What Is an Anti-Theft Auto Insurance Discount?
An anti-theft auto discount can be requested from your insurance carrier after you either install one or more anti-theft devices and/or your vehicle already includes it. As a vehicle owner, you qualify for such a car discount; it should stay on your policy until you potentially change cars or choose to remove the anti-theft devices.
You should know that your car insurance carrier offers many different discounts for things like safe driving, bundling policies together, and many more. When you request an anti-theft discount from your insurance carrier, be sure to ask about other car insurance discounts. You may already qualify for additional discounts and not even know it, helping you save that much more money on your monthly premium.
How Can I Get the Anti-Theft Car Discount?
Once you have one or more anti-theft devices installed, you can get the anti-theft discount by simply calling your insurance carrier and asking. But what if you would like to save even more money on top of getting the discount?
The best way to save money on your insurance premium is to switch to a new insurance carrier and make sure you are comparing auto insurance quotes. And here at Freeway Insurance, we make it easy for you to get the most competitive rates while offering robust discounts for your anti-theft devices and so much more.
How Much Can I Save by Getting an Anti-Theft Discount?
According to your insurance company’s policies, you can save between 5% to 30%. You may find that your insurance company offers different discount amounts for different devices. It’s another great reason to compare different companies to find the best rate.
Therefore, depending on how much you invest in a device, your car insurance savings may give you a good return on investment. Moreover, remember, most likely you aren’t only installing such a device for the insurance discount – these tools will help keep your vehicle and your belongings safer.
Why Are Anti-Theft Devices Important for Your Car?
Anti-theft devices are important for two primary reasons. The first is right there in the name: these devices make it harder for criminals to steal items from within your vehicle. This is especially important because most car insurance policies do not cover theft of personal possessions from within your car. So while a standard policy can help pay for damage if you get into a car wreck, it won’t necessarily cover the theft of something expensive from within your car.
The second reason that anti-theft devices are so important is that they help you qualify for an anti-theft discount from your carrier. Once you have such a discount, it can help you pay less on your car insurance premium each and every month!
At Freeway Insurance, our experienced agents can help you understand what coverage is best for you and your budget and help you find the cheapest car insurance available.
What Counts As an “Anti-Theft” Device?
While “anti-theft device” may sound like a broad description, this term typically refers to things like:
- Steering wheel locks
- Vehicle recovery systems
- Car wheel clamps
- Audible alarms
- Brake locks
- Remote locks
- Smart keys
- GPS trackers
- Hidden kill switches
- Certain subscription services
It’s always smart to ask your insurance carrier which specific devices are covered under its discount program. In the meantime, we have a brief breakdown of what these different devices are and how they work.
What Should You Know About the Different Devices?
There are different types of anti-theft devices that work differently, and your carrier may or may not offer a discount for just any security device. Below, we have information on the different common anti-theft devices that most insurance carriers consider sufficient for you to get the discount.
- Steering wheel locks do just that: they lock the steering wheel in place. That makes it very difficult for thieves to drive away with your car, and these locks are typically very affordable.
- Vehicle recovery systems are usually a sort of lower-tech kind of GPS. These systems use special radio frequencies that can help law enforcement locate your vehicle after it has been stolen.
- Car wheel clamps are the same kind of clamps sometimes used by law enforcement to lock tires down. If your tires cannot move, your vehicle cannot easily be stolen.
- Audible alarms, as the name implies, make plenty of noise when someone tries to steal your car. This serves as a theft deterrent and can help you get a discount.
- Brake locks are simple devices that attach to your brakes or sometimes to your wheel to keep the brake immobilized. This simple fix makes it harder to steal your car.
- Remote locks have become very sophisticated, with some interacting with dedicated smartphone apps. The right remote locks make it virtually impossible to steal your car.
- Smart keys are “smart” because they use randomized pulses sent to your car’s antenna to lock and unlock the vehicle. And because the pulses are random, they are difficult to duplicate, making your car harder to steal.
- GPS trackers allow you to track your car’s location via smartphone. Some of them may allow you to immobilize the vehicle if it is stolen.
- Hidden kill switches basically keep a car thief from stealing your car by cutting off the electricity. These switches may be difficult to install but are a great way to keep your vehicle from getting stolen.
Finally, certain subscription services like OnStar can help you keep the engine from starting after you report the car for theft. The subscription may come with a monthly cost, but it will likely qualify you for an anti-theft discount.
Start Saving Money on Car Insurance Online Today
An anti-theft discount is a great way to save money on your car insurance. And you can save even more by switching to an insurance company that offers you a more competitive rate!
Here at Freeway Insurance, we balance great rates with amazing discounts. Ready to start saving money? We can quickly and easily provide you with an online car insurance quote. Or feel free to give us a call at 800-777-5620. Finally, you can also visit us at an office near you.