8 safety features that can reduce your auto insurance premium
What’s worse than paying for auto insurance? Paying too much for auto insurance. Whether you’re over-paying because you haven’t shopped around in years, or because you haven’t optimized your auto insurance needs, stop throwing money away! Here are eight safety features that can help improve your policy by reducing your auto insurance premium.
Air Bags
The vast majority of cars on the road today have frontal air bags. Side, rear and passenger air bags are less common though. Having these air bags can reduce your auto insurance premium. Plus, who doesn’t want to pay a little extra for a car that will keep beloved passengers safe?
ABS
Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) help reduce the distance needed to stop in wet and slippery conditions. A 2004 study on ABS showed the system reduced multiple vehicle crashes by 18 percent. ABS has been required in Europe since 2004 and in the United States since 2013. ABS comes standard on newer Canadian cars.
Rear-view cameras
Originally seen as a fun gimmick, rear view cameras are now wildly popular in new-model vehicles. Instead of a mirror that reflects objects at eye level, rear view cameras allow drivers to see things behind them at ground level. Some cameras even show panoramic views to the left and right of the vehicle. Being able to see more clearly is a plus from an insurance company point-of-view, and premiums reflect that.
Automatic seatbelts
Not so common on new-model vehicles, the automatic seatbelts commonplace on cars from the 1990s still qualify a driver for reduced auto insurance premiums.
Winter tires
Here in Canada, all-season tires just won’t cut it. Some provinces require cars to have winter tires during the winter months, while other provinces leave it up to drivers’ discretion. For auto insurance companies though, winter tires mean better control while driving, which means fewer accidents and lower premiums.
Stability control
Electronic stability control automatically applies a car’s brakes when it detects a loss of steering control. Braking individual tires helps steer the car until the driver can get it under control again. Having an extra set of “hands” to keep the car under control in poor weather conditions makes auto insurance companies happy.
Adaptive headlights
Many new-model cars come with adaptive headlights. These headlights assess the ambient light and adjust themselves accordingly. For example, in ordinary conditions, the lights will be daytime running lights, while in foggy weather, the lights will switch to fog lights. At night, the headlights will automatically turn on. These headlights take the risk of human error out of driving visibility.
Blind-spot and lane-departure warning systems
Blind-spot and lane-departure warning systems are one of the latest developments in car technology. Having a warning system that stops you from literally driving into another car is a positive feature in the eyes of the auto insurance companies. Having this feature will more than likely get you a lower auto insurance premium.
Taking extra precautions to stay safe on the road is just plain smart. In Canada, we have the added bonus of lower auto insurance premiums for drivers who make sure their vehicle is extra-safe.