Reader question:

I’m a teacher who’s very involved with her students. I’m always driving a kid somewhere or running to get supplies for the last minute, going to competitions out of state and so on. Is there anything I can do in my situation to lower my car insurance rates?

Isabel

Good to hear from you, Isabel.

There are several discounts that you can take advantage of. If you’re a good driver, there’s one for having a good driving record; if you have a degree in an engineering or science field, there’s a discount for that as well; more specifically, though, there is a discount just for teachers that a lot of insurance companies offer.

These discounts come if you belong to state education associations or the National Education Association (NEA). About fifteen years ago, NEA started providing the possibility for this discount. Granted, if you have only one car on your policy, it doesn’t quite cover the membership dues for the situation, but with more than one car it does. Consider, though, the many other benefits that come with being a member of a teacher’s association.

For some companies, to get the teacher discount, you must be a state-certified teacher, or be a professor full-time at a college or university. Discounts can go up to 30%.

Companies base their reasons for giving discounts to teachers on the fact that they are known to be stable in their jobs, be under the watchful eyes of society, and have responsibility. This, companies claim, makes them more likely to be better drivers.

Sincerely,

Fashun Guadarrama.