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Going Back to School: A Great Way To Cut Car Insurance Costs

Whether you're looking to buy your first new car or have been driving longer than your kids have been alive, it's pretty much a given that you don't like how much you're paying for car insurance. After all, it's one of those bi-annual expenses that seems to not take advantage of the fact that you are a safe driver.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but going back to school could do wonders both for your confidence on the road and on your checkbook.

Teens and First-Time Drivers: Defensive Driving Courses

There are a number of secondary defensive driving courses put on by road safety agencies and travel firms. While they may seem like overkill for teens, the fact of the matter is that many of them include real-world scenarios on driving in the rain, or in rural areas, that may not have been emphasized in government-regulated driver's education. The ability to learn new tips on skid pads, coned-off courses from people who are genuinely interested in driver education could make a difference in how your teen sees driving. These courses also generally knock down the cost of insuring young drivers as well.

Experienced Drivers

If you have been on the road for a decade or more, you may not feel like you are in any need of a driving course. But there are a number of classes that are more fun than what you experienced in Driver's Education, including safety classes for grassroots motor sports organizations like the SCCA, for example.

And the courses do have the benefit of reducing your car insurance costs, especially if you may have picked up points on your license. They also are a cheap way to get a weekend day with your teenage children if they are taking a similar course.

Senior Driver and Car Insurance

It is true that one factor that helps to drive up automotive insurance rates in California and other states is the age of the driver. While older motorists tend to have more experience than their younger counterparts, human reaction times and vision tend to diminish ever so slightly with age. But a refresher on the rules of the road offers not just an ability to work with people your own age, but also a discount on your car insurance.

These programs are offered by organizations like the AARP, AAA and others, and focus on learning how to work within your own limitations because of vision or hearing loss. They are designed specifically for seniors, and place an emphasis on keeping up to date with all the gadgets in your car that can help keep you safe.