Save $300 Or More With A Defensive Driving Course
Welcome to Saving Money with Andrew!
When I consider money-saving opportunities, I weigh time against money. How long does it take, and how much will I save?
For car owners in most states, defensive driving courses are a great deal on both counts. Our insurer (State Farm) offers a three-year 10% discount in our state for completing a six-hour online defensive driving course. My wife took the course when we bought our first car. Our bill immediately dropped $52.54 every six months, for a total savings of about $315 (minus the $25 cost of the class). For six hours of having a browser tab open in the background, reading the course material and periodically answering some multiple-choice quizzes, we saved $290.
When we bought our second car last month, I checked our first insurance bill and noticed our bill was higher than expected. I learned from our agent that a defensive driving discount could only be applied to one car per driver, but that I could take the same course as my wife did, and receive another 10% discount on our other car. Six hours later, I secured another discount, this time worth $400 over three years.
If you’re interested, follow these steps:
Search for “[your auto insurer] defensive driving discount [your state]” or contact your insurance agent for more details. Most insurers offer an 5-10% discount.
Find an approved online defensive driving course—most insurers will tell you. This time, I used Improv Traffic School which our insurer (State Farm) accepts. Just make sure it’s one that works with your policy.
Send proof of completion to your insurance agent. In many cases the insurer automatically applies your discount, but make sure to check your next bill.
Set a reminder for when the discount expires (I generally snooze an email or a Todoist reminder) so you can take the course again and renew your discount.
And now, Andrew’s pick(s) of the week:
The Reluctant Explorer is an amazing episode of This American Life, filled with crazy twists and turns.
What Can You Deduce From A Leaked PDF?
The Rich New York Women Who Love Their Fake Birkins
Hiring Is Hard Enough. Now New Workers Are Vanishing Before They Even Start
Finally, I thought the PBS American Experience episode on the Amish (scroll down to episode 3) was fascinating.
I hope this has been helpful. If you liked it, please share it on social media! Also, please send me your feedback, requests, and success stories.