Like all technology, cars have been advancing and getting “smarter” year after year. Advanced technological changes to cars might make driving easier, but the downside is that it could have a direct impact on your auto insurance costs. In this blog, we’ll talk more about what driver assistance means, how it’s changed car insurance rates and how SelectQuote can help you find the right coverage for you.
What does driver assistance mean?
Driver assistance—also known as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)—is a group of safety systems meant to automate and enhance your vehicle’s safety and driving features. Automated drivers assistance can look like automatic emergency braking, cameras and advanced sensors, all of which are intended to encourage safe driving and reduce car accidents. That being said, many of these bells and whistles are located in vulnerable places of the car, such as the bumper or grills, making them more susceptible to damage if a car accident were to occur.
How does driver assistance impact car insurance rates?
While advanced safety features for cars encourage safe driving and help prevent car accidents, they often increase both the cost of the car and cost of repairs. When a claim is made on a car with safety features, the auto insurance carrier is going to have to pay more than on a car without. Car safety features are a great way to keep you and your family safe, but they will likely increase your auto insurance rates. It probably won’t be until the majority of cars on the road have advanced technology and are able to guarantee safe driving (by working independently or communicating with one another) that insurance premiums may drop on vehicles with smart tech. Until then, some might find that the increase in cost is worth the safe driving support.
If I have a vehicle with safety devices, how can I lower my auto insurance rates?
While safety devices in cars support safe driving, it can often be hard to find discounts directly related to said features. There are a variety of ways to find auto insurance discounts—such as bundling, affiliation discounts and good driver discounts—but keep in mind, not all auto insurance companies provide discounts for cars with vehicle safety features.
