in the states of California or New York.[5] Ensure you review with your insurer what types of safe and good driver discounts they may offer and whether you qualify.
How Much Can You Save With a Good Driver Discount?
Savings from good driver discounts vary by insurer. Typically, good drivers who have not had an accident or traffic violation within a specified time frame can save anywhere from 10% to 30% on their car insurance premiums, depending on the insurer.
Which Companies Offer Safe and Good Driver Discounts?
Below is a list of some companies that offer variations of safe and good driver discounts:
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Insurer |
Discounts |
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Good drivers earn a bonus credit to their policy every six months that they remain accident-free.[8] |
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Drivers can enroll in a telematics program that allows them to earn up to 20% off their car insurance premiums for exhibiting safe driving.[6] |
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Drivers who avoid chargeable accidents or citations for the previous three years can earn savings on their premiums.[9] |
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Drivers who maintain a clean driving record for at least one year can save up to 22% on most GEICO policies.[10] |
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Drivers who avoid making claims or receiving traffic violation citations can earn discounts on their premiums.[3]
Liberty Mutual also offers a telematics program, RightTrack, which allows safe drivers to earn up to 30% off premiums for driving safely.[3] |
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Drivers can save with a safe driver discount by keeping a clean driving record for at least five years.[11] Nationwide’s telematics program, Nationwide SmartRide, also allows safe drivers to earn up to 40% off their premiums for safe driving behaviors.[12]
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Drivers who maintain a clean driving record, including no collisions, at-fault accidents or violations, for at least five years are eligible for a discount of up to 10%.[13] |
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Drivers may be able to save by earning a defensive driver course discount, depending on where they live, or a good driver discount for maintaining a clean record for at least three years.[2]
State Farm’s telematics program, Drive Safe & Save, can help responsible and safe drivers save up to 30% on their premiums. Additionally, State Farm’s Steer Clear program can help drivers under 25 years old who’ve avoided at least three years of citations or claims save on their premiums.[2] |
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Drivers can earn a safe driver discount by avoiding accidents, violations and claims for a certain number of years.[1]
Traveler’s telematics program, IntelliDrive, also allows safe drivers to earn up to 30% off premiums.[14] |
How To Get a Good Driver Discount
You’ll need to reach out to your auto insurance company and confirm whether they offer a good driver discount or another variation, and whether you qualify for one or more discounts. Some discounts for good driving behavior, collected through a telematics program, may apply automatically; however, you’ll still need to request to join the telematics program. If your insurance company doesn’t offer a good driver discount and you believe you’re eligible, it may be worth shopping around for another auto insurance policy.
Try to gather quotes from at least three to five different insurance companies to understand your options for premium costs and coverage. Keep in mind that this process can become tedious, as you’ll typically need to provide information about your vehicle, annual mileage, location and personal information to each insurer individually when gathering quotes.
You can significantly speed up this process by using an insurance marketplace like SmartFinancial. After answering a brief questionnaire, we can connect you with a licensed insurance agent to help you find a policy that offers the discounts you’ve earned through good and safe driving. Click here for free auto insurance quotes today!
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Preston Micalizio writes insurance content for SmartFinancial. He brings three years of professional experience writing in various industries, from higher education to e-commerce. He strives to engage with the audience, provide accurate reporting and make complex subjects easily digestible.
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