GEICO defensive driving discounts vary state-to-state, but you could save up to 10% off of your premium for successfully completing a qualifying course.

Written by Jacqulyn Graber

Reviewed by R.E. Fulton

Feb 24, 2023

Table of Contents

Will a defensive driving course lower your GEICO car insurance costs?
What is a defensive driving course?
How to get GEICO’s defensive driving discount
What other insurance discounts does GEICO offer?
FAQs

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GEICO

offers auto insurance discounts to eligible policyholders who successfully complete an approved defensive driving course. Eligibility requirements and how much you’ll save on your auto insurance premium will vary state-to-state, but GEICO customers can see premium reductions as high as 10%.

To get a defensive driver discount from GEICO, your course must be approved by your state and your insurance provider.
GEICO offers a wide range of discounts to safe drivers, including for multiple policies and professional memberships.

MORE:

How to get car insurance discounts

Will a defensive driving course lower your GEICO car insurance costs?

Most likely, yes!

Enrolling in an approved in-person or online

defensive driving course

is usually a great way to lower your GEICO insurance costs.

However,

eligibility rules and requirements for defensive driver discounts do vary by state

. For example,

New York

residents with a valid driver’s license can enroll in online courses through Defensive Driving by IMPROV, the American Safety Council, the National Safety Council, or the New York Safety Program—as well as a variety of in-person accident prevention courses offered by New York’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Florida

drivers, on the other hand, must be at least 50 years of age in order to be eligible for any discounts—a common age restriction found across multiple states.

MORE:

What is a safe driver discount?

What is a defensive driving course?

Before you go ahead and enroll, it’s important to know just what you’re signing up for! A defensive driving course is often

authorized by your state’s DMV

(or similar government institution) and

teaches you the knowledge and techniques for safe driving

. This includes the detailed rules of the road, as well as practical, everyday driving skills.

Often, these courses will send a certificate of completion to your insurance provider, making you eligible for a discount on your premium.

Keep in mind that some states will require a driver’s education course as part of their graduated licensing program. For example, in order to graduate from a “

learner license

” to a “

provisional license

,” Texas drivers must complete both the classroom and behind-the-wheel portions of driver education. These programs are

not

the same as voluntary defensive driving classes.

Similarly, some courts will order a defensive driving course as a mandatory punishment for a traffic violation. In most cases, car insurance companies will not consider court-mandated courses discount eligible.

MORE:

14 safe driving tips

How much can a defensive driving course save you with GEICO?

Defensive driving courses are a considerable time commitment—plus they usually cost money. Are the savings even worth it?

Well, depending on the state you live in,

you could save up to 10% off of your applicable GEICO insurance coverage.

The regulations surrounding discount eligibility vary state by state, so it’s best to contact a GEICO insurance agent directly for your state’s rules before enrolling in a course.

How to get GEICO’s defensive driving discount

Ready to lower the cost of your GEICO insurance policy? First, you should

contact GEICO directly for information regarding defensive driving course discount eligibility in your state

. You can also

consult this helpful online tool

Depending on which course you select, they may automatically notify GEICO after successful completion if you provided your insurance policy during registration. If you need to manually submit a certificate of completion, you can do so by logging into your policy online (after the course is complete) and following the instructions on the “discounts” page.

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What other insurance discounts does GEICO offer?

Are you not eligible for a defensive driving course discount in your state? Or are you just looking to pile on as many discounts as possible?

Fortunately, GEICO offers a wide variety of discounts so that you can save money on car insurance. Here are some of our favorites:

Vehicle Equipment Discounts

: Certain safety equipment, such as airbags, anti-lock brakes, anti-theft systems, and/or daytime running lights could shave a portion off of your GEICO premium.

New Vehicle Discount

: New cars 3 model years old or newer could earn you up to a 15% discount on certain car insurance coverages.

Good Driving Discount

: If you maintain a

clean driving record

(that is, no violations or accidents) for five or more years, you may be able to save up to 22% on most coverages.

Seat Belt Use Discount

: If you and your passengers always wear your safety belts, you could receive a discount off the medical payments or personal injury protection portion of your premium.

Driver’s Education Discount

: Not to be confused with defensive driving courses, young drivers who successfully complete a state-approved

driver’s education class

could qualify for savings.

Good Student Discount

: Full-time high school, college, and graduate students in good academic standing can save up to 15% on GEICO car insurance.

Military Discount

: Active duty military members, military retirees, and members of the National Guard or Reserves may be able to save 15% on qualifying coverages.

Emergency Deployment Discount

: Military members who are part of an emergency deployment to an imminent danger zone could be eligible for an auto insurance discount of up to 25%.

Federal Employee Discount

: Active and retired federal employees can qualify for this 12% off “Eagle Discount.”

Membership/Employee Discount

: GEICO has relationships with over 500 employers and membership-based groups, meaning you could save just for being affiliated!

Multi-Policy Discount

: Also called

bundling

, you could save just for combining your car insurance with another type of insurance that GEICO offers, such as homeowners, renters, motorcycle, condo, or more!

Multi-Vehicle Discount

: Insure more than one vehicle through GEICO and qualify for a discount of up to 25%.

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Does GEICO have good car insurance discounts?

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