Passive Restraint Discounts Explained

Last Updated on December 12, 2025

Many car insurance companies offer discounts for vehicles with certain safety equipment. One of the most common (and most misunderstood) is the passive restraint discount.

Passive restraints are safety systems that protect you in a crash automatically—without you having to “turn them on” or take any special action. If your car qualifies, your insurer may discount the medical-related portion of your policy (like MedPay or PIP), though the savings and rules vary by company and state.

Here’s what a passive restraint discount is, what features qualify, and how to make sure you’re getting any savings you’re entitled to.

Key Takeaways

• A passive restraint discount typically relates to crash-protection systems like airbags (and sometimes automatic restraints), not driver-assist technology.
• When offered, the discount often applies to medical-related coverage (MedPay or PIP) instead of your entire auto premium.
• Many modern cars have airbags standard, so the “discount” may already be baked into your rate based on your VIN and vehicle details.
• To avoid missing savings, quote with your VIN and ask your insurer which safety discounts are applied and which coverages they affect.

What Are Passive Restraints?

A passive restraint is a vehicle safety feature designed to reduce injuries to drivers and passengers in a crash—and it works automatically.

The most common examples are:

• Airbags (front and side airbags deploy automatically in certain crashes)
• Automatic or motorized seat belts (less common today, but historically considered “passive” because they engaged automatically)

Important: insurers sometimes use “passive restraint” as a label for crash-protection systems like airbags (and sometimes seat belts), but they usually do not mean driver-assist technology (like lane-keeping or blind spot monitoring).

Passive Restraints vs. Other Safety Discounts

Not all safety features are “passive restraints,” even if they make your car safer. Insurance companies often separate safety discounts into categories, such as:

• Passive restraints (crash protection): airbags (and sometimes automatic restraints)
• Accident-prevention features: certain braking/driver-assist systems (these may fall under a broader “vehicle safety” discount, depending on insurer)
• Anti-theft features: alarms, tracking systems, immobilizers

So if you’re looking for the biggest overall savings, don’t stop at one discount type—your vehicle may qualify for multiple safety-related discounts at the same time.

What Is a Passive Restraint Discount?

Insurance pricing is based on risk. If a vehicle feature reduces the likelihood of severe injuries in a crash, insurers may offer a discount—often on the medical-related parts of your policy rather than your entire premium.

Some insurers advertise a specific “passive restraint” (or “restraint device”) discount, while others roll it into a broader safety rating or vehicle safety adjustment. Either way, your vehicle’s safety rating and injury-claim history can influence pricing.

Also note: many modern cars come standard with airbags, which means any discount may already be baked into your rate automatically based on your vehicle’s year/make/model and VIN.

How Much Can You Save with a Passive Restraint Discount?

Savings vary widely by insurer, state, and coverage. In many cases, the discount applies to medical payments coverage (MedPay) or PIP—not necessarily to your whole auto policy.

That’s why the real-world dollar savings might be modest even when the percentage looks big. Example: if your MedPay portion costs $10/month and your discount is 20%, you’d save about $2/month.

Still, it’s worth checking—especially if you carry MedPay or PIP, or if you drive an older vehicle where certain restraint systems weren’t standard.

Examples of Features That May Qualify

Features commonly associated with passive restraint discounts (or restraint-device discounts) include:

• Airbags, including front and side airbags
• Automatic/motorized seat belts (on older vehicles that had them)

Separately, many insurers offer discounts for other safety features, which may show up under different names (not “passive restraint”), such as:

• Anti-lock brakes
• Daytime running lights
• Driver-assist features (availability and discount structure vary a lot by insurer and state)

Some features reduce the severity of injuries (airbags), while others reduce the chances of being involved in an accident in the first place. Insurers may reward either—or both.

Are Seat Belts Passive Restraints?

Usually, no. Standard seat belts are typically considered an active restraint because you must buckle them to get the benefit.

However, certain older “automatic” seat belt systems (motorized belts) are often treated as passive restraints because they engaged automatically. Insurance terminology isn’t perfectly consistent, so if you’re unsure, the easiest answer is: ask your insurer what your vehicle qualifies for based on the VIN.

How to Get a Passive Restraint System Discount

If your vehicle has factory-installed airbags or other qualifying restraints, your insurer may already be pricing them into your rate when you provide your vehicle details—especially when you quote using your VIN.

To make sure you’re not missing anything:

• Quote with your VIN (best way to capture trim-level safety equipment)
• Verify the vehicle details your insurer has on file (make/model and year number of your vehicle)
• Ask your agent/insurer whether a “passive restraint” or “restraint device” discount is applied—and which coverage it affects
• If you’re shopping, compare quotes across carriers using the same coverages and the same vehicle details (including make and model)

FAQs on Passive Restraint Discounts

Final Word on Passive Restraint Discounts

Passive restraint discounts can help reduce the cost of certain parts of your car insurance—especially medical-related coverages—when your vehicle has factory-installed crash protection like airbags. The discount isn’t always available everywhere, and it often won’t apply to your entire premium, but it’s still worth checking.

If you’re not sure whether your policy includes a passive restraint discount, contact your insurer or compare quotes to see how different companies price your vehicle’s safety equipment.