2 Ways College Can Cut Your Car Insurance Bill
If you’re the parent of a student who’s attending college at least 100 miles from home, and who won't be bringing a car along, call your insurance agent pronto. You may be due for a break on your auto policy.
Most insurers will either recalculate your premiums or give you a discount, says Jeanne Salvatore, chief communications officer at the Insurance Information Institute, an industry organization. Allstate, for example, says the discount can be as high as 30%.
Even if your student will be taking a car to college, you might still save, depending on where that college is. Insurers look at where a car “resides” in determining premiums, Salvatore notes.
So, if the car will be moving from a busy city to a quiet college town, you could see a reduction in your premium.
On the other hand, if the school is in what’s judged to be a riskier area, your premium could rise.
Either way, you’ll want to contact your insurance agent, just to make sure your car and student are properly covered.
For more useful tools and tips for college-bound students and their parents, check out the new Money College Planner. And if you’re still in the process of picking the right college, see our Find Your Fit tool.
