Reader question:

I’m in the Navy. Is there any kind of discount on car insurance specifically for people in the military?

Abraham

Of course there is, Abraham!

Many auto insurance companies offer discounts for members of the military, and even those who don’t may still lower their rates at locations around military bases. But when looking for a car insurance company, you still want to keep in mind more than just the fact that the company offers a discount. There are some companies that know how to deal with members of the military more than others.

It’s often the case, when a soldier is deployed, they’ll cancel their car insurance because their car will be in storage. But should anything happen to it during that time, they won’t have anything to cover it with, and when they return from deployment they’ll be out of luck. It’s also true that going for a long period of time without car insurance will look bad on your insurance record, and so car insurance companies won’t want to take you on as a client when you come back–after all, uninsured drivers are statistically more dangerous, and unless your company understands how to deal with military customers, you might be lumped into that category while you’re based in another country or state. If you pick the right company, they can negotiate with you and tell you how to pay lower rates on your insurance while you’re deployed. This can go from special rates for low usage to more specific deals for military customers.

Since, as part of the military, you’ll be moving around a lot, it also might be better for you to get your insurance through a direct writer instead of an agent. Agents are location specific, so every time you go to a new base you’ll have to get a new one, and this could cause a delay in your coverage. If you go through a direct writer, you’re basically getting your insurance straight from the company, so if you move around all you have to do is call in and have your address changed.

Sincerely,

Fashun Guadarrama.