Here’s How Australian Seniors Can Save on Auto Insurance

Seniors often find themselves paying more for auto insurance than younger drivers. Here’s how seniors can save money and lower their costs.

The reason why auto insurance costs are higher for senior citizens is that senior drivers are among the most likely to cause accidents. Senior citizens are also more likely to suffer serious injuries as a result of a car accident. Combining these two factors together causes car insurance to get more expensive for people over the age of 55. But don’t worry, we have gathered information you can use to reduce the costs of car insurance.

Take Driving Lessons

Seniors who want to qualify for a car insurance discount should consider taking driving lessons again. In many states, you can take a driving lesson to reduce insurance costs. It’s a great way for you to get 5 – 15 percent discounts on your car insurance. It will also help with improving your defensive driving skills just in case you find yourself in a situation where you need to use them.

Unfortunately, this discount program isn’t offered in states. But the good news is that there are some insurance companies that offer discounts for taking driving lessons. Some driving schools offer online courses so you may improve your skills with more comfort and convenience. AARP is one organization that offers an online driving course.

Choose a Car With a Good Safety Rating

The cars that come with high safety ratings can save you a lot of money on insurance costs. If you’re about to buy a car, you must look for some important safety features including:

Automatic braking systems
Parking Assistance
Rearview cameras with backup assistance
Front Collision avoidance
Lane Departure Warnings

These are some amazing features that can help to avoid accidents. It means you’d be able to keep the insurance premiums at an average level in the future even if the insurance company doesn’t offer additional discounts.

Every year, the safety ratings of new cars are released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If you’re concerned about choosing a safe vehicle, you should explore the safety ratings of different cars on their website.

Keep Your Car Safety Updated

You can improve the safety features of your current vehicle if you aren’t planning to buy a new one. You just need to visit your dealership and ask them to incorporate the new safety technology into your current vehicle.

You may also install tracking devices in your vehicle to get discounts on insurance costs. The insurance company can monitor your driving habits through this device. The tracking device collects data from your car’s computer systems. The company checks the data after regular intervals. Based on the data, the insurance company may reduce your rates in the future.

Installing a tracking device is like giving up a degree of your privacy. However, you can get some amazing benefits in exchange. You should be aware that it can become a problem for you if you don’t have good driving habits. Some insurance company will penalize you based on dangerous driving habits.

Seek Low Mileage Discounts

The chances of getting involved in an accident are much higher when you frequently travel on the road. If you aren’t a frequent traveler, you may get a discount from your insurance company. Since seniors are no longer driving to work, there is a good chance you would qualify for a low mileage discount.

You will probably save 10 percent on your premiums if you drive only 5000 – 7500 miles per year. The insurance company asks for the verification of your odometer readings in order to grant you this discount.

Some companies charge you every month based on the number of miles you’re driving. It’s commonly known as a pay-per-mile policy. If you’ve agreed upon installing a tracking device into your vehicle, you’d be paying under the pay-as-you-drive policy. For low mileage drivers this can result in serious savings.

Compare Prices

Usually, people avoid changing their insurance company and they stick with it for years. It can be hard to change when you have been with the same company for a long time. But if you are serious about lowering your insurance costs in retirement you should not be afraid to shop around. There is nothing wrong with comparing the prices of different insurance companies if you want to reduce the costs. How much you pay depends on the level of insurance you select, whether it is comprehensive, third-party only, etc. Some policies offering the minimum coverage can be cost under $300 a year.

Prices between insurance companies can vary even for service in the same area. Each insurance company determines a driver’s risk level by using different algorithms. Some algorithms may rank you as a higher risk than another company’s algorithm. This is why it makes sense to compare prices and receive multiple quotes.

Chances are that you’d be able to find a more cost-effective insurance plan if you compare the prices of different companies. Simply, conduct an online search to find information about companies that are providing services in your area. You can then compare their prices to find the best option.