I retired last April and just recently contacted my Auto Insurance Agent to inquire about a status change. I let her know that I had retired and asked about reduced rates on coverage.
She called today and let me know that I would be paying considerably less since I was retired. (don't remind me that I should have called in April)
Maybe everyone on the forum already knows about this but just in case you don't then I'm trying to let you know to give it a try. You just might get good news like I did.
Good luck. Now go make that call.
__________________
Officially retired........Class of 2011
Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
Some companies give a discount for being retired but also have an age requirement. I retired at 51 but Allstate would not give the discount until I turned 55. They applied the discount (10%) to my home insurance policy as well.
They applied the discount (10%) to my home insurance policy as well.
Wow, home owners policy too huh? I'll have to look into that. Maybe I'll get good news twice. I guess when you're retired, you are home more so your home is safer??
I don't know about that though, because now that you're retired, you might be gone more.
__________________
Officially retired........Class of 2011
Wow, home owners policy too huh? I'll have to look into that. Maybe I'll get good news twice. I guess when you're retired, you are home more so your home is safer??
Yes, that seemed to be their reasoning -- that someone was home more often. Hope you have success with your home owners discount.
I moved out of State the day after I ER'ed so I informed the insurance company immediately. I did get a significant reduction for no longer using the car to drive to work and the expected annual mileage dropped from 15,000 m per year to 5,000.
I can't remember the % drop as I also moved from a high cost city and State to a much lower cost State and city.
__________________ Retired in Jan, 2010 at 55
Now it's adventure before dementia
Yes dropping the to school or work clause of auto insurance does reduce the premium significantly. The logic is that you will not be involved in rush hour traffic (at least in the am). First moving out of the big city cut the rates by 40% and another 25% by dropping the to work or school item, making it pleasure driving only. Also if retired consider if you need PIP or can go with medical payments only, as PIP includes disability which if retired you don't really need (nor could you get it)(This is a Tx policy so states differ on this)
It appears that it is not always the case that rates go down upon retiring.
A surprise came when I went back to work and the rate went down slightly. It may be that since the commute is a short 3.4 miles they figure I'm not out wandering around with the risk of converting sit-down restaurants into drive-throughs and their risk is lower if the vehicle is safely parked at work.
Then again, I'm not commuting through Manhattan or Washington, DC either.
__________________
Retired nine years ago at age 52. Then decided to get a job. For a while. Or maybe not. I'll think about it.
The logic is that you will not be involved in rush hour traffic (at least in the am). cut the rates by 40% and another 25% by dropping the to work or school item, making it pleasure driving only.
Yep, that's how the discussion went and the reason for the discounts.
My DW said "I wonder what else we don't know that we don't know".
__________________
Officially retired........Class of 2011
I re-shop my auto and home insurance at least every couple of years. I've seen very little change in the rate since I retired - at any of the companies I've dealt with. Maybe 'cause I'm under 60?
I re-shop my auto and home insurance at least every couple of years. I've seen very little change in the rate since I retired - at any of the companies I've dealt with. Maybe 'cause I'm under 60?
I don't know if that's the case or not. You could be right.
I'm 61 so I'm over that hurdle.
__________________
Officially retired........Class of 2011
I re-shop my auto and home insurance at least every couple of years. I've seen very little change in the rate since I retired - at any of the companies I've dealt with. Maybe 'cause I'm under 60?
I was 55 when I ER'ed and got the car insurance reduction. I must have been paying too much before that.
__________________ Retired in Jan, 2010 at 55
Now it's adventure before dementia
i've already got a reduction in car insurance b/c I ride a bicycle to and from w*rk (still haven't filled up in 2012!!). Also, I get on the phone with the insurance company and start asking about discounts, usually it ends up with me and the person on the phone going through every discount to see if I qualify.
the discount for not driving back and forth between your institution of labor is usually pretty significant.
It's usually a combination of using the car for work versus pleasure AND your estimated annual mileage. If you changed the usage to pleasure and you increased your estimated annual mileage, your rates might go up. It's a good idea to review your annual mileage usage... well... annually.
For those of you in states that offer defensive driving discounts - it's a significant discount and the course credit is good for three years.
Of course location is everything. Someone living in Houston or Dallas will pay significantly more in auto insurance premiums than those of us living in the boonies.
Thanks for this thread, I just made this change to remove the commuting and reduce the annual mileage on both of our cars (since DH isn't driving as much as he used to) and it reduced our premium about $300/year. Love that free money!
__________________
"One of the funny things about the stock market is that every time one person buys, another sells, and both think they are astute." William Feather
-------------------
ER'd 10/10 at 53. Life is good.
It's usually a combination of using the car for work versus pleasure AND your estimated annual mileage. If you changed the usage to pleasure and you increased your estimated annual mileage, your rates might go up. It's a good idea to review your annual mileage usage... well... annually.
I think this is right.
When I changed my usage from "to/from work or school" to pleasure usage only, I left my annual mileage the same because I didn't know if it would change. After a few years, I noticed that it hadn't changed at all. My annual mileage seems to run somewhere between 22K and 24K every year, right were it has been for nearly 20 years now.
I don't pay much attention to the rates, because I think I have probably some of the best rates available anywhere. USAA member since 1968, and the last time I had a claim was about 35 years ago.
__________________ If you still have anything left when you cross the finish line, you didn't give it everything you had.
Quote:
Linear Mode
