Last Updated on August 8, 2026
Written by licensed insurance agent Andy walker
Reviewed by the Alias Insurance editorial team.
Yes. Some car safety and security features can lower your car insurance premium, but the discount depends on the insurer, your state, your vehicle, and the coverage being priced. The features most likely to produce a direct discount are factory installed airbags, passive restraints, anti lock brakes, approved anti theft devices, daytime running lights, and certain vehicle safety systems. Some insurers also give vehicle safety savings based on the make, model, crash record, and driver assistance technology built into the car.
Newer systems such as automatic emergency braking, blind spot detection, rear automatic braking, lane departure warning, and collision avoidance technology can reduce crash frequency. That does not guarantee a separate discount on your bill. Insurers also consider repair costs. Cameras, radar units, sensors, and calibrated bumpers can make some repairs more expensive after a crash.
The practical answer is simple: a safety feature can lower your premium when the insurer gives a specific equipment discount or when the vehicle has lower expected insurance losses. Ask for the discount by name, confirm which coverage receives it, and compare quotes using the same driver, limits, deductible, and vehicle identification number.
GEICO says vehicle safety discounts may be available for anti lock brakes, anti theft equipment, daytime running lights, airbags, and passive restraints, with availability depending on the state and coverage. State Farm lists vehicle safety savings, a passive restraint discount, and an anti theft discount. New York requires insurers to provide certain discounts for qualifying equipment, including anti lock brakes, passive restraints, daytime running lamps, and approved anti theft features.
Safety Features Are Most Likely to Lower Car Insurance?
| Safety feature | Direct discount potential | Why insurers may value it |
| Airbags and passive restraints | High with some insurers and states | May reduce injury severity and medical claim costs |
| Anti lock brakes | High with some insurers and required discounts in some states | Can help drivers maintain steering control during hard braking |
| Approved anti theft devices | High with many insurers | May reduce theft risk and theft related claim costs |
| Daytime running lights | Available with some insurers and required in New York | Can improve vehicle visibility |
| Automatic emergency braking | Growing insurance value | Reduces many front to rear crashes |
| Rear automatic braking | Strong loss reduction evidence | Can prevent many backing crashes |
| Blind spot detection | Possible indirect savings | Reduces some lane change crashes |
| Lane departure warning | Possible indirect savings | Reduces some lane departure, sideswipe, and head on crashes |
| Electronic stability control | May help vehicle rating | Helps drivers maintain control in some loss of control events |
| Vehicle tracking systems | Often tied to theft discounts | Can help recover a stolen vehicle |
Two cars may have similar safety equipment but receive different prices because repair costs, theft rates, claim frequency, parts prices, and injury losses differ. HLDI explains that insurers study both claim frequency and claim severity when measuring vehicle insurance losses.
Can Safety Features Reduce Your Premium?
There is no national percentage that applies to every driver.
A discount may apply only to one portion of the policy rather than the entire premium. State Farm, for example, says qualifying factory installed airbags or other passive restraint systems can receive a discount of up to 40 percent on medical related coverage. That does not mean 40 percent off the full auto insurance premium. GEICO states that its safety equipment discounts vary by state and by the coverage you carry. provides a clear example of why state rules matter. The New York Department of Financial Services says qualifying discounts are required for factory installed anti lock brakes, passive restraints such as airbags or automatic seat belts, daytime running lamps, approved anti theft devices, and certain other safety measures. The department also explains that some discounts apply to specific coverage categories. over paying $1,800 a year should not assume a 10 percent equipment discount automatically saves $180. The actual reduction depends on the part of the premium to which the discount applies.
Why Do Airbags and Passive Restraints Still Matter?
Airbags remain a common insurance discount feature because they can reduce injury severity in many crashes.
That matters to insurers because crashes can create medical payments, personal injury protection costs in no fault states, and bodily injury claims. State Farm says factory installed airbags or other passive restraint systems may qualify for up to 40 percent off medical related coverage. GEICO also lists airbags and passive restraints among safety features that may earn a discount. aunt may be added automatically from vehicle data, but drivers should still verify it because equipment records can be incomplete.
Do Anti Lock Brakes Lower Car Insurance?
They can. Allstate lists an anti lock brake discount for eligible vehicles, while GEICO includes anti lock brakes in its safety discount list. Farmers also tell drivers that standard safety features such as airbags, anti lock brakes, and electronic stability control can help control insurance rates. requires a qualifying discount for factory installed anti lock braking systems. Its Department of Financial Services says the discount applies to several coverage categories, including liability, collision, no fault, and medical payments. wn an older vehicle, confirm whether the system was factory installed. Some programs require original equipment rather than an added component.
Can Anti Theft Devices Lower the Premium?
Yes. Anti theft equipment is one of the most common vehicle based discounts.
Allstate lists an anti theft device discount. State Farm says an alarm or another approved anti theft device may qualify. GEICO also includes anti theft equipment in its vehicle safety discount list. ngs may apply mainly to the coverage that pays for vehicle theft rather than every part of the policy. Ask which alarms, tracking systems, ignition disabling devices, or other theft deterrents qualify before paying to install equipment.
If theft risk is a major concern, read how car theft can affect insurance premiums before choosing a vehicle.
Does Automatic Emergency Braking Lower Insurance?
Automatic emergency braking has strong crash reduction evidence, but it does not always create a named premium discount.
NHTSA describes automatic emergency braking as a system that applies the brakes when a forward crash is imminent. The agency finalized a federal rule in 2024 that requires automatic emergency braking, including pedestrian detection, on nearly all new passenger cars and light trucks by September 2029. NHTSA estimates the rule will save at least 360 lives and prevent at least 24,000 injuries each year once implemented across the fleet. the Highway Loss Data Institute reports that automatic emergency braking is associated with about a 50 percent reduction in front to rear crashes and a 56 percent reduction in front to rear crashes with injuries. Their July 2025 summary also reports a 14 percent reduction in claim rates for damage to other vehicles and a 24 percent reduction in injury claim rates for people in other vehicles. ety benefit can improve a vehicle’s insurance loss record. Still, an insurer may price the feature inside the vehicle’s base rate rather than show a separate discount.
What About Blind Spot Detection, Lane Warning, and Rear Braking?
These systems can reduce certain crash types, but direct discounts are less consistent.
IIHS and HLDI report these real world results: spot detection was associated with a 14 percent reduction in lane change crashes and a 23 percent reduction in lane change crashes with injuries.
- Lane departure warning was associated with an 11 percent reduction in single vehicle, sideswipe, and head on crashes, plus a 21 percent reduction in injury crashes of those types.
- Rear automatic braking, when combined with a rearview camera and parking sensors, was associated with a 78 percent reduction in backing crashes.
- Rear cross traffic alert was associated with a 22 percent reduction in backing crashes.
- Rearview cameras were associated with a 17 percent reduction in backing crashes.
These figures explain why insurers study the systems. They do not prove that your insurer will apply a fixed discount. State Farm says its vehicle safety savings can depend on the safety features of a vehicle make and model, including driver assist technology. New York regulators also note that some insurers may offer discounts for collision avoidance systems.
Can a Safer Car Still Cost More to Insure?
Safety is only one part of vehicle pricing.
Insurers look at how often claims happen and how expensive those claims are. HLDI explains that overall insurance losses reflect both claim frequency and claim severity. A safety system may reduce the number of crashes while making repairs more expensive when a crash still occurs. cameras and radar sensors are often placed in windshields, grilles, mirrors, and bumpers. A minor crash can require sensor replacement and calibration along with body work. IIHS notes that some driver assistance systems reduce crash frequency but can increase average repair payments because sensors and related parts raise repair costs.
A car with more sensors may avoid more crashes yet still cost more to repair because a bumper or windshield claim can include electronics and calibration.
That is why a five star crash rating or a long safety equipment list does not guarantee cheaper insurance.
For more on vehicle pricing, see how a car’s make and model affect insurance rates.
Do Dash Cams or Aftermarket Safety Devices Reduce Premiums?
A dash cam usually does not qualify for the same direct equipment discounts as airbags, anti lock brakes, or approved anti theft systems. It can still provide useful evidence after a crash, especially when drivers disagree about fault.
Do not buy a dash cam only because you expect a discount. Ask your insurer first. See whether a dash cam can reduce car insurance for more details.
Aftermarket alarms and tracking devices may qualify with some insurers, but approval rules differ. Before installing one, ask whether the exact device qualifies, which coverage receives the discount, and what proof of installation is required.
How Should You Compare Cars Before Buying?
Do not compare cars only by sticker price or safety rating. Get insurance quotes before signing the purchase agreement.
- Pick two to four vehicles you would actually buy.
- Get the vehicle identification number for each one when possible.
- Request quotes using the same drivers, address, limits, deductibles, annual mileage, and policy options.
- Ask the insurer to list every vehicle safety and anti theft discount included.
- Ask whether driver assistance technology receives a separate discount or is already reflected in the vehicle rate.
- Compare the total annual premium, not just the discount percentage.
- Check expected repair costs for radar sensors, camera windshields, adaptive headlights, and bumper electronics.
- Repeat the comparison with at least three insurers because each company uses its own rating plan.
Massachusetts insurance regulators also recommend comparing identical coverage and asking companies about available discounts rather than assuming every carrier rates a safety feature the same way. also review the main factors that affect car insurance rates before comparing quotes.
How Can You Make Sure You Receive Every Safety Discount?
Start with your declarations page and current discount list. Then contact your insurer or licensed agent and provide your vehicle identification number.
Ask: “Which discounts on my policy come from airbags, anti lock brakes, anti theft equipment, or driver assistance features, and which coverage receives each discount?”
Also ask whether a missing discount can be added during the policy term or only at renewal. Rules differ by insurer and state.
If you changed vehicles, installed an approved theft device, or found an error in the vehicle record, request a new rating review.
Do not lower liability limits just to create a cheaper comparison quote. Use the same coverage across insurers so you can see whether the vehicle and discounts are actually changing the price.
For a broader checklist, read the guide to car insurance discounts in the USA.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no single feature that gives the biggest discount for every driver. Airbags, passive restraints, anti lock brakes, and approved anti theft devices are among the features most often tied to direct discounts. State Farm says qualifying passive restraints can receive up to 40 percent off medical related coverage, not the full policy.
It can help reduce expected vehicle losses, and some insurers include driver assistance technology in vehicle safety savings. A separate automatic emergency braking discount is not universal. Ask whether the feature creates a direct discount or is already included in the vehicle rate.
Usually not by themselves. Backup cameras reduce some backing crashes, and some insurers may recognize collision avoidance systems. Many companies account for the feature within the vehicle’s overall rating rather than add a separate discount.
Possibly. IIHS data shows that blind spot detection reduces certain lane change crashes, but direct discounts vary by insurer and state. Some companies group it with other driver assistance features in a vehicle safety rating.
Often, yes. Allstate, GEICO, and State Farm list qualifying anti theft equipment among discount eligible vehicle features. Savings may apply mainly to coverage that pays for theft, and the device may need insurer approval.
Some are added automatically from vehicle data, but you should verify them. State rules, insurer records, trim data, and device eligibility can affect whether the discount appears. Provide the vehicle identification number and ask the insurer to confirm each eligible discount.
Final takeaway
The features most likely to lower car insurance premiums are airbags, passive restraints, anti lock brakes, approved anti theft devices, and certain factory safety systems. Automatic emergency braking, blind spot detection, lane departure warning, and rear automatic braking have strong evidence for reducing specific crash types, but they may affect the base vehicle rate instead of creating a visible discount.
Price should not be the only reason to choose safety equipment. Compare total annual premium, repair cost, theft risk, crash performance, coverage, and insurer rules for your state. Laws and discount requirements differ across the United States, so confirm eligibility with a licensed insurer or agent.
Alias Insurance can help drivers compare car insurance quotes from multiple providers while keeping coverage, vehicle details, and available discounts in view. A fair comparison uses the same limits and deductibles across every quote so you can see whether a safer vehicle actually lowers your total cost.
Sources and References
- NHTSA Driver Assistance Technologies
- NHTSA Automatic Emergency Braking Final Rule
- IIHS and HLDI Real World Benefits of Crash Avoidance Technology
- Highway Loss Data Institute Auto Insurance Research
- GEICO Auto Insurance Discount Information
- State Farm Auto Insurance Discounts
- Allstate Car Insurance Discounts
- New York Department of Financial Services Auto Insurance Discounts
- New York Department of Financial Services Guide to Saving on Auto Insurance
- Massachusetts Division of Insurance Auto Insurance Discount Guidance
