2023 State Farm Drive Safe & Save Review

Your State Farm rate could have gone up for many reasons, such as a recent claim or a new driver being added to the policy. Other factors that could cause State Farm to raise your rate include getting into an accident, being convicted of a moving violation, and adding coverage to your policy. State Farm may also raise your premiums for reasons that are beyond your control, such as recent natural disasters, increasing repair and healthcare costs, and crime trends.

Top Reasons Why State Farm Raises Rates 

• Recent claims
• New driver or car added to a policy
• Moving violations
• At-fault accidents
• Increased coverage
• Lower deductible
• Recent switch to an expensive car
• Relocation to a high-risk zip code
• Decline in creditworthiness

How to Lower Your State Farm Insurance

If you're struggling to afford your State Farm premium, there are a few steps that you can take to lower your rate. You can start by looking for State Farm discounts that you can qualify for, such as the multiple line or anti-theft discount. You can also make changes to your policy, including raising your deductible and reducing your coverage.

Another option is to switch insurance companies. Each insurer calculates rates differently, so you may be able to get the same amount of coverage elsewhere at a lower price. As a general rule, you should get quotes from at least three different companies every 6-12 months to make sure that you're still getting the best deal.

Yes, State Farm uses telematics through Drive Safe & Save, a program that tracks a customer's driving habits using a mobile app. Customers can sign-up for Drive Safe & Save and receive a discount of up to 50% if they consistently practice safe driving.

What State Farm Telematics Tracks

• Miles driven
• Acceleration
• Braking
• Turns
• Speed
• Distracted driving
• Time of day driven

In order to use Drive Safe & Save, drivers need to keep their Bluetooth and location services turned on, which will allow the app to automatically log trips when it detects driving activity. After you start logging trips, the discount will be applied when you renew your policy. If you practice bad driving habits while using Drive Safe & Save, State Farm will not raise your base premium. But you probably won't get much of a discount, if any. Currently, Drive Safe & Safe is available in all states except California, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island

To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to usage-based insurance.

To get the State Farm low mileage discount, a customer must drive fewer than 7,500 miles per year. Exactly how much State Farm's low mileage discount can save a customer depends on many factors, like their address, car type, and driving history.

How to Get the State Farm Low Mileage Discount

1. Drive fewer than 7,500 miles per year.
2. Provide odometer information to a State Farm agent, who will call to verify the reading. Agents call to verify odometer information when it's time to renew a policy, and sometimes mid-term.
3. Confirm your low mileage discount is being applied to your bill. It will last as long as you continue to drive fewer than 7,500 miles annually.

How State Farm Verifies Low Mileage

To verify a customer meets the annual mileage requirement, a State Farm agent will contact the customer to collect their odometer information for the past year. State Farm will then continue to contact the customer periodically to collect the car's odometer readings. If those readings show the customer has increased their driving to more than 7,500 miles per year, they will lose the discount.

Yes, State Farm offers a type of pay-per-mile insurance called Drive Safe & Save. This is technically usage-based insurance, which is similar to pay-per-mile coverage because it factors mileage into premium calculations, but it also considers driving habits such as distracted driving.

Drive Safe & Save Considers:

• Miles driven
• Acceleration
• Braking
• Turns
• Speed
• Distracted driving
• Time of day driven

It's important to note that these factors collectively affect a customer's insurance premium, so Drive Safe & Save is not strictly pay-per-mile. However, it's still a good option for safe, low-mileage drivers who don't mind being tracked for insurance purposes. For more information, check out WalletHub's guide to usage-based insurance.

You can get a State Farm safe driver discount by participating in the company's optional Drive Safe & Save program. State Farm customers can save up to 30% on their auto insurance policies by participating in this safe driver discount program.

State Farm's Drive Safe & Save program uses information collected from your smartphone or your vehicle's OnStar service, along with in-vehicle beacons, to calculate your discount. The program monitors things like how quickly you accelerate, your speeding habits, how hard you brake, how fast you take corners, and if you use your cell phone while you drive.

How To Get The State Farm Safe Driver Discount

1. Enroll your vehicle in the Drive Safe & Save program by downloading the Drive Safe & Save app (text SAVE to 78836 to receive a download link).
2. Log into the app, using your State Farm user ID and password or your driver's license information, and follow the step-by-step instructions to sign up.
3. Set up the Bluetooth beacon(s) that State Farm will send you by mail. You will need to sync the beacon(s) with the app while your car is parked and input the car's odometer readings.
4. Receive a discount (of about 5%) just for signing up for the Drive Safe & Save program, after you're all set up.
5. Use the data the Drive Safe & Save app collects about your driving habits to see how you can become a safer driver and apply that knowledge while you're behind the wheel. The better you drive, the more you'll save.
6. Confirm your performance-based safe driver discount is being applied to your bill. You can do this by checking your Drive Safe & Save account page, checking your bill, or contacting a State Farm representative.

Getting State Farm's safe driver discount is relatively straightforward. Just bear in mind that some details vary from state to state. For example, only mileage information is used to calculate discounts for customers in Maryland and New York, while customers in other states could see good driving habits rewarded with a discount. Also, the State Farm safe driver discount is not available to residents of California, Massachusetts or Rhode Island.

State Farm offers a good driver discount, as well as a discount of up to 30% for enrolling in their Drive Safe & Save program. In order to receive a State Farm good driver discount, drivers must be accident-free for three years, and this can even include time that you've been insured by another company.

After you get into an accident, you will have to wait three years before you can qualify for the good driver discount again. Even accidents that are forgiven by State Farm's accident forgiveness still count against your good driver discount, though your base premium will not go up.

Drive Safe & Save

State Farm's Drive Safe & Save program determines your specific discount based on your annual mileage and basic driving habits. You can enroll in State Farm's Drive Safe & Save program using the Drive Safe & Save mobile app.

You can also enroll if you have a 2020 or newer Ford or Lincoln vehicle and you set up “Connected Car.” In that case, your driving habits will be tracked through your FordPass or Lincoln Way app.

Other Ways to Save

If you don't wish to enroll in Drive Safe & Save and you do not qualify for State Farm's good driver discount, there are still ways to save on your premium. For example, State Farm offers a multi-car discount for drivers who insure more than one vehicle on their policy. You can also lower your rate by altering your coverage or increasing your deductible.

To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to State Farm discounts.

State Farm is so cheap because the company has more customers than any other provider, and their large market share allows them to keep their prices competitive. A minimum coverage policy from State Farm costs an average of $77 per month, and State Farm premiums can be made even cheaper by taking advantage of discounts such as passive restraint discount and anti-theft discount. Plus, State Farm rewards customer loyalty with discounts for insuring more than one car and bundling multiple policies, such as home and auto.

Average Monthly Rates for State Farm vs. Top Competitors

Note: Premiums are representative of a 45-year-old good driver in CA; individual premiums will vary.

State Farm is especially cheap for young drivers in particular. That's because State Farm has special savings opportunities for drivers in this category, such as discounts for students who maintain at least a 3.0 GPA.

Your final premium is based on a variety of factors, though, such as your driving record, insurance history, and more. Every insurance company determines their rates differently, so even though State Farm is among the cheapest car insurance companies, the only way to confirm you've found the lowest price is to compare quotes from multiple companies.

To learn more, check out WalletHub's review of State Farm and see State Farm's full profile.

You can lower your State Farm car insurance costs by taking advantage of State Farm discounts, opting for a higher deductible, and reducing your coverage, among other things. State Farm considers a variety of factors when calculating your premium, though some – like your age and location – are out of your control. Fortunately, you can take steps to influence other factors in order to lower your rate.

How to Lower the Cost of Car Insurance from State Farm

Use State Farm's auto insurance discounts

State Farm offers a wide variety of discounts that can help you lower your overall car insurance bill. For example, drivers can get a discount of up to 25%  if they've been insured with State Farm for at least three continuous years without an accident . Or you can save up to 25% on your premium if a high school or college student listed on your policy maintains at least a 3.0 GPA.

Raise your car insurance deductible 

Opting for a higher deductible on any of your insurance policies from State Farm can lower your premium. But if you decide to go this route, it's important that you choose a deductible amount that you can still afford if you suddenly need to file a claim. Otherwise, you might not be able to use the coverage that you have.

Reduce your car insurance coverage 

Most states require a certain amount of bodily injury liability and property damage liability coverage. But there are other coverage options (like comprehensive, collision, personal injury protection, and uninsured motorist) that you may not have to purchase, depending on your state.

Less coverage usually means lower premiums, but it could also lead to higher costs in the long run, so it's important to approach coverage decisions with caution.

Improve your driving record

Practicing safe driving habits and avoiding moving violations can help you qualify for lower State Farm insurance rates long-term. You may also be able to attend traffic school in order to remove a violation or points from your record, depending on your state. State Farm even offers a 10-15%  discount to drivers who take an approved defensive driving course.

Build and improve your credit

Because your credit history is correlated with your likelihood of filing an insurance claim, State Farm uses your credit data to calculate your premium in states where it is legal. As a result, having good credit makes you less of an insurance risk, which will reduce your rates over time.

Drive less

Whether you can shorten your commute to work, use more public transportation, or even ride a bicycle more, driving fewer miles each year could lower your State Farm premium.

Drive an insurance-friendly car

Expensive cars, sports cars, and cars with high rates of theft are considered to be riskier to insure than cheaper, more practical vehicles. Before you buy a new car, get a new quote from State Farm to see how it will affect your rate. If the cost is out of your budget, then you should probably choose a different car.

Sign up for Drive Safe & Save

Drive Safe & Save, the State Farm telematics program, rewards you for good driving with a discounted premium. Specifically, Drive Safe & Save  tracks miles driven, acceleration, braking, turns, speed, and distracted driving. By using Drive Safe & Save, drivers can save up to 50% on their rate.

Finally, if you're still struggling to afford your State Farm policy, you should consider switching insurers. Even if you're not actively looking for a new policy, it's generally a good idea to compare quotes from three different companies every 6-12 months. To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to switching car insurance companies.

Customers can get the State Farm defensive driving discount by completing a driver safety course that's been approved by State Farm. Qualified drivers can save up to 15% on their State Farm car insurance bill by completing an approved defensive driving course, depending on their state, age, and other factors.

Some defensive driving courses are taught online, while others are taught in a classroom. All the defensive driving courses that can result in a discount on your State Farm bill will teach you how to improve your skills behind the wheel and to be a safer, less aggressive driver.

How To Get a State Farm Defensive Driving Course Discount

1. Request a list of qualified defensive driving courses and their requirements from a State Farm agent.
2. Register and pay for a course approved by State Farm. Defensive driving courses typically cost between $15 and $100.
3. Pass the defensive driving course. Courses typically take 4-8 hours to complete.
4. Present State Farm with your defensive driving course certificate of completion.
5. Make sure State Farm is applying your discount for completing a defensive driving course by checking your bill or contacting the company directly at 800-STATE-FARM (800-782-8332).

The State Farm defensive driving discount can last for as long as three years in most states. After it expires, customers can take another training course to get the discount again.

No, State Farm does not offer a dash cam discount. State Farm and other U.S. auto insurance providers don't yet offer dash cam discounts like those available in other countries, though having a dash cam may still be useful for the purpose of providing evidence to an insurance company. For example, if you're ever in an accident, a dash cam could record important information about the cause of the accident, including whether or not you were at fault.    

The closest thing State Farm has to a dash cam discount is its Drive Safe & Save discount. State Farm's Drive Safe & Save discount is based on information collected by your smartphone or your vehicle's OnStar service, such as your speeding and braking habits, how quickly you take corners, and more. Drivers can save up to 30% on their car insurance with State Farm's Drive Safe & Save discount.