Passive Restraint Car Insurance Discount: How to Qualify, Potential Savings, and More
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Written byMandy Sleight
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Mandy Sleight has over 15 years of insurance knowledge and expertise in auto, home, life, health, pet, supplemental benefits, and other insurance products. She’s a sought-after insurance expert, appearing in Bankrate.com, Moneygeek.com, U.S. News & World Report, Reviews.com, CNET, and other publications, and she's been writing for Compare.com since 2023.
Mandy uses her background and experience working for well-known insurance companies like State Farm and Nationwide Insurance to create engaging and easy-to-understand content that helps readers make smarter insurance choices that have a positive effect on their budgets and finances.
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Edited byNick Versaw
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Nick Versaw leads Compare.com's editorial department, where he and his team specialize in crafting helpful, easy-to-understand content about car insurance and other related topics. With nearly a decade of experience writing and editing insurance and personal finance articles, his work has helped readers discover substantial savings on necessary expenses, including insurance, transportation, health care, and more. As an award-winning writer, Nick has seen his work published in countless renowned publications, such as the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and U.S. News & World Report. He graduated with Latin honors from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Digital Journalism.
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If your car has factory-installed safety systems like airbags or seat belts, you may be eligible for a passive restraint discount, depending on your insurance company. The discount can save you up to 40% on medical payments coverage (MedPay) and personal injury protection (PIP). State Farm, GEICO, and American Family are a few insurance companies offering a passive restraint discount.
Keep reading to learn how and where to get a passive restraint discount and how to maximize savings on your auto policy.
How Much You Can Save With a Passive Restraint Discount
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Passive restraint discount savings vary by state and insurance company. Many top auto insurers offer the discount, though most don’t advertise how much you can save. Of the insurers that advertise their discount amounts, State Farm offers the highest, at 40%, according to our research.
Some insurers combine passive restraint devices with other safety features, such as anti-theft devices and anti-lock brakes (ABS). For example, NJM Insurance offers a vehicle safety equipment discount that includes ABS, anti-theft devices, and passive restraint systems. The savings amount varies by the type of safety system and where you live.
It’s also important to note that a passive restraint insurance discount doesn’t lower your auto insurance premium for all coverages; it only discounts medical-related coverages like medical payments and personal injury protection premiums.
How to Get a Passive Restraint Discount
Your vehicle must have a qualifying passive safety feature to get this discount. A passive safety system doesn’t require drivers or passengers to take action for it to work, according to the Automotive Safety Council.
Examples of passive safety systems include:
Automatic seat belts
Factory-installed airbag (driver-side, knee, and passenger-side airbags)
Electronic crash sensors
The discount qualifications can vary by auto insurer. For instance, GEICO, Direct Auto, and Shelter Insurance offer this discount for factory airbags. Other companies — like Encompass, State Farm, and Erie — include other factory-installed safety equipment.
Check with your insurer to see what systems qualify and how much you can save in your state.
Companies usually apply the discount automatically, determining the type of passive restraint systems by your vehicle’s year, make, model, and VIN. If you think you qualify for the discount but don’t see it listed on your insurance policy, contact your insurance agent or company to add it.
Where to Get a Passive Restraint Discount
A passive restraint discount isn’t as common as some other savings programs — like multi-policy or multi-car discounts. Some auto insurance companies may offer the discount but call it something else, like a safety features discount.
The following companies offer a passive restraint discount on medical car insurance coverages, according to our research.
Company  | Advertised Discount Amount |
|---|---|
| State Farm | Up to 40% |
| GEICO | Up to 23% |
| Direct Auto | Up to 10% |
| Plymouth Rock Assurance | Varies |
| Encompass | Varies |
| Shelter Insurance | Varies |
| Amica | Varies |
| Erie | Varies |
| NJM Insurance | Varies |
| The General | Varies |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Compare.com's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
If your vehicle has a passive safety system, you can usually qualify for the discount automatically, allowing you to buy more medical coverage or save money on your premium. Here are the insurers offering the highest passive restraint discount based on our research.
Companies Offering the Largest Passive Restraint Discounts
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Applying discounts to your car insurance policy is a great way to get affordable premiums. The passive restraint discount isn’t as substantial as some other discounts, and it only applies to medical coverages. But if you qualify for the discount, your vehicle has automatic safety systems that keep you and your passengers safe in case of a crash.
If you want to maximize safety discounts, such as those for passive restraint systems, these three insurers offer the largest discounts we could find.
State Farm
Advertised savings: Up to 40%
State Farm offers a substantial discount on medical coverage if you have a qualifying passive restraint system. You can also get additional savings if your vehicle has other safety features, such as driver-assistive technology or an anti-theft device.
Safe drivers can also show off their safe driving habits by enrolling in State Farm’s Drive Safe & Save telematics program, which can help you save up to 30% on your insurance premium.
GEICO
Advertised savings: Up to 23%
GEICO offers multiple vehicle safety discounts. For example, if your car has airbags, you can save up to 23% on medical coverages. It also offers additional discounts for other safety features like anti-lock brakes, anti-theft devices, daytime running lights, and seat belts.
Direct Auto
Advertised savings: Up to 10%
Having airbags in your car can save you up to 10% on your premium with Direct Auto. You can also get up to 5% more savings if your vehicle has anti-lock brakes and up to 10% more for an anti-theft recovery system. That said, the ABS discount is only available in Florida, and the airbag discount is only available in Florida and Pennsylvania.
How to Maximize Your Passive Restraint Discount Savings
Having a new car with safety features like automatic seat belts and airbags is one of the easiest ways to get the best deal on your car insurance premiums. But if you’re looking to get even lower rates and save more money, here are some things you can do:
Bundle your insurance policies: The multi-policy discount is usually the largest discount you can get. You can qualify by insuring your cars and home with the same company. Some insurers offer a bundle discount for other insurance products, too, such as RV, boat, or life insurance.
Understand your coverage needs: If you have an older car, you can often save by dropping collision and comprehensive coverage. But new vehicles typically need full coverage, especially if you have a loan or lease. Discuss your options with your insurance agent so you’re only paying for the coverage you need.
Compare quotes: Car insurance companies use different underwriting criteria, so rates can vary by company. Comparing quotes with the same coverage limits and deductibles from at least three companies can help you get the best price.
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Other Common Car Insurance Discounts
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Though the passive restraint discount is less common than other discounts, it’s available from most, if not all, insurers. Consider these other car insurance discounts to help you save even more on your auto policy:
Good student: Full-time students with a B or better grade point average (GPA) can often qualify for a good student discount.
Good driver: If you have a clean driving record with no recent tickets or at-fault accidents, you may qualify for a safe driver discount.
Telematics programs: Enrolling in your insurer’s telematics program and proving you’re a good driver can qualify you for this usage-based discount.
Defensive driving: You can qualify for a defensive driving discount in some states by taking a state-approved defensive driving course.
Student-away-at-school: College students who don’t take a vehicle to campus and go to school at least 100 miles away from home can qualify for the student-away-at-school discount.
Passive Restraint Discount FAQs
We answered the most common questions about the passive restraint discount to help you determine if you qualify for a lower premium.
A passive restraint system is factory installed in your vehicle to work automatically if you get into an accident. Examples of passive restraint systems include airbags and automatic seat belts.
State Farm has the maximum passive restraint discount, at 40%, according to our research. The discount applies to medical coverages on auto insurance policies, such as MedPay and PIP.
If you buy a vehicle with a passive restraint system, such as automatic seat belts or airbags, you can qualify for a passive restraint discount. Insurers typically apply this discount automatically based on your vehicle’s make, model, and VIN.
Eligibility criteria for the passive restraint discount can vary by insurer and vehicle. The best way to know if you qualify for this auto insurance discount is to ask your insurance agent or check the discount breakdown on your auto policy.
Some car insurance companies offer an anti-theft device discount for vehicles with qualifying anti-theft systems. Examples include steering wheel locks, OnStar or LoJack GPS systems, and automatic or remote disabling devices.
Sources:
Automotive Safety Council, “Passive Safety,” accessed October 21, 2024.
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Mandy SleightInsurance Writer
Mandy Sleight has over 15 years of insurance knowledge and expertise in auto, home, life, health, pet, supplemental benefits, and other insurance products. She’s a sought-after insurance expert, appearing in Bankrate.com, Moneygeek.com, U.S. News & World Report, Reviews.com, CNET, and other publications, and she's been writing for Compare.com since 2023.
Mandy uses her background and experience working for well-known insurance companies like State Farm and Nationwide Insurance to create engaging and easy-to-understand content that helps readers make smarter insurance choices that have a positive effect on their budgets and finances.
Nick Versaw leads Compare.com's editorial department, where he and his team specialize in crafting helpful, easy-to-understand content about car insurance and other related topics. With nearly a decade of experience writing and editing insurance and personal finance articles, his work has helped readers discover substantial savings on necessary expenses, including insurance, transportation, health care, and more. As an award-winning writer, Nick has seen his work published in countless renowned publications, such as the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and U.S. News & World Report. He graduated with Latin honors from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Digital Journalism.