Your Guide to the Best Auto Insurance for Seniors

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Written by Eric Schad Edited by Nick Versaw Reviewed by Amanda Clear

Updated November 14, 2022

Although some people dread getting older, it isn’t all that bad! You can enjoy your favorite pursuits, avoid the morning commute, spend time with loved ones, cross items off your bucket list, and take advantage of those juicy senior discounts. Yet if you want to travel, enjoy a leisurely drive, or even put some pedal to the metal, having the best auto insurance for seniors is a necessity.

The challenge to getting the best car insurance is that finding affordable, high-quality coverage for older drivers isn’t easy. But just like driving safely and aging gracefully, you have to know where to look. So even though you’re young at heart, you’re never too old to learn how to get the policy you need at a price that leaves a little extra for all those activities you’ve always wanted to do.

Key Takeaways

• If you’re a senior driver over the age of 55, you can still obtain a great car insurance rate by doing your research and comparing car insurance companies
• Some reputable insurance carriers have a variety of discounts available if you know where to look and how to ask for them
• Remember to assess your car insurance coverage and policies to factor in life changes like retirement that might cause your insurance needs to change

What Makes a Great Car Insurance Provider for Senior Drivers?

Car insurance rates can often change for the better for senior citizens. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, drivers 65 years old and up have some of the lowest claim rates and fewer claims than younger age groups.

However, not all car insurance companies are created equal. If you’re searching for a reliable insurer that offers more than just the cheapest car insurance, you have a few options to help you find the best provider for older drivers.

Some things to consider may include:

• Excellent customer service reviews
• Bundling options for homeowners
• Pay-per-mile coverage
• Various types of insurance discounts
• Accident forgiveness and safe driver perks
• Simple claims processes

As with any insurance product, asking friends and family may also help you hone in on the best rate for your car insurance needs.

What Is the Best Auto Insurance for Seniors?

The best auto insurance for one senior isn’t necessarily the best for another. That’s to say, every senior driver puts a different premium on different features when they’re looking for a car insurance policy. But several items factor into the decision-making process. To guide you to the perfect insurance policy for older drivers, always take these facets into account:

• Price or budget: Remember that age can affect your car insurance rates.
• Car insurance companies: Not all insurers have coverage options available in your area.
• Customer service: When you reach out to an insurance agent, are you satisfied with the service? Consider things like response time to insurance claims, simple Q&A, and how long you wait on hold.
• Insurance discounts: What various discounts does the insurance company provide, and how many do you qualify for?
• Vehicle make and model: The type of car you drive impacts your rate. For instance, classic car coverage is often cheaper than a standard policy.
• How much you drive: If you drive less, as you may no longer commute to work or travel long distances, you may get cheap car insurance due to low mileage.  
• Where you live: Each state has different rules for insuring your car, so research senior auto insurance by location, especially if you move to popular retirement spots such as California, Florida, or Arizona, as they all have different insurance requirements.

By properly analyzing your needs and what factors are most important to you, you can find the best auto insurance available to senior citizens — and, more importantly — the best policy for your needs.

Some of the Best Car Insurance Companies for Seniors

With numerous local, regional, and national insurers, you’ve never had more chances to save than you do now. Though the sheer number of choices can feel overwhelming, some of the best car insurance companies stand out from the pack in terms of price, customer service, and those other aspects that are important to you.

Begin your search with car insurance quotes from some of the most reputable insurers in the industry, including:

1. GEICO

If the lowest average rate for car insurance is your top priority, GEICO often offers the best rates in the business. With the lowest rates for seniors between ages 65 and 85, it’s worth a look for the mature driver.

Moreover, GEICO finishes in the top 10 for customer and claims satisfaction from J.D. Power in nearly every region in the country, including several top-three finishes.

Other notable perks of being a GEICO policyholder include accident forgiveness, few complaints, and affordable car insurance, even if you have a ticket, bad credit, or other non-accident-based infractions.

2. State Farm

With some of the best reviews for the best car insurance for seniors from J.D. Power, State Farm is another sound option for older drivers. One of the biggest perks is the company’s usage-based and low-mileage insurance options. However, it’s worth noting that you need to download the Drive Safe and Save app to use a usage-based plan from State Farm, which could be off-putting for some seniors.

Nevertheless, State Farm has some of the best customer satisfaction ratings in the business and tends to reward drivers with a good driving record by consistently lowering their rates.

3. Nationwide

While Nationwide may not garner the same accolades as some other insurers, it has one particularly exciting perk for senior drivers: defensive driving discounts. By taking a state-approved defensive driving class, Nationwide will lower the rates of senior drivers for up to three years. Moreover, this discount is specifically tailored to seniors and varies from the defensive driving discount for other age groups in terms of monetary value and time frame. While defensive driving discounts are popular amongst many insurers, paired with the other benefits of choosing Nationwide, you can look at it as the icing on the cake. 

The company also provides additional perks that a senior may find enticing, including pay-per-mile plans, usage-based plans, vanishing deductibles, car replacement insurance, and more.

4. The Hartford/AARP

If you’re a member of AARP, you can certainly take advantage of its cut-rate insurance through The Hartford. Available only to AARP members, this coverage from The Hartford provides an automatic 10% discount on your car insurance policy right off the bat.

While it’s not guaranteed to get you the best rate, the company does offer discounts that can lower your rate. Moreover, The Hartford is known as the best option for bundling car insurance, home insurance, and other insurance products. So if you’re tired of paying five different bills and just one to consolidate them into one, this is a great option.

In the old days, you had to call or visit the website of each insurance company, but not anymore. Now you can get cheap car insurance and compare dozens of quotes from multiple companies at once, saving you from the nightmarish scenario of doing them one at a time. People may say you have all the time in the world as a senior citizen, but it’s a foregone conclusion that you’d rather spend it doing something fun rather than shopping for senior auto insurance.

Why Are Car Insurance Rates Higher for Senior Drivers?

Contrary to popular belief, the cost of car insurance isn’t necessarily higher for seniors, mature drivers, or retired people. In fact, retired people who shop around for car insurance may pay less than other age groups. According to the IIHS, drivers in their late 50s and 60s have lower claim rates than any other age group on the market.

This can translate to the most affordable coverage options for any age range. Add in a few senior discounts and a clean driving record, and you may be surprised how little you pay for car insurance in your later years.

However, that all changes when you reach the age of 70. Car insurance rates at this age increase and then increase drastically when you reach 80 — although senior drivers are safer now than ever before. The reason for the higher car insurance rates are:

• Increase in the number of accidents for drivers (per the IIHS)
• Slower reaction times than younger drivers
• Types of cars, as seniors are far more likely to drive smaller, more economical cars with poor safety features or safety ratings
• Poorer vision or the need to use corrective lenses that can delay reaction time

Don’t let these factors leave you complacent when shopping for car insurance, though. With a few tips and tricks, you can ensure you get the most affordable coverage possible.

How Seniors Can Lower Auto Insurance Rates

If you’ve already done some shopping and you’re shocked about the prices you find, try to relax. Chances are you haven’t used some simple hacks that can often lower your car insurance rates substantially. Before you buy, apply a few of these ideas.

Find Car Insurance Discounts

Auto insurance discounts aren’t like other senior discounts — you won’t automatically get a cheaper rate because you hit a certain age. However, auto insurance companies still extend tons of deals your way if you know where to look. Some of the most popular senior discounts on car insurance include:

• Safe driving discounts: Like other age groups, auto insurance for seniors is almost always cheaper if you maintain a good driving record and stay accident-free. So if you can avoid accidents and remain a safe driver, you could earn remarkable savings.
• Defensive driving discounts: As a mature driver, you certainly know your way around a car — no one’s questioning that. But if you take a quick refresher on your driving habits — such as a defensive driving course — you can save hundreds of dollars for about four hours of your time. Classes typically cost around $20 and are offered by companies such as AAA, The National Safety Council, and AARP.
• Bundling and multiline discounts: If you’re a homeowner, bundling your car and home insurance can help you save. However, you can also consider a multiline discount, combining your car insurance with products such as boat insurance, renters insurance, or life insurance to get a sizable discount.
• Usage-based discounts: If you’re behind the wheel less, insurance providers will reward you with cheaper car insurance. Low-mileage discounts or pay-by-mile plans can save you a ton, especially if your annual mileage drops below the 7,500-mile eligibility threshold — the number often used by insurers to signify a lower-risk driver.
• Veteran discounts: If you’re a retired military member, asking about veteran-based insurance discounts is worth your while. Not every car insurance company offers these insurance programs, but you could find savings just by inquiring.

Get an Insurer With Accident Forgiveness

Finding an insurer that has an accident forgiveness policy can also help you save and get the best car insurance for seniors. Accident-free discounts already give you good rates on your insurance, but with accident forgiveness, you can keep this discount even if you’re in a single at-fault accident. It’s a nice perk that can go hand-in-hand with other discounts.

Reassess Your Coverage Needs

Overtime your coverage needs might change. As your vehicle gets older, you might find you no longer need full coverage car insurance. This is typically only recommended if your vehicle has diminished in value to a point where the coverage is no longer worth the cost

You can also drop coverage you no longer need. Whether you should is entirely in the eye of the policyholder, but some insurance products you may not need include:

• Gap insurance, which you might not need if you own your vehicle outright
• Roadside assistance, especially if you don’t travel too far from home or you already have a AAA membership

By dropping certain coverages, you can lower your car insurance premiums without eliminating the coverage that you still need.

Find the Most Affordable Senior Car Insurance With Compare.com

Searching for driver discounts, bundling home and auto insurance, and doing business with reputable insurers are smart tactics to find the cheapest auto insurance for seniors. But shopping around for car insurance with Compare.com can ensure that you always get the coverage you need at the best price possible.

With multiple quotes all in one place, you can shop for car insurance quickly, easily, and conveniently. You might just find that being an older driver can actually work in your favor in getting the best rate possible.

Type in your ZIP code below to start your search for the best car insurance rates:

Eric Schad Insurance Writer

Eric Schad has been an expert content writer for nearly a decade. Before getting behind the keyboard, he worked in the finance and music industries. With eight years of writing experience in the automotive and insurance industries, he enjoys communicating information that makes shopping for car insurance a breeze. Away from the computer, Schad is a blues guitar shredder, crazed sports fan, and always down for a spontaneous trip anywhere around the globe.