Defensive driving courses and car insurance discounts

How defensive driving discounts work

A defensive driving or accident prevention course reviews safe-driving techniques and traffic laws. The aim is fewer crashes, which is why insurers and some state laws reward completion. The NAIC lists taking a defensive driving course as a common discount, particularly for older drivers, and the Texas Department of Insurance lists completing a defensive driving or driver education course among the discounts drivers can ask about.

There are two kinds of discount:

• Discounts required by state law. In some states, insurers must give a discount when a qualifying driver completes a state-approved course. State law sets the rules, such as who qualifies, which coverages get the discount and how long it lasts.
• Voluntary insurer discounts. In other states, or for drivers who do not meet the age rule, a company may offer a discount on its own terms. Ask your insurer which courses it accepts before you enroll.

A course discount is a pure saving: it lowers the price without reducing your coverage. See our full guide to car insurance discounts.

New York: Point and Insurance Reduction Program (PIRP)

New York's program, run by the Department of Motor Vehicles, is a clear example. The DMV approves the course sponsors and sets the standards. The courses are offered by private companies and organizations, and fees vary by provider.

What PIRP gives you

• Insurance reduction. A driver who is the principal operator of a car and completes a PIRP course gets at least 10% off the base rate of auto and motorcycle liability premiums each year for 3 years. New York's Department of Financial Services says insurers must apply the course discount to the liability, collision and no-fault coverages.
• Point reduction. The course can reduce up to 4 points on your driving record when the DMV counts points for a suspension. The points are not removed from the record itself.

Rules to know

• Only the principal operator gets the reduction. If several drivers on one policy take the course, the discount goes to the principal operator.
• Course length. The course is at least 320 minutes and can be taken in a classroom, online or by other approved methods.
• Timing. You can take the course once every 36 months to keep the insurance reduction going.
• Proof. If you give your completion certificate to your insurer or agent within 90 days, the reduction starts right away and is backdated to the completion date.
• Limits. The course does not stop mandatory suspensions or revocations, and it does not prevent general rate increases or increases for new tickets and crashes.

Pennsylvania: Mature Driver Improvement Course

Under Pennsylvania law, drivers 55 and older who complete a PennDOT-approved Basic Mature Driver Improvement Course are entitled to at least a 5% discount on their car insurance. To keep the discount, drivers take the Refresher course every 3 years. PennDOT says there are no written or driving tests, and fees vary by the organization offering the course. Check with your insurer for the details of how it applies the discount.

Florida: accident prevention course for drivers 55 and older

Florida Statutes section 627.0652 requires insurers to give a discount to a principal operator aged 55 or older who completes a motor vehicle accident prevention course approved by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Under the statute:

• Insurers' rates must include an appropriate reduction for the liability, personal injury protection and collision coverages. The statute does not set a fixed percentage.
• It lasts for 3 years after you complete the course.
• The insurer may require that you have no at-fault accident and no moving violation conviction in that time to keep it.
• It does not apply if you took the course because a court ordered it as punishment for a traffic violation.

Other states

Other states may have their own rules for course discounts, and many insurers offer voluntary discounts. We list only programs we have confirmed on an official state page or statute. To find your state's rules, check your state insurance department or motor vehicle agency, or ask a licensed agent which courses your insurer accepts. If you are an older driver, our guide to car insurance for senior drivers covers related topics.

State programs compared

How to get a defensive driving discount

1. Ask your insurer first. Find out whether it gives a course discount, how much it is, which coverages it applies to and which courses qualify.
2. Check that the course is state-approved. Use your state DMV or highway safety department's list of approved providers. An unapproved course may not count.
3. Choose a format. Many states allow classroom and online courses. Compare fees between providers.
4. Complete the course and keep the certificate. Save a copy of the completion certificate.
5. Send the certificate to your insurer promptly. In New York, sending it within 90 days means the reduction is backdated to the day you finished.
6. Check your next bill or declarations page. Make sure the discount appears, and note when it ends.
7. Set a reminder to retake. Most course discounts expire after a few years unless you take the course again.

Is a defensive driving course worth it?

Compare the course fee and the time it takes with the discount you would get. Because a course discount usually applies to some or all coverages for several years, the total saving over its life can exceed the course fee, especially on a policy with a high premium. It also does not reduce your coverage, unlike raising a deductible or dropping collision.

It is most clearly worth it when:

• your state requires insurers to give the discount and you qualify by age or role;
• you also need a point reduction, as New York's program offers;
• you are a younger driver whose insurer offers a course discount, since premiums for young drivers are often high. See car insurance for young drivers.

A course is not a substitute for comparing prices. A cheaper insurer without a course discount can still beat a more expensive one with it. Our shopping at renewal guide explains how to compare fairly.

Courses ordered by a court or DMV

A course you take because a court or the DMV ordered it after a violation may not earn an insurance discount. Florida's statute, for example, excludes courses taken as court-ordered punishment for a moving violation. Separately, a recent ticket or accident can raise your premium by more than any course discount saves. See how your driving record affects price, and our guides for high risk drivers after a DUI.