Whether you’re a senior driver yourself or are looking to help an elderly loved one shop for auto insurance coverage, one fact remains: as a group, middle-aged drivers are statistically the safest drivers and therefore pay the lowest rates compared to youthful and senior drivers. Understanding senior driver car insurance is important because there are plenty of discounts available to help you find the best rate.
Senior auto insurance rates: What to expect
Unfortunately, it’s a matter of statistics that older drivers are more accident-prone than most other age groups. This may be due to changes in vision/hearing, age-related health conditions, slowing reflexes, and side effects from medications as a driver ages. As a result, senior drivers are generally viewed by auto insurance companies as a greater risk. This also means they’re more expensive to insure.
Saving on senior auto insurance
While there isn’t much you can do about increasing insurance rates, there are some potential discounts and other money-saving tips that are worth looking into as a senior driver.
For starters, older drivers should check with their carriers to see if they’re eligible for a low-mileage discount. For seniors who don’t drive very often, a discount may be available to those who can prove they drive fewer than 10,000 miles or so each year. Often times, this will simply involve sending in a yearly photo of the vehicle’s odometer to your insurance carrier or having an agent come out to take an annual reading.
Some insurance companies will also offer discounts to senior drivers who take approved safe-driving courses. These classes can help provide senior drivers with a safety refresher behind the wheel, and are often offered through organizations.
Thinking about buying a new car? Seniors may be able to save on their insurance by upgrading to a vehicle with increased safety technology, such as parking assistance features, rearview cameras, lane-departure warning systems, and the like. These technologies can also give senior drivers a little more confidence behind the wheel.
Some hints for shopping around
If you’re approaching senior age and want to make sure you continue to pay as little as possible for your auto insurance, following the above tips and shopping around for your coverage can make all the difference. Specifically, it’s a good idea to obtain insurance quotes from at least a few reputable carriers once a year. This is a good way to do a “check-up” on your coverage and make sure you’re getting the best value for your money.
As you shop around for insurance coverage, make sure that you’re also taking advantage of any discounts each carrier may offer to senior drivers. And of course, always be sure to compare quotes carefully; look not just at the monthly cost of the policy, but the inclusions, exclusions, coverage amounts, and deductibles as well.
Nobody wants to spend more on auto insurance than they need to, but increased rates often come with the territory of graduating into “senior-driver” status. Fortunately, a little shopping around can help you find the best price on the coverage you need, as can taking advantage of the various discounts available to senior drivers through many major insurance carriers today.
Call 855-993-4470, get your free quote online or find a local agent to learn more about understanding senior driver car insurance in NJ. If you need additional information, please visit our Contact Us page.
