Car insurance discounts for paying up front

Skip the monthly payments to save on your car insurance.

With most car insurance providers, you can get a discount on your policy by paying the entire cost up front rather than making payments each month. Read on to learn more about the benefits of paying your policy in advance to help you get the best value on your coverage.

How do paid-in-full discounts work?

When you break up your policy cost over six months or a year, your provider charges you a bit extra — typically around $10 a month — as a fee for processing multiple payments and updating your account. By paying your premium at once and eliminating those payment processing needs, you’ll save your provider some man hours — and save yourself some money in the process.

Paying in full at the start of your policy term demonstrates financial responsibility, leading to additional discounts — or a more favorable insurance rate.

How much will I save by paying up front?

How much you stand to save will depend on which provider you go with and what level of coverage you’re purchasing. But the average amount you can expect to save ranges from 8% to 15%. Here are a few of the top providers, and the prepay discounts they offer.

• Allstate. Save up to 10% off your entire policy cost just for paying up front for your Allstate coverage.
• Farmers. The Farmers Insurance website isn’t clear on how much you stand to save by paying your policy up front, but judging by industry averages, you could expect to save 8% to 10%.
• Geico. You’ll save as much as 10% off your policy if you pay your entire policy up front with Geico.
• Progressive. Progressive gives you a break for paying your policy up front, although it isn’t specified on their website. Expect the industry standard of 8% to 10%.

When is paying up front worth it?

Should you really fork over hundreds of dollars at one time just to save a few dollars? That depends on your financial situation and what you’re prioritizing. If you’re trying to save money on your bills, paying your premium up front can save you in the long run — even if it’s only $50 to $150 a year. However, if you can’t hand over hundreds (and hundreds) of dollars up front, making smaller payments may be your only option. Sometimes, that convenience outweighs overall savings.

How else could I save on car insurance?

There might be other discounts that could save you more than prepaying. If you’d rather not pay your entire policy at once, look into these discounts with your provider to see what you can save.

• Good student discount. If you’re a full-time student with a GPA above 3.0, you probably qualify for a break on your auto insurance in the range of 10-15%. Most providers have conditions and stipulations about age and full-time status, but you won’t know until you check with your insurer.
• US Military discount. Whether you’re active service, in the reserves or a veteran, most major providers will give you a discount between 5-10% for your service to our country.
• Occupational discount. Do you work in education, healthcare, for the government or for a nonprofit? If you do, dropping your employer’s name or the names of professional organizations you’re affiliated with could net you a discount between 5-15%.
• No claims discount. If you’re a safe driver and haven’t filed any claims in three years or more, you probably qualify for a break on your premiums or a reduced deductible.
• Hybrid or environmental discount. Some providers offer a break of 5-10% if you drive a car that’s hybrid or fully electric. You could also get a discount if your vehicle has extremely good fuel economy, or if it’s rated to a certain level for low emissions.

Bottom line

If you can afford to pay for your entire car insurance for the year or like the peace of mind of paying one bill for the year, you could save around 10% on your premiums if your provider offers this paid-in-full discount.

And if you don’t think you want to pay such a large bill all at once, or if you prefer the monthly bill payment structure that’s standard with most insurance policies, you might find equivalent savings through other discounts. This can be a great discount for some, but it’s certainly not the only way to save on car insurance.

Research and compare your provider and policy options to find the best deal for you. And to learn more about car insurance in general, including great discounts, how rates are calculated, state regulations and more, check out our comprehensive guide to car insurance.

Frequently asked questions

• How do I get this discount?

  The only way to get a paid-in-full discount is to pay in full at the start of your policy term. You can get similar but usually less substantial discounts by splitting your total cost into two payments, rather than the standard six. To find out if your provider offers a discount for paying your policy up front, get in touch with an agent.

• My provider doesn't give me any discounts for paying up front — what are some other options for discounts?

  If your provider doesn’t give discounts for paying all at once for a policy, it might not follow other industry standards. But check with the provider about discounts for things like a clean driving record, owning your own home, bundling other policies together with auto insurance, your status as a longtime customer or having a car with above-average safety features and ratings. All of those things commonly earn you a discount with other standard insurance providers.