Best car insurance for senior drivers

Written by: Warren Clarke
• Updated •5 min read
This date may not reflect recent changes in individual terms.
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In a Nutshell

If you’re a retiree or at least age 50, some auto insurers have discounts available to help you save on your premium. Our top picks for car insurance for seniors provide some excellent benefits for mature drivers.
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In most states, insurers can consider age as one of the many factors that go into risk assessment — translating into higher or lower car insurance premiums. And drivers in the middle of the pack, age-wise, may get the best rates.

When it comes to mature drivers, some car insurance companies offer discounts for drivers 50 and up to help maximize their savings.

We looked at car insurance companies and considered available discounts and insurance products when picking the best insurance providers for senior drivers. We also factored in different J.D. Power satisfaction ratings and customer complaints from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Here are some of the best insurance companies for senior drivers.

Best for senior drivers overall: Geico

Why Geico stands out above the rest: Geico offers a variety of car insurance discounts for people age 50 and older. Eligible drivers can take advantage of a defensive driving discount, a five-year good driving discount and a retired military discount. The company offers also offers accident forgiveness, which waives the premium rate increase after the first at-fault accident.

What to know about Geico auto insurance

Geico offers standard auto insurance coverage nationwide, including liability, comprehensive, collision and uninsured/underinsured motorist, and offers various additional coverages, such as …

  • Emergency road service coverage — Pays for services associated with a breakdown, like towing, battery jump starts and tire changes
  • Mechanical breakdown insurance — Covers repair costs if your vehicle has mechanical problems or needs replacement parts
  • Personal injury protection coverage — Pays for your lost wages, medical treatment or other accident-related costs regardless of who caused the accident

Geico also offers a Prime Time contract that guarantees policy renewal yearly and is available to drivers 50 and older in select states. To qualify, you must have no drivers in your household age 25 or younger and no violations or accidents within the previous three years. 

Read more in Geico auto insurance reviews.

Best for senior drivers with AARP membership: The Hartford

Why The Hartford could be a good choice for drivers with AARP membership: AARP is an organization that advocates for people age 50 and older and has nearly 38 million members. The Hartford offers a series of benefits exclusively for AARP members, including a discount of 10% just for being a member. To be eligible for these benefits, you must be over 50 and have an AARP membership card.

What to know about The Hartford

If you’re an AARP member, The Hartford offers lifetime car repair “assurance” designed to help you find a trusted repair service following a claim. The company also offers AARP members new car replacement if your car is totaled in an accident, guaranteeing that the replacement will be the same make and model of the original vehicle with no deduction or depreciation. And your AARP membership gets you The Hartford’s RecoverCare, which provides up to $2,500 to cover transportation, cooking and cleaning costs if you’re injured in an accident.

The Hartford is available in most states and offers standard car insurance coverage as well as extras like car towing, personal umbrella insurance and gap insurance. Eligibility for key benefits requires AARP membership, which costs $12 to $16 per year for those who are eligible.

Read more about The Hartford auto insurance.

Best for senior drivers with a military affiliation: USAA

Why USAA could be a good choice for older drivers with a military affiliation: USAA is an insurance company that provides discounts and benefits to those connected with the military. Veterans, current military members, and their spouses and children are eligible for membership. USAA offers several discounts that can save you money regardless of age. And drivers residing in eligible states can save up to 30% with the company’s safe driving program, USAA SafePilot.

What to know about USAA

USAA was scored as one of the top insurance companies in J.D. Power’s 2021 auto claims satisfaction study. USAA auto insurance is available nationwide to those who qualify and offers standard coverage options like liability, collision and comprehensive, and other options such as roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement.

Read reviews of USAA auto insurance review.

Best for low-mileage senior drivers: Nationwide

Why Nationwide could be a good choice for low-mileage drivers: If you’re a retired senior, your mileage may be lower than average since you no longer commute to work. Nationwide provides a solution for low-mileage drivers: a usage-based pay-per-mile program called SmartMiles. The program has a flexible, mileage-based rate and offers up to a 10% discount for safe driving after the first renewal.

What to know about Nationwide

In addition to standard coverage options like liability, collision and comprehensive, Nationwide offers a deductible discount. Its “Vanishing Deductible” coverage reduces your deductible by $100 for each year of safe driving, up to $500, and provides accident forgiveness, which helps you avoid a rate hike for your first violation or at-fault accident.

The SmartMiles program may be a great fit for older low-mileage drivers. However, Nationwide ranked below the industry average in the 2021 J.D. Power auto claims satisfaction study, earning four points less than the industry average on a 1,000-point scale. Nationwide is not available in Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana or Massachusetts.

Read reviews of Nationwide.

How we picked these insurers

To arrive at our ratings, we considered availability, policy options and discounts, looking at large and midsize insurance providers. We also looked at J.D Power studies covering auto claims satisfaction and overall customer satisfaction regarding the purchase experience. Finally, we factored in NAIC data that compared each company’s total complaints against a national index.

FAQs about car insurance for older drivers

Does car insurance cost more for senior drivers?

Certain factors may lead to higher insurance costs as you age. First, older drivers may have a higher risk of being involved in a car accident than younger adult drivers. And drivers 70 and up may be more likely to suffer significant injuries in an accident. These injuries could generate costly hospital bills, creating hefty expenses for insurance companies. As a result, car insurance carriers may charge higher premiums to cover this potential cost. That said, you should shop around and compare rates for the best car insurance to make sure you’re not being charged overly exorbitant monthly premiums as an older driver.

What can senior drivers do to reduce their insurance rates?

One thing that any driver, regardless of age, can do to keep rates low is to avoid accidents and moving violations. Also, enrolling in a usage-based insurance program may help you qualify for a lower rate.

About the author: Warren Clarke is a writer whose work has been published by Edmunds.com and the New York Daily News. He enjoys providing readers with information that can make their lives happier and more expansive. Warren holds a Bac… Read more.