According to the last US Census, the senior citizen group is currently the largest in terms of population and is also the fastest growing. One of every eight people are likely to be at least 65 years old. Some 10,000 people turn age 65 every day. No longer considered as much of a rarity, there are five US states that have a higher than average concentration of people over the age of 100. Those states:

• Iowa
• South Dakota
• Nebraska
• Mississippi
• Kansas

The population of older drivers is only expected to continue growing as well, perhaps tripling in size in the coming years.

Why Insurance for Seniors Is So Costly

Apart from teen drivers, senior citizens make up the most costly insured group because they are the most likely to be involved in an accident. And while teens may cause more accidents, the likelihood for a fatality with a senior driver is much higher. Some more statistics about senior drivers that influences the factors for buying auto insurance:

• Drivers over the age of 75 have the highest rate of fatal accidents.
• Senior drivers make up 5% of the people injured in all accidents.
• Seniors are also involved in 13% of all fatalities as drivers.
• Another 13% are involved as the passenger in a fatal accident.
• Senior drivers are involved in 18% of all pedestrian fatalities.
• 82% of all fatal crashes involving a senior occur in the daytime hours.
• 71% of those accidents happen on the weekdays.
• 75% of all fatal senior related accidents involve a second vehicle.
• 70% of all seniors involved in an accident are wearing their seat belt.
• 27% of seniors involved in an accident were attempting a left turn at the time of the accident.

Buying Car Insurance for Seniors: Discounts, Training Programs and More

To make senior car insurance a little less expensive, there are several discounts that should be considered. Seniors can also make their insurance costs a little less expensive by agreeing to take a driver’s refresher course and passing it. There are a number of senior citizens’ organizations that offer these types of courses in various locations. Some discounts that senior drivers might qualify for:

• Multiple policy discounts since most seniors do own their home
• Safe car policies
• Insurance discounts through senior citizen memberships and organizations
• Loyalty discounts as most seniors buy insurance and then continue with that agency for a long period

Additional Considerations to Keep in Mind When Buying Car Insurance for Seniors

In addition to discounts and other considerations, there are other things that you should know about car insurance for seniors. These include:

• In California, all drivers who are involved in a fatal car crash or those who have been involved in more than three accidents in a single year must be retested. This applies to all ages. Other states are looking to add a similar type of law to their insurance rules, especially for senior citizens.
• In Pennsylvania, a doctor is under obligation to report any medical condition that could impair a senior’s ability to drive safely, including conditions such as epilepsy, uncontrolled diabetes and cardiovascular disease.