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The thrill of the open road might be enough to attract plenty of drivers, but there really isn’t anything thrilling about the average commute. The way most people drive in tight spaces is often enough to make you feel crazy, but that doesn’t mean you want to throw that good driver discount to the wind.
It only takes a few moments of giving in to emotion to cause an accident that could have and should have been avoided.
You aren’t a good driver just for yourself, of course. Your loved ones deserve to see you come home in one piece, and we all have an obligation as drivers to practice good vehicle safety on the road so we all have a greater chance of coming home unharmed and safe.
Below are just a few reasons why it pays to drive safer.
#1 – You’ll Get Cheaper Deductibles
A deductible is the amount of money you have to pay for the insurance company to step in and take care of the rest. The more risk of an accident, the higher it will cost to have a lower deductible. However, low-risk drivers get to reap great benefits because they do not have to pay as much in monthly premiums to have a lower deductible.
If you have a new teenage driver on your policy, teaching them safe driving habits will pay dividends in the long run.
The average deductible drivers select is $500. A driver with lower risk compared to others in their area could select $250 or even $100 in some cases and not have to worry about premiums being too expensive.
#2 – Better Coverage for Lower Premiums
A policyholder with zero accidents is a great thing for the insurance carriers because it means they are getting money from your monthly premiums without having to pay anything out. To reward you for this generous ratio, they can offer more coverage for less money.
This means valuable coverage like comprehensive and collision are cheaper to get, as well as higher liability coverages. For example, it can cost a lot less to get higher coverage for property damage.
Even if you’re a safe driver, having a higher amount for property damage means, in the event of an accident, the insurance company has more money at hand to pay for damages to other drivers or property.
#3 – Lower Costs on Collision Coverage
Collision coverage is one of the highest costs involved in most insurance policies. This makes sense: according to the National Traffic and Safety Highway Administration, over 5.25 million accidents occur on the road every single year. Even the safest driver doesn’t have zero risk when it comes to an accident.
By doing your part on the road and becoming a defensive, cautious driver, you can lower your risk, which means it becomes cheaper to have collision coverage. Remember, the use of collision coverage is to repair your own vehicle in the event of an accident, even if it isn’t your fault.
#4 – Special Perks Like Lower Home Insurance Rates
A healthy driving history leads to great perks such as lowering your risks across a wide variety of insurance products.
For example, most people need home insurance. Like your credit, your claims history plays a factor in the rates you get for other insurance products. This means, in some cases, your good driving history can help you get lower rates on home insurance or even life insurance.
#5 – The Good Driver Discount
Lowering risk is the name of the insurance game, and avoiding accidents and speeding tickets definitely makes you look great in the eyes of the insurance company. If you’re looking for a reason to drive safer on the roads, the good driver discount is definitely one of them.
Every time your policy comes up for renewal, the insurance companies look at your accident and claims history.
No accidents and no claims indicate a driver that’s truly taking their responsibilities seriously to the best of their ability. Of course, that doesn’t mean an accident that isn’t your fault counts against you. It’s just noted in the full record so insurance companies understand your driving history. The same is true for traffic violations.
Use Low Risk to Your Advantage: Shop Around
Being a conservative driver plays a big role on the road. Drivers that practice good defensive habits are rewarded with lower rates. But what if you are already doing your part and find your rates have gone up anyway?
It’s time to take all of that low risk and shop around. Every carrier has its own underwriting policies, after all, which can be impacted by everything from age to race, and it doesn’t make sense to pay more money if you don’t have to do so. You can compare quotes online quickly and get a policy that matches your needs.
Selecting New Insurance With Care
Be sure you are picking insurance policies that are truly “apples to apples” if you’re hunting for new insurance rates. Far too often people are lured away by the promise of a lower rate, but the truth is the policies aren’t identical.
A common example is when the new insurance quote actually has a higher deductible in exchange for a lower monthly premium. While this sounds helpful, the truth is, in the event of an accident, it will be more out-of-pocket money required to pay the repair shop for the insurance company to take care of the rest.
The Road Ahead
Maintaining safe driving practices includes more than just minding the gas pedal. You have to also think two steps ahead of other drivers. For example, if you’re at a side street waiting to turn out onto the main street, assume there will be drivers that don’t see you right away.
Move slowly and cautiously, don’t be afraid to hit the brake and even pull back to avoid a collision.
Taking the hustle and bustle out of driving is important. There is nothing more important than driver’s safety, even if you have an important appointment or another time-sensitive event. Rushing causes accidents, and the stress from worrying can often leave drivers distracted.
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Luke Williams writes and researches for the car insurance comparison site, CarInsurance.org. His passions include best practices for insurance and safe driving.