One of the best offers car insurance companies can offer to new customers is bundling insurance plans to reduce the overall price the customer would be paying. However, certain circumstances can allow you to get discounted rates, such as being married. 

Married couples can expect to pay anywhere from four to ten percent less for car insurance than a couple paying for their own separate plans because of marriage discounts; they can also save with multi-car, multi-policy, and safe driver discounts.

While these discounted rates for married couples might seem like a great incentive to get married, there are plenty of other discounts that insurance companies offer their customers to get them to sign on with their company. So, even if you are single, there are plenty of other car insurance discounts you might be eligible for.

Can You Get Marriage Discounts for Car Insurance?

Car insurance companies will try and make their policies as appealing as they can by offering discounts to just about every person. For married couples, insurance companies will offer some unique discounts that are not seen by others.

Generally speaking, married couples can expect to pay four to ten percent less for car insurance than a couple paying for individual plans. The reason for this is because of the psychological nature behind being married. Insurance companies believe that because each individual now has another person they are tied-down to, they will be a safer driver. 

The National Institute of Health did a study and discovered that this line of thinking is actually accurate to some degree. Their study found that unmarried drivers were twice as likely to run the risk of having an accident-related injury than married drivers. 

However, do not assume that being married automatically leads to a discounted rate from your car insurance provider. A few factors can determine how much each person pays for their insurance, regardless of their marital status. For example, a bad driving record from either you or your spouse can actually lead to a higher insurance rate overall. 

Married vs. Single Car Insurance Rates

For married couples, combining their insurances into one usually ends up being cheaper than paying for their own individual insurances. According to The Zebra, a married couple will pay $1,116 over six months for their combined insurance rate. For single people, Zebra estimates that an individual would pay $735 over six months for car insurance. 

When you compare the two prices, you can see that two people paying $735 each over the six months would be paying about $360 more dollars over that period. Over a year, you could be saving almost $700.

CarInsurance.com put together a list of the states and how much the difference is between a married driver and a single driver in car insurance payments. Their research found 40 of the 50 states will have some discount for being a married driver. While this does not mean the other ten states have higher rates for married people, it does show just how much of a discount you could get for being married. 

Applying Your Marriage Discount to Car Insurance

Although many insurance providers offer a discount for married couples, this is not always advertised or stated in the policy description. Most of the time, insurance companies will automatically apply this discount based on your application. 

To guarantee that you receive the marriage discount on your car insurance, ask your agent if it is—or if not, if it can—be applied. If, for some reason, you were not receiving the discount before, simply requesting it from your agent will ensure it gets added in. 

Other Insurance Discounts Available for Married Couples

Of course, married couples can take advantage of additional discounts that may be also be offered to other drivers with different life circumstances:

Multi-Vehicle Discount

One of the other discounts an insurance company will offer is a multi-vehicle discount. 

When you have multiple cars on a single plan, insurance companies will offer a discount to alleviate some costs that might come from having to pay for multiple vehicles on separate plans. This is highly beneficial for married couples who use separate vehicles or generally own more than one car together. 

The discount amount will depend on the insurance provider; however, generally speaking, you could get up to 8 to 20% off with a multi-vehicle discount.  

Multi-Policy Discounts

Another discount might come in the form of a bundle of multiple insurance policies. 

Most auto insurance companies will also offer home insurance as well, and bundling the two types of insurance may lead to more savings overall. There is also insurance coverage for people who rent apartments or condos that can be bundled with auto insurance. 

This is a discount that married couples who own a home together can often take advantage of. If your insurance provider offers multiple types of insurance policies, ask them about a bundle or multi-policy discount. You will find that you could save as much as 18% on your auto policy!

Safe Driver Discount

Naturally, if both you and your spouse have a driving history free of accidents or traffic violations, you can also get a safe driver discount of up to 15% from your car insurance provider. 

However, as noted above, if either of you has a marred driving record, your insurance premium may be higher because of it.  

Military Discounts

If you and/or your spouse or your parents served in the military, you might be able to take advantage of specific discounts for veterans, saving nearly 15% off, depending on the insurance provider. 

Alumni Programs

If you and your spouse went to the same college, you might be able to snag a deal on car insurance through the university’s alumni program. How much of a discount you receive will depend on the program and its partnership with your insurance provider. 

Other Discounts

Naturally, married couples can also take advantage of the same discounts single policyholders have access to, including:

  • Automatic payment discounts
  • Student discounts
  • Defensive driver discounts
  • Anti-theft device discounts

Car Insurance Providers with Marriage Discounts

If you’re on the market for car insurance and want to take advantage of discounts available for married couples, consider looking into the following major insurance providers that offer them: 

  • State Farm
  • Geico
  • Progressive
  • Allstate
  • Liberty Mutual
  • USAA

What About Divorcees and Widowed Drivers?

In the insurance companies' eyes, being married leads to safer driving habits, therefore being a low-risk on the insurance scale. But, what happens when you become divorced or widowed?

For divorced drivers, the rates will begin to climb back up once that effect goes into place. For example, according to The Zebra, rates for divorced drivers over six months are about $90 more than a married driver. 

Insurance companies will claim there is no penalty for being divorced. However, over time, statistics have shown that a divorced driver is more likely to have more claims; therefore, the insurance company is more likely to charge more. 

Insurance companies make the same case of increasing the rates for widowed drivers as well. On average, widowed drivers will pay about $50 more than a married driver would. 

Final Thoughts

Marriage is a huge life event that normally will make a person realize that they are not the only one in their life that they have to worry about. With that in mind, car insurance companies will affect their rates depending on your marital status.

Married people tend to live in less populated areas, where accidents are less likely to happen, and tend to drive with a safer mindset. These factors, and many others, lead to married couples paying less for their car insurance. 

When looking for cheaper car insurance rates, be sure to look into several varying factors in your own life. But, also shop around to different car insurance companies and see which ones can offer the best deals. Remember, the more you use your car insurance (the more claims you have), the higher the insurance rates will be.

See if you qualify for a lower car insurance rate. Save money by comparing quotes from multiple providers by clicking on the button below:

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