Do you have any tips on how a part-time working, law-abiding, god-fearing senior citizen here in Baltimore, Maryland can save on car insurance expenses?

Angela

Baltimore, MD

There are a lot of people out there (especially the fast-aging baby boomer generation) who knows exactly how you feel when car insurance expenses suddenly begin to climb. Due to the effects of aging, such as poorer eyesight, reflexes not as sharp as before, and weaker stamina, car insurance providers have considered the elderly drivers to be at a higher risk in getting involved in car accidents. The higher the risk the auto insurance company will have to take-in, the bigger the insurance premium a customer will be charged as compensation.

There are ways to still maintain inexpensive car insurance there in Baltimore, Maryland even if you’re above 60 years old:

Drive Safely
Quite obvious but you really can’t afford to get any traffic violations or get involved even in minor car accidents that could further escalate your already high-pegged insurance premiums.

Take Defensive Driving Lessons
It’s never too late to take those safe driving or defensive driving classes. Your car insurance provider will provide discounts for taking accredited defensive driving courses.

Increase your Deductible.
A higher deductible means lower insurance premiums. But don’t raise it too much or you might not be able to pay your deductible when you actually need it.

Membership Discounts
If you have AARP or is retied from the military, there are insurance providers that car give you additional discounts. Ask your auto insurance company if they have senior citizen discounts available

My husband has recently gotten traffic violations here in Bowie, Maryland and I’m afraid its causing our car insurance expenses to go through the roof! Would it be a good idea to exclude him from our car insurance policy for the time being?

Luisa

Bowie, MD

Dear Luisa, you may be surprised to hear that there are a lot of people who share your sentiments. A spouse’s bad driving record can definitely cause you to pay hefty, inflated premiums in your car insurance. I’m sure this is not something you would want to experience, especially if you’ve worked hard all your life to be a responsible and safe driver as well as maintain a good driving history. Almost all states and auto insurance providers will allow you to exclude or remove spouses with less-than-stellar driving records off their husband’s/ wife’s auto insurance coverage.

Please do take note that once you do remove your husband from your current insurance coverage, he will be completely unprotected in the event of a car accident. Not unless you’re sure he wont be driving anytime soon, both of you might end up paying more in the event he does have a car accident or causes injury or destruction of property.

Here’s a suggestion: If your husband can afford to take public transportation the its highly recommended if he wont have any car insurance policy, otherwise you may decide to pay the higher premiums for now. You can have him enroll in Drivers Education or Defensive Driving Classes to help improve his skills in road safety. This should also give him much needed plus points and improve his driving records and eventually, after a couple of years accident and violation free, both of you can enjoy lower insurance premiums again.