How can I lower my Geico car insurance?

Completing a Geico defensive driving course qualifies drivers for a discount of up to 5% or 10% on their Geico car insurance premium. Geico-approved online defensive driving courses cost $14.95 to $24.95, depending on the provider and your state of residence.

Why a Geico Defensive Driving Course Is a Good Idea… read full answer

In general, Geico defensive driving courses improve students’ driving skills by teaching them how to react effectively in hazardous situations. Main topics include how to drive in bad weather and on wet or icy roads, how to correct course if you lose control, how to veer off the roadway safely, and how to react if something crosses into your lane suddenly. Courses also cover the dangers of road rage, speeding, aggressive driving and driving under the influence.

Geico’s defensive-driving course discount is available in most (but not all) states, and rules and qualifications vary. Geico has a convenient directory to help you learn more about the defensive driving requirements in your state.

Geico Defensive Driving Discounts in Major States

• California – up to 5%
• Texas – up to 10%
• Florida – up to 10%
• New York – up to 10%
• Illinois – up to 10%
• Pennsylvania – up to 10%
• Georgia – up to 10%
• New Jersey – up to 5%

If you already have a course in mind, check with Geico to see if that course will qualify you for the discount. You can also find an approved Geico defensive driving course, and learn how to sign up, through the National Safety Council or the American Safety Council. Many states offer the option of taking the course online rather than in a classroom.

Common reasons for high car insurance costs include your driving record, age, coverage options, where you live, the car you drive, your credit history or not taking advantage of discounts. The average car insurance premium has also become more expensive as it increased by more than 50% in the past 10 years.… read full answer

8 Reasons Why Your Car Insurance Is So Expensive

1. You Have a Poor Driving Record

Your driving record is probably the most important factor in determining your car insurance rates. If your record is poor, with accidents and driving violations, and you have a history of claims, your rates will be high. You will also pay more than average if you’re bad with credit, young (especially young and male), or unmarried.

2. Your Vehicle Is Expensive to Insure

Insurance companies like safe, boring cars that nobody wants to steal for joy-riding or parts. If you choose to drive something large, fast, luxurious, statistically unsafe on the road, or popular with thieves, you will pay more.

3. You Live in a High-Risk Location

Where you live has a large impact on your premiums. Some areas of the country have much higher insurance costs than others. A number of factors go into this, such as the history of accidents in the area, population density, the number of uninsured drivers, crime statistics, bad weather patterns, etc. Also, if you live far from work and have a long daily commute, the high annual mileage could raise your rate.

4. You Have High Coverage Amounts

If your coverage limits are high and your deductibles are low, you will be happy if you need to make a claim, but not as happy when you’re paying your premiums. If the insurance company risks having to pay out more in the future, you will have to pay more now.

5. You Are Not Taking Advantage of Discounts

Insurers offer a very wide variety of discounts. Valued customer discounts offer savings for things like loyalty, multiple cars and policies, and paying online. Driver discounts may apply if you are a good driver, good student, belong to a certain profession or organization, are married, or more. Your car may also qualify for a discount if it has equipment that makes it safer to drive or harder to steal. Discounts are available to nearly everyone, and you may qualify for some that you aren’t getting credit for yet.

6. You Are Too Young or Too Old

Teens are statistically more likely to cause car accidents than the average driver, so insurance companies charge them the highest premiums. Drivers who get their license at 16 years old usually see their premiums decrease with every year of experience, however, and age 25 is generally considered a turning point when premiums become considerably lower.

Experienced drivers in their 40s and 50s are often the cheapest to insure. But rates begin to rise again after age 65.

7. You Have a Low Insurance Score

Every major insurance company uses a credit-based insurance score to calculate premiums where allowed by law. Like credit scores, insurance scores are based on credit report information, only they are used to predict a driver’s likelihood of filing a claim. The rationale is that individuals who are careful with their money tend to be careful drivers, too.

However, insurance scores are controversial, so they are banned in Massachusetts, Hawaii, and California. Most other states also have restrictions on their use, which can be found on the state insurance regulator’s website.

8. Costs Increasing Overall

Record-setting natural disasters, more phone-related car accidents, high rates of insurance fraud, and expensive-to-repair car technology have all increased costs for insurance companies. As a result, insurers have been raising their prices to cover their expenses.

From 2010 to 2019, the average cost of car insurance increased by more than 50%. Prices have gone up every year. This steady rise in insurance costs has outstripped other consumer costs. Even skyrocketing hospital costs lag slightly behind car insurance.

Overall Cost Increases from 2010 to 2019

• Car Insurance: 52.2%
• Hospital Services: 49.1%
• Cost of Living: 17.2%
• Physician’s Fees: 15.7%

You can’t reverse this industry-wide inflation. But if you want to lower your own insurance costs, address as many of your personal factors as you can. Then get quotes from multiple insurance companies and compare.

Check out WalletHub's full guide on the factors that affect car insurance rates for more information.

The best ways to lower your car insurance after an accident are to reduce the amount of coverage that you pay for and compare quotes from multiple insurers. You can also take a defensive driving course and search for additional discounts from your current insurance provider. On average, an at-fault accident … read full answerraises premiums by about 48%, and the increased cost lasts 3-5 years.

How to Lower Car Insurance After an Accident

1. Shop around for quotes from other insurers

Every insurer uses its own methods to calculate insurance premiums, so the rate that you have with your current provider might not be the best deal. In general, it’s a good idea to compare quotes from at least three different insurance companies every 6-12 months.

2. Consider reducing your coverage

You should never drive without insurance, and you should always buy as much coverage as you can afford. But if an accident raises your rates to a point where you simply cannot afford insurance beyond what’s required, you can consider removing certain types of coverage from your policy or lowering your limits. Just make sure that you’re still carrying at least the minimum amount of car insurance coverage required by state law.

3. Go to traffic school

Most major insurers offer a discount if you take an approved defensive driving course. Additionally, if the accident occurred while you were committing a moving violation, you may be able to remove the ticket or points from your record by taking the course.

4. Check for discounts with your insurer

Most major insurers offer a variety of discounts that drivers can get even if they’ve recently been in an accident. Bundling policies, setting up auto-pay, and going paperless are all easy ways to earn a discount on car insurance. If you want to know what other discounts you may qualify for, you should call your insurer directly.

5. Practice safe driving habits

The best way to lower your rate long-term is to avoid getting into any more accidents. Even if you have one at-fault accident on your record, your rate will eventually go back down if you don’t get any other infractions for 3-5 years. And if you drive safely for a long period of time, you may qualify for an additional good driver discount from your insurer.