Want Discount Car Insurance? Consider One of These Careers

There are a lot of reasons why Americans choose the careers they do. Perhaps they like to work with people. Or maybe they prefer having weekends off. Or they hope to achieve standing or fame in the community.

Your profession will affect you in many different ways. But did you know it may also have an impact on how much money you shell out for auto insurance?

If one of your goals is to minimize your car insurance premiums, here are some occupations to consider:

• Engineering and science. To be a skilled engineer or scientist, not only will you need a college degree, but you’ll also have to be very detail-oriented. Both of these traits are associated with safer driving records. Some insurers even give formal discounts for having an engineering degree and working in a related field.
• Airline pilot. Your daily responsibility involves ensuring the safety of hundreds of passengers. And unacceptable driving practices (like drinking and driving) would affect your job status. No wonder auto insurance companies like to insure airline pilots, who often receive some of the lowest car insurance premiums available.
• Accountants. Think about it — the best accountants tend to be those who focus on the smallest details in order to save money for their clients. That attention to detail is a big reason why accountants pay less for auto insurance. In addition, since they typically work in an office, they usually spend less time in their vehicles than people in other professions.
• Actors or artists. At first glance, there’s really no reason why these professions yield lower car insurance rates. However, insurers feel that the meticulousness required to succeed in these occupations translates into safe driving habits. Also, artists and actors tend to be grouped in cities, where public transportation is readily available.
• Teachers and educators. Several auto insurance companies offer premium discounts to members of the education profession. Not necessarily because insurers are idealistic and/or altruistic, but because teachers are well-educated, tend to work in a single location, and drive vehicles which are more economical and less ostentatious (in other words, safer).
• Doctors and medical professionals. This may seem counterintuitive, especially since these jobs are extremely high stress and are near the top in auto accidents. But here’s the key: medical professionals tend to file fewer claims. Perhaps that’s because a doctor making six figures a year may be more likely to pay for a fender bender out of his or her own pocket than to file an insurance claim.
• First responders. It’s true that policemen, firemen, and paramedics do a lot of driving; but this occurs in vehicles other than their personal cars or trucks. So they are charged rates that are consistent with someone who has a 9-to-5 office job. Also, they often work nontraditional schedules, which means they avoid rush hour traffic.
• Armed forces members. This has been a development over the past couple of decades, when members of the military were spending a lot of time overseas fighting in wars and conflicts (instead of driving their cars around back home). In fact, some states require auto insurance companies to provide discounts to military personnel.