Driving After 65: How To Save On Car Insurance
Posted on: 29 September 2015
You may remember how high your insurance rates were when you were a new driver. You were probably glad to see it gradually decline as you got older and grew more experienced behind the wheel. It can come as a shock when you notice your rates suddenly creeping back up around the time that you hit 65. Your auto insurance rates shouldn't go back up to the highs of your teens and early 20s, but the increase can still hurt, especially since it hits at right about the time you're considering retirement. Your rates increase because of the perceived risks that accompany older drivers – things like slower reflexes, impaired vision, and diminished hearing. However, you don't have to live with the higher rates. Check out a few ways you can bring them back down.
Take a Driving Course
It can seem insulting for someone to suggest that you need a driving course after you've been successfully driving for decades. But take the time to think about it. Automobile technology and even driving laws change and are updated all the time. It couldn't hurt to take a class and get an update on what's new, and hopefully score an auto insurance discount at the same time.
Some auto clubs and other organizations are even beginning to offer driving classes specifically aimed at senior citizens. In addition to covering safety equipment, traffic laws, and other driving issues typically covered in defensive driving courses, senior-oriented courses also cover issues like how certain medications or common symptoms of aging affect driving ability.
Before you enroll in a course, check with your insurance company to see if they offer a discount for that course. Your insurer may have a list of preferred driving course providers that you need to choose from.
Update Your Car
Your insurer isn't only looking at your driving ability. They're also looking at your car. The more well-maintained, safe, and secure the car is, the better your rates are likely to be. If your car is already in good shape, adding a few safety and security features, like new breaks or a vehicle tracking system, can result in a break on your rates.
If your car isn't in great shape and can't be easily repaired, it may be time to treat yourself to an upgrade. Check out models that get high safety rankings when you're shopping for a vehicle. You may find that a new, safer ride is your key to a better insurance rate.
Drive Less Often
If you've recently retired, this might be a breeze for you. When you get auto insurance, the insurer looks at how much you're using your car, as well as your driving ability and your car's safety statistics. If you're like most people, your daily commute accounted for a lot of the miles that you were putting on your car every week when you first bought your insurance policy. However, now that you've retired, those miles are gone.
Let your insurer know that you've retired and that your driving habits have changed as a result. Fewer miles on your car – and less of them spent on the highway – should result in lower insurance rates or you. You may also want to consider looking for an insurance that's usage based. Some insurers now offer tracking devices that can be plugged into your car and will track how many miles you drive and how you drive them. You'll save money if the device records low mileage and safe driving habits.
Don't rule out the possibility of shopping around for a better deal if you can't bring your rate down far enough with your current insurer. It never hurts to take a look around and see what else is out there. For instance, try checking out a site like http://www.collinginsurance.com/ to learn about the insurance rates offered by one company.
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