Vehicle Safety Features

Trying to save on car insurance is something everyone who owns a vehicle tries to do. Nobody wants to pay too much because most people end up never even needing to use their insurance. If you think about it, if you never make a claim, then you aren’t really getting much for the money you pay. So, it makes sense to try to pay the least amount possible. Fortunately, there are many ways to save money on insurance. One thing you can do is to choose a vehicle that has added safety features. Here’s a look at some features that could help lower your insurance.

Vehicle Safety Features

Automatic Seat Belts or Air Bags

Automatic seat belts were common in vehicles made in the 90s because of federal regulations requiring them. They were replaced late with air bags. Either one, though, will generally get you savings on your insurance. This is because they help to add an extra layer of protection whether it is ensuring riders wear seatbelts or offering cushioning during a crash.

Anti-lock Brakes

These are fairly standard on most vehicles, but they weren’t always. They have been required since 2012, but even older models from the late 70s on were often equipped with them. They make a car safer when stopping on wet, icy or snowy roads where sliding may occur. They help with controlling the vehicle, which leads to less chance of a crash. Insurance companies like anything that will lower crash risks, so having anti-lock brakes can score you a discount.

Daytime Running Lights

Daytime running lights are typically part of the automatic light system that automatically turns on and off your headlights and taillights depending on the daylight or lack thereof. Daytime running lights means your headlights are always on. This is looked favorably upon by insurance companies because using your headlights can make your vehicle more visible, especially in conditions where you may not think to turn them on or when they are not necessarily required by law to be on. They are pretty much a standard feature on any vehicle manufactured since the late 90s.

Electronic Stability Control

This feature helps to keep your vehicle stable on the road when turning or steering. It senses the conditions and how your vehicle is responding and will apply the brakes to adjust speed for the conditions. This can help prevent skidding and rollover accidents. It is a standard feature on any vehicle made since 2012.

Other Safety Features

Vehicle manufacturers are adding new safety features all the time with more advanced capabilities than ever to keep you safe when on the road. However, the breaks you get from the insurance companies won’t always happen right away. In general, insurance companies want some substantial proof that a safety feature actually works and produces results.

They want to know more about how it keeps vehicles safe and if it offers protection in the specific areas where insurance companies are most concerned, which would be anything that costs them money on claims. With this in mind, insurance companies will usually not offer discounts as soon as a new feature is rolled out. It can take about four years after the introduction of a feature to result in a discount, and it only happens if it has proven to increase safety.

Some current safety features that may net you some savings include adaptive cruise control, which automatically adjusts to traffic flow and patterns; collision avoidance systems, which sense possible collisions and stop the car to prevent them; and lane departure systems, which offer the driver a warning if they are out of their lane on the roadway. You can check with carinsurancecheap.net to see who is offering such discounts. Keep in mind that as new features are rolled out, discounts may be changed.

You should try to ensure that if you have safety features on your vehicle that your insurance company knows about them. You may be able to snag a discount on your insurance costs. Keep in mind, though, that many discounts may not be huge, especially if a feature is standard on all vehicles or the feature is new. However, any little bit saved can be a huge help, so it is well worth it to check with your insurance agent about possible discounts for any safety features your vehicle is equipped with.