The Little-Known Insurance Discount All New York Drivers Can Get

There's one car insurance discount that's surprisingly easy to qualify for, and you don't even have to leave your house.

If your car insurance bill seems to go up every time it's renewed, you're not alone. Between rising repair costs, more expensive vehicles and increasing claims, many New Yorkers are paying significantly more to stay on the road.

If you live in New York State and drive a car, you can sign up for an online course that will significantly lower your insurance payment. While many people sign up for defensive driving instruction to help knock off points after getting a traffic ticket, you can also take it as an easy way to shave money off of your insurance.

Canva

How Much Can New Yorkers Save?

Under New York law, drivers who complete a state-approved accident prevention course are eligible for a 10% reduction on the base rate of their auto liability, no-fault and collision insurance premiums for three years.

The exact dollar amount depends on your policy, but for someone paying $2,000 a year for car insurance, that could mean about $200 in savings each year, or roughly $600 over the three years the discount remains in effect.

How Much Does the Course Cost?

Most state-approved online defensive driving courses cost between $20 and $40, depending on the provider.

That means many drivers recover the cost of the course with just a few months of insurance savings.

The course typically takes about five hours to complete, but online versions let you work at your own pace. You can log in and out whenever you want instead of sitting through an all-day classroom session.

Canva

More Than Just Savings

While the insurance discount is what gets most people's attention, the course offers another valuable benefit.

Completing a defensive driving course reduces up to four points from your New York driving record for DMV purposes. It won't erase the ticket or remove points from your permanent driving history, but it can help keep you from reaching the point total that could lead to additional DMV penalties or a license suspension.

The class also serves as a refresher on New York traffic laws, distracted driving, sharing the road with pedestrians and cyclists, work zone safety and other situations drivers face every day.

Who Is Eligible?

Most licensed New York drivers are eligible to take the course once every three years to continue receiving the insurance discount.

The course must be approved by the New York State DMV, and you'll need to provide proof of completion to your insurance company to receive the discount.

For many drivers, it's one of the few ways to lower insurance costs without changing vehicles or shopping for a different policy. Considering the course often pays for itself several times over, it's an option that's worth looking into before your next insurance renewal.