Can Single Moms Get Discounted Auto Insurance Coverage?
Last Updated on September 4, 2021
Being a single parent is challenging. Many single parents have tight budgets.
Do single moms get discounted auto insurance coverage? Or do they need to pay the same rates as anyone else?
No major insurance company in the United States offers a discount specifically to single parents. As a single mom or dad, you will not qualify for special rates. In fact, single parents generally pay more for car insurance than other parents.
On average, single parents pay $150 more per year for car insurance than married parents. Insurance companies give discounts to drivers that bundle multiple policies together. Some insurance companies also give discounts specifically for being married. As a single parent – either a single mom or dad – you may not qualify for these discounts, which could mean paying more for car insurance.
Some insurers offer discounts to single parents for other reasons – like low mileage, profession-based, or safe driving discounts.
Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about single mom car insurance discounts, including any single parent auto insurance discounts available today.
No Major Insurer Offers Single Parent Car Insurance Discounts
No insurance company in the United States offers a single parent car insurance discount. Single parents can qualify for other discounts, but there’s no discount just for being a single mother or father.
On average, single parents pay more for car insurance than married parents. It doesn’t matter if you have always been single or are recently divorced or widowed. As long as you are single, you will probably pay more. Insurance companies aren’t technically discriminating against single parents. Instead, statistics show that married drivers tend to be safer drivers than single drivers. Married drivers get a particularly large car insurance discount in their 20s, although this discount disappears with age.
Most car insurance companies also offer multi-vehicle discounts. If you insure multiple vehicles with the same company, then you get a discount on insurance. As a single parent, you may have just one vehicle.
For all of these reasons, married parents tend to pay cheaper car insurance rates than single parents. However, there are still plenty of discounts available to single moms and dads.
Car Insurance Discounts for Single Moms
Fortunately, there are plenty of other discounts available to single parents, including group discounts, mileage discounts, safe driver discounts, and family policy discounts.
Group Discounts: If you belong to a union, alumni group, professional group, or other organization, then you might qualify for a group discount.
Profession-based Discount: Some insurers offer discounts to nurses, police officers, military personnel, teachers, firefighters, and those in other professions.
Mileage Discount: The average American drives approximately 10,000 miles per year. If you drive significantly less than that amount, then you may qualify for a low mileage discount. If you work from home, have a short commute, and live close to your children’s schools, for example, then you may spend significantly less time on the road than an average American driver.
Safe Driver Discount: If you have gone three to five years without a claim or accident, then you may qualify for a safe driver discount.
Family Policy Discount: Some single parents qualify for a family policy discount. If you have a teenage driver in your household with a driver’s license, then you can save money by adding them to your own policy (instead of forcing them to get their own policy). Ask your insurer about family policy discounts if your teenage child has recently received a license.
Defensive Driving Course Discount: Many insurers offer a discount for taking a defensive driving course. In many cases, this “course” is an online program that takes 1-2 hours to complete (or less) and saves 10% on car insurance.
Reduce Car Insurance by Comparison Shopping
Single parents may not have the same discounts as married parents. However, you can still save significant amounts of money by comparison shopping.
Comparison shopping involves requesting car insurance quotes in your region. Enter your ZIP code online to view a list of available offers.
You may be surprised by how affordable car insurance can be – especially if you have stuck with the same insurer for years.
Single parents may have an advantage over married parents: flexibility. Married parents might have multiple policies bundled with an insurer, making it harder to switch. A single parent is more of a free agent, capable of easily switching between insurers to find the cheapest option.
Other Ways to Save Money on Car Insurance as a Single Mom
Other car insurance saving tips for parents include:
Reduce Coverage: You may be over-insured. Check your insurance limits. You might have excessive liability coverage, for example. Or, you may be buying unnecessary collision or comprehensive coverage on an older vehicle. Dropping collision and comprehensive coverage can cut premiums in half and may be the smart choice on older vehicles.
Drop Additional Coverage Options: You may not need roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement, and other bonus coverages for your policy.
Raise your Deductible: If you are confident in your driving skills and willing to take more risk, then raising your deductible is a quick and easy way to raise premiums. Raise your deductible to $1,500 or more. You’ll pay more if involved in an accident, but you save money each month.
Research Other Insurance Discounts: Insurance companies offer all types of insurance discounts, including anti-theft discounts, loyalty discounts, affiliation discounts, and more. Research discounts available in your area.
Final Word on Car Insurance for Single Parents
No major car insurance company in the United States offers a discount specifically for single parents –including single moms or dads.
However, single moms and dads can still save money on car insurance. There are plenty of discounts available to single parents, including low mileage discounts, safe driving discounts, and more.
The best way to save money on car insurance as a single parent is to compare quotes today. Check local insurers for a better rate, and you might save hundreds of dollars per year on car insurance.
