Jobs that Get Car Insurance Discounts

As with anything that reveals someone's personality, someone's occupation is a good indicator of risk. On a very obvious level, you can see how a stunt double who jumps out of moving cars is more of a risk-taker than a chemist who conducts analysis in a laboratory.

Wouldn't it then follow that the stunt double should pay more in car insurance, in case his propensity for dare devilish ways takes him over while he's behind the wheel? You're nodding.

Most professions are not that easy to assess but there are some jobs that indicate less risk than others. It is because people in these occupations file fewer claims than folks in other jobs over the years. Insurers take note of such statistics and in turn offer lower rates to people who are not likely to find themselves in an accident.

Your Risk Determines Car Insurance Discounts and Car Insurance Rates

If you are in a low-risk profession, you probably deserve a discount. And you're in luck because most insurance companies will offer savings if you're in one of the jobs listed below.

While auto insurance companies don't come straight out and advertise that they're willing to give discounts to certain people, they often will if you persist. That's not to say that all insurers offer discounts if you fit into a lower-risk category, but many will offer them.

You may be entitled to an auto insurance discount based on your job that may save you hundreds of dollars a year.

Check out our list of occupations that typically get car insurance discounts to learn if you're paying too much on your premiums. If so, use SmartFinancial's insurance comparison tool to compare auto insurance quotes for free.

Just enter your zip code to get started on finding an affordable car insurance policy that fits your budget and needs.

1. Teachers, College Professors, Principals, Deans and Other Educators

Many companies offer discounts to educators of all kinds, whether your job is teaching pre-school, 8th grade, high school or college. Deans and principals are also contenders for major car insurance discounts.

Even people with ancillary staff jobs at colleges and high school are sometimes given auto insurance-related discounts, so it's worth it to highlight your profession when you apply for car insurance.

Some auto insurance companies offer very economical coverage packages for teachers, college professors and other education occupations. These are jobs that get car insurance discounts.

In fact, some were founded on the mission to provide car insurance discounts exclusively for educators. Meemic Insurance, Horace Mann and Plymouth Rock are just a few insurers who focus on teachers and other educators with big discounts.

Some bigger companies give auto insurance to all kinds of people, including steep discounts for teachers too. The following are highly rated for their car insurance discounts for teachers: Farmers Insurance, Liberty Mutual, Esurance and California Casualty.

Some car insurance providers, namely Liberty Mutual, offer a $0 deductible if your car is vandalized on school property or during school-related events, like a game away from home.

They also offer up to $2,500 per incident if teaching materials, syllabi or related textbooks are stolen or damaged. Plymouth Rock New Jersey offers up to $1,000 for the same coverage. There are other car insurance companies with lots of incentives for teachers to get insured the right way. Your best bet is to compare car insurance rates for teachers. 

Note that some states also offer deeper savings over others. For example, some policies offer teachers a 10 percent car insurance discount in Alabama but only a 5 percent discount in Pennsylvania.

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2. Nurses, Doctors and Medical Practitioners

USAA and Nationwide offer some deep discounts for nurses and doctors, who are also considered low risk. Farmers Insurance also offers 15 percent discounts to physicians, surgeons, dentists and veterinarians. Even occupational therapists and chiropractors and people in other ancillary medical fields are eligible for big discounts.

It's always a good idea to stress your occupation to an agent when shopping car insurance rates. Ask which carrier they work with who will offer discounts because of your profession.

While you won't find car insurance for nurses or car insurance for doctors the way there are specialty offerings for teachers, many insurers offer auto insurance discounts to people in medical occupations. These discounts vary between 3 percent and 15 percent on average.

3. Law Enforcement: Police Officers and Detectives

Law enforcement careers are high-risk professions, ranking as the 22nd most dangerous in the nation, according to a 2020 survey conducted by AdvisorSmith. The survey studied professions with a minimum of 50,000 employees and ranked them using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Corrections personnel, police officers, even CSI professionals are eligible for discounts with certain carriers despite the high risk. The car insurance industry awards police officers with substantial discounts to acknowledge their public service.

The usual suspects offer discounts, like Allstate, Farmers, Nationwide, Liberty Mutual, USAA and Travelers. Smaller companies like California Casualty and Country Financial also provide discounts upon receiving the proper documentation.

California Casualty is noteworthy because it offers Fallen Officer/Fallen Hero Survivor Benefit. The company offers it as a special policy feature to provide widows with peace of mind after their law enforcement spouse makes the ultimate sacrifice.

This coverage allows a surviving spouse or partner of police officers to waive premiums for one year plus the remaining calendar year. The insurance company automatically provides this additional coverage for free at no extra cost.

Insurers don't offer discounts or coverage for police officers in every state. Tell an auto insurance agent that you work in this profession when shopping car insurance rates.

The agent will take your occupation into consideration when calculating your rates and discounts. It can help you to save money on your auto insurance premiums.

4. Fire Fighters and First Responders

Firefighting and first responder careers are also considered high-risk jobs. In fact, AdvisorSmith named firefighter supervisors to its list of most dangerous professions.

Many car insurance carriers recognize the sacrifices these professionals make to keep the public safe. They offer car insurance discounts for firefighters and first responders. It is an acknowledgment of their courage and brave work.

Even though their job is dangerous, most firefighters are low-risk insureds, who rarely file claims. A few of the carriers who provide discounts for coverage include Farmers, Nationwide and Liberty Mutual.

California Casualty is noteworthy because it offers Fallen Officer/Fallen Hero Survivor Benefit. This coverage allows a surviving spouse or partner to waive premiums for one year plus the remaining calendar year; however, this insurance coverage is not available in every state.

5. Science or Math Fields

For reasons unbeknownst to scientists themselves, it's been found that people in the field of science are lower-risk individuals. Therefore, if you're a scientist (or married to one) you'll find that some insurance carriers offer car insurance discounts because of your profession.

Mercury Insurance offers a big car insurance discount for chemists, biologists, biotechnologists and more. And Farmers offers a discount if you have at least a bachelor's degree in science or math. Science and math majors in college can expect to pay less than other students too.

And before you assume that you're looking at a flimsy 2 percent discount, let us tell you that some insurers offer an average 20 percent discount in California.

In some other states, it's as high as 10 percent depending on the carrier and your driving history. So, keep in mind that your rate will fluctuate based on other factors too. That's why it's always wise to shop and compare car insurance rates. It can help you save money on car insurance. Just enter your zip code on this page to get insurance quotes from carriers within your area.

6. Engineers

People that have at least a bachelor's degree or higher in engineering can earn car insurance discounts. Statistics show that engineers are less likely to file a claim, even when they are involved in a minor accident.

Some car insurance companies offer a 19 percent discount in Pennsylvania. While the discounts are a bit lower in other states (12 percent in Rhode Island, 15 percent in Texas, Kansas, Delaware, Arkansas, Kentucky and North Dakota), it's an average savings of about $40 per premium. Not too shabby for being good at math!

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7. Farmers and Agricultural Workers

There's a reason why Farmers insurance company is called Farmers. Just like specialty insurance for teachers, there used to be specialty insurance for farmers. Many of those insurance companies grew over the years to also insure the general public, but many still stay true to their roots of taking care of people in the occupation of farming.

Farming is the ideal occupation for car insurance companies because these individuals often have a short commute or none at all. In Alabama, farmers can earn an average 10 percent occupation discount from some car insurance companies. There is a 5 percent discount in several other states. The Farm Bureau Insurance company offers a discount for private passenger autos with farm usage.

8. Lawyers

Being law-abiding is a good trait that lawyers generally do have and that includes knowing the rules of the road. This is why an occupation in law deserves a discount. Some insurers offer a 15 percent car insurance discount, on average, to lawyers in Arkansas, Delaware, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Texas and more. Belonging to your local bar association may bring you even more discounts from certain auto insurance carriers.

9. Military Personnel

Car insurance companies also hand out significant discounts to military members and their families.

USAA provides the cheapest auto insurance rates for veterans, military members and their families. To qualify for their insurance company discounts, individuals must be enlisted in the following branches:

• Air Force
• Army
• Coast Guard
• Marines
• Navy
• National Guard
• Reserves

Additionally, their insurance offers coverage for honorably discharged military members. Their policyholders can receive a 15 percent discount if they park their vehicle in a military base's garage. In California, service members can receive a five percent discount on their comprehensive and collision insurance.

The state of Louisiana requires auto insurers to offer active service members a 25 percent military discount on their liability insurance, on average. Service members who live outside of the U.S. must have family members that live within the state.

Do you work in a public service job or specialty profession? You may be missing out on a car insurance discount that can help lower your auto insurance rates. Using SmartFinancial can help you find the lowest insurance quotes from local companies in your area. Just enter your zip code below to get started on saving money on car insurance.