It’s common for young adults attending college to live far from home. Some high school pupils also reside at campuses many miles from their primary ZIP code. If you or someone else on your policy live at a school far from home, you could be rewarded by your car insurance company. Most providers offer a wide range of methods drivers can use to lower their rates. A common one is the “student away at school discount.”
These savings are for anyone with a family member on their policy residing at a school a long distance from home. Some insurance companies have a different name for it. For example, Allstate calls it the “resident student,” while Progressive refers to it as the “distant student” discount.
In this article:
- How it works
- How to qualify
- Insurers offering this discount
- How much you save
- How students can lower rates
- Frequently asked questions
How the Student Away at School Discount Works
Insurers offer policyholders with rate-lowering discounts to entice new business. Just about every provider offers several. Often, you can qualify for more than one to save even more money.
Insurance companies offer savings to collegiate families, teen drivers, and young drivers. Discounts for students away at school is an example. This reward is granted when an insured driver on the policy attends college or university 100 miles from home without bringing their vehicle to campus. Insurers reduce costs because the car will be at home and won’t be in as much danger of getting into an accident.
How To Qualify
Student away at school car insurance discounts have several common requirements. First, students on your policy must attend a college or university some distance from home without their car. Most insurers have a set range in miles to qualify. Then, you must meet your provider’s age requirement. Each carrier will have its own set of rules, but most of them are consistent.
Per the Insurance Information Institute (III), here’s how you can qualify for student away discounts:
- Your school’s campus is 100 or more miles from your permanent address
- No family car goes to campus
- Someone attends college full-time
- The student going away is 22 years old or younger
Note: the requirements above are from the III and may not reflect your car insurance provider’s rules. How you can qualify for student discounts will depend on your insurer’s requirements.
Insurers Offering the Student Away Discount
Most of the national auto insurance companies offer discounts to college students that leave the car at home when attending school. But their programs aren’t all the same. Each insurer may offer a different amount of savings and have its own rules to qualify.
Below is a list of the major companies offering away-from-home student savings when your young scholar lives at school, as well as details about their programs:
Allstate
Allstate offers a resident student discount to families with a dependent living away at school. How much it lowers your rates will vary depending on many factors. To qualify, the college or university must be at least 100 miles home.
Progressive
Progressive offers a similar reward called the distant student discount for families with a child residing away at school without access to a car. How much it lowers insurance rates varies by customer. Progressive does not offer this perk in California. To qualify, the driver must be:
- Attending a school that’s at least 100 miles away from home
- 22 years old or younger
- Without a vehicle at school
Travelers
The Travelers student away at school discount applies to families with a driver in college. Savings vary depending on your situation and your home state. To qualify, you must meet the following requirements:
- The student on your policy attends a school 100 miles away from home or further
- Students attending college are 25 years of age or younger
- The car remains at home and is hardly used
Travelers also mentions that savings continue during breaks or holidays throughout the year.
American Family
The American Family away at school discount applies to policyholders that:
- Have a a driver on your policy who’s 25 years or younger
- Have a driver attending college 100 miles away from their primary residence
- Leave the car at home when the student is away at school
AmFam doesn’t disclose the exact amount of money that you can save. This number will likely depend on your record, the car you’re insuring, and the state you live in.
Liberty Mutual
The Liberty Mutual student away discount applies to qualifying policyholders with a family member living at a college or university a long distance away from home. It doesn’t publish how much it lowers auto insurance premiums on the website. This will likely vary depending on your policy and the car you’re insuring.
Liberty Mutual doesn’t name any requirements on its website, except that the school must be a long distance from their primary residence. In general, you should expect a 100+ distance requirement with the car remaining at home. Be sure to speak with your agent about specific qualification requirements to get more information.
State Farm
The State Farm student away at school discount lowers rates for families with at least one driver under the age of 25 attending college many miles from home. They can only use the car on holidays or breaks to be eligible. How much it reduces premiums varies. Ask your agent for more information.
The Drive Safe & Save program is another way for collegiate families to lower rates. Check the website for more information.
AAA
The AAA student away discount is for families with a driver living at school far from home. You can save up to 46.7% on select coverages. To qualify, someone must live on campus 100 miles from their primary residence without access to a car. Keep in mind that this isn’t available in every state. AAA membership may also be required. Check with your agent to see what’s available.
Erie
The Erie college student discount brings financial relief to families with one or more family members living at school. The insurer doesn’t spell out exactly how much it lowers premiums, however. If your kid is living at a university without access to a car, ask an agent or go call Erie for more information.
Auto-Owners
The Auto-Owners student away discount allows families of teen and young drivers to save on their insurance premium. Qualifying policyholders with a family member living at school a minimum of 100 miles from home without access to a vehicle
Mercury
Mercury provides several “driver status” rewards to help lower insurance rates. One of these is the distant student discount. It applies if you have a family member living at least 100 miles away from home. Qualifying drivers must also be under the age of 23 and have no access to the insured vehicle.
Amica
The Amica student away at school discount applies to families with a child living along distance from home. You can qualify when you have a family member living at school full-time without access to a car. There’s no mention of how far drivers must live from their primary residence. You’ll need to speak with an agent to learn more.
The Hanover
The The Hanover student away at school discount is available to families with kids in college, but doesn’t provide many details. It likely involves savings when your child lives far from your home without access to the family vehicle. But you need to contact this insurer directly for more details.
How Much You Save
How much a student student away discount saves you depends first on which insurer covers your vehicle. After that, savings vary by state and personal situation. Most families see a 5% to 10% rate reduction, which isn’t a lot. But when a family member attends a distant college, every little bit helps.
Student Away at School Discount by Company
| Insurance Company | Qualifying Ages | Max Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | 16 and 24 | Varies |
| Progressive | Under 23 | Varies |
| Travelers | Under 26 | Varies |
| American Family | Under 26 | Varies |
| Liberty Mutual | Under 26 | 5-10% |
| State Farm | Under 25 | Varies |
| AAA | N/A | 46.7% |
| Erie | N/A | Varies |
| Auto-Owners | N/A | Varies |
| Mercury | Under 23 | Varies |
| Amica | N/A | Varies |
| The Hanover | Under 22 | Varies |
How College Students Can Save on Car Insurance
There are plenty of ways to save money on car insurance if you or your child in school. This includes taking advantage of other college student discounts or alternative ways, such as getting a new policy or considering a telematics program. Here are common ways that families can lower costs:
Qualify for Other Discounts
Below are a few more ways families of students can qualify for auto insurance discounts:
- Good student. To qualify for this discount, insurers want to see good grades. Most companies require that pupils maintain a “B” average and be below the age of 25. Students with good grades save up to 25%, however, exact savings vary by provider.
- Safe driver. Staying out of trouble and not getting into accidents always leads to lower rates, even for students. Insurers reward the safest drivers with the lowest premiums. With this discount, you can save anywhere from 10 to 40%.
- Telematics or usage-based. By installing a telematics device in your vehicle to track your driving habits, you could receive lower rates. Some insurers even award a discount just for signing up.
- Defensive driving course. If take a defensive driving course, either online or in-person, you may qualify for a discount. However, some insurance companies only reduce rates of drivers above the age of 55. Be sure to ask your provider for more details.
Be sure to read our article that ranks the insurer with the best savings opportunities. It can help you find the provider with the best car insurance discounts for students in school.
Get a Separate Policy
College students can save money by getting their own car insurance policy. This is especially true if they’re around 25 years old. If the parents have tickets and accidents on their record, a separate policy is a smart idea. Before taking action, you should consult an agent or your insurer to see how it would change your rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does being a student reduce car insurance?
Insurers offer several ways for families with a driver currently in school. One of these is is the student away discount, which requires that the qualifying family member lives as far as 100 miles from home. No access to the family car is another common requirement.
The good student discount is another popular way insurance providers help policyholders keep premiums affordable. This one is tougher to qualify for, but is attainable for most families of full-time students under 25. The only other major requirement is maintaining a B or 3.0 grade point average.
If you qualify for both of these student discounts, the savings can be significant. Only a few insurance companies offer both, so make sure you shop around if combining the two is important.
How do you prove to insurers that the school is 100 miles from home?
Before rewarding policyholders with the student away at school discount, Insurers verify that your kid lives at least 100 miles from home. They will ask you to prove it. The form this takes will likely depend on your insurer. The college address is the most obvious option. Your auto insurance provider can always verify the address on its own to ensure the mileage is correct.
Be prepared to prove your kid’s age. Some insurers place age limits on who qualifies. The most common ages are under 22/25 years of age. Check your insurance carrier’s rules to see if there’s an age limit.
What is the maximum age allowed for student discounts?
The oldest a student can be and still qualify depends on your car insurance company. Some insurers, such as State Farm, require that dependents must be under the age of 25. The age ceiling for Progressive’s distant student discount is 22. Each carrier has its own rules and requirements. So, read the details and fine print with care and don’t hesitate to ask your agent if you have any questions regarding eligibility.
How much can this discount save families of college students?
The exact amount this discount lowers rates will vary based on a few factors. Most families with college students in school see savings of 5% to 10%, but precisely how much depends on your insurance provider. Other factors might be your driving record, age, gender, and type of car you drive. Speak with your agent to get a rough estimate of how much you can save.
