This list could save some drivers hundreds of dollars a year.
Drivers with short commutes, who own their home or who don’t drive every day of the week are among the many consumers eligible to save hundreds of dollars each year on car insurance. Not that they necessarily know it.
The average American spends $762 per year on car insurance, according to a Bankrate.com survey. Depending on where you live, you’re more—or less—likely to score big discounts. Missouri residents get the most discounts (discounts are available about 33.1 percent of the time), followed by Connecticut (32.6 percent), Indiana (32.3 percent), Wisconsin (32.1 percent) and Iowa (31.7 percent), according to a survey released recently by Insure.com.
Meanwhile, residents of North Carolina tend to get the fewest discounts (discounts are available about 13.2 percent of the time), followed by Hawaii (14.5 percent), New York (20.3 percent), Massachusetts (20.5 percent) and Michigan (20.9 percent).
While it’s hard to pick up and move, the good news is that you can score car insurance discounts no matter where you live. The most common discounts—and the ones that most of us have heard about—include those for being a good student (77 percent of the insurance carriers surveyed by Insure.com offered this with an average 16 percent discount), having a home policy with the same company (68 percent offered this with a 9 percent discount), paying all of most of the bill upfront (46 percent offered this with a 9 percent discount), being married (41 percent offered this with a 14 percent discount) and taking a driver training course (41 percent offered this with a 7 percent average discount), the Insure.com survey revealed.
But there are many more discounts that, though less common, still can produce significant savings if you can get them.
“The right discount can knock hundreds of dollars off your car insurance bill,” says Insure.com editorial director Amy Danise. But many discounts aren’t advertised or automatically offered: “Often you just have to ask to start saving some money,” advises certified financial planner Joel Ohman, founder of CarInsuranceComparison.com. Danise says you should call and ask about specific discounts when you are looking for a new policy, and if you already have one, you should ask annually. People should also ask about discounts after a major life event like a divorce or a shortened work commute.
Here are 11 little-known discounts—and what they can save the average consumer.
Consumers who drive less—typically 7,000, 10,000 and 12,500 miles per year -- may be eligible for discounts (13 percent of companies surveyed offer this discount and the average savings was 11 percent, according to the Insure.com data). That means that the average customer (who spends $762 per year on car insurance, according to Bankrate.com) who scored this discount would save an average of nearly $84 per year.
People who use their car primarily for farming (someone who mainly drives his truck around the farm, for example)—as opposed to business or pleasure—will get the steepest discounts, says Danise. Roughly 40 percent of surveyed companies offered this discount with an average savings of 10 percent.
More than one in four insurance companies offers a discount to those who renew in advance, typically seven to 10 days ahead of schedule. The savings is significant—8 percent on average—which would save the average consumer nearly $61 per year.
“The industry rewards loyalty,” says Danise. In particular, companies tend to give discounts for consumers who have been customers for a year, 36 months and/or 60 months. More than one in three insurance companies surveyed offered this discount and the average savings was 6 percent.
People who own their own homes, condos or apartments can save an average of 6 percent off car insurance. Fully 21 percent of insurance companies offer this deal.
While most people know that they can get an auto insurance discount by holding a homeowner’s insurance policy with the same company, the bundling also works with life insurance. The discount in this case is usually 4 percent—and roughly 37 percent of surveyed companies offered it—which would save the average person more than $30 per year.
Because companies want to get paid in full and on time, many offer a discount to drivers who allow companies to automatically deduct payments from their bank accounts. More than one in three insurance companies surveyed offered this discount and the average consumer would save 4 percent by opting for this option.
People who commute to work for shorter distances—typically five, 10 or 15 or fewer miles—can often save money, says Danise. Fully 22 percent of surveyed insurance companies offered this discount and the average savings was 4 percent.
Eight percent of companies offer a discount for people who don’t drive every day. Typically, the discount is for those who drive one, two, three or four days per week, says Danise. The average savings is 4 percent.
People who own rather than lease their car may be able to save: Roughly 7 percent of companies offer this and the average discount is 4 percent.
Only 6 percent of companies offer this discount—some for getting a bachelor’s, master’s or Ph.D. and occasionally for completion of vocational or technical school. The average savings is 4 percent.
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