Car Insurance for Healthcare Professionals

One way to save money on car insurance is to belong to a profession that receives automatic discounts. Car insurance discounts for nurses and other healthcare professionals like doctors, pharmacists, and other medical professionals is often available because they work hard to keep the rest of us healthy.

Insurance companies reward them with a professional discount. Specifically, doctors, nurses, and radiologists are all eligible for car insurance discounts for healthcare professionals, along with medical technicians, paramedics, and anesthesiologists.

Read our guide for information on rates, basics on car insurance coverage, and how your profession can affect those rates, as well as car insurance discounts for healthcare workers and more.

Ready to buy car insurance for healthcare professionals? Make sure you have the right car insurance for healthcare professionals. Enter your ZIP code in our free tool to get car insurance quotes for medical professionals and compare car insurance from multiple insurers.

How much is car insurance for healthcare professionals?

How much does individual car insurance cost for healthcare workers? What are average car insurance rates for healthcare professionals? Are there car insurance deals for healthcare workers?

Why do medical professionals (like doctors) pay less for car insurance? For insurance companies, the education required to become a medical professional is a solid indicator of your level of responsibility and personal integrity. That’s why companies ask you about your occupation when you apply for coverage.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that there are 8,673,140 healthcare practitioners and technicians in the United States.

Look at this table for some basic BLS employment statistics on healthcare professionals across the United States.

Because people in the medical profession are constantly faced with the consequences of poor driving judgment, they are assumed to be more dependable when they get behind the wheel. When the insurance company is saving money on claims, they pass those savings on to medical professionals.

As a result, car insurance for healthcare workers isn’t as expensive as it is for people working in many other professions.

In addition to lower rates, doctors typically pay a smaller percentage of their annual income for car insurance. This is in part since they earn relatively high salaries.

Take a look at this table to see the average income for doctors in each state, along with the state’s average cost for doctors’ car insurance and the percentage of a doctor’s income that goes toward car insurance.

There are many factors that affect the rates you pay for car insurance that aren’t job-related.

To see how much factors besides occupation can affect rates, let’s talk a little more about some of the variables that can affect your rates. Read on.

How does your driving record affect car insurance for healthcare professionals?

No matter your job, the single biggest factor affecting your car insurance rates will be your driving record. Take a look at this table, which shows how much different insurance companies might raise your rates based on common driving offenses.

Any one of these offenses can raise your rates by a substantial percentage:

• One at-fault accident – 20 to 49 percent increase
• One speeding ticket – 12 to 24 percent increase
• One DUI – 17 to 127 percent increase

The best thing you can do to keep your rates low is to practice safe driving habits.

How does credit score affect auto insurance?

Another factor that affects your car insurance rates—whether you’re a healthcare professional or not—is your credit score.

Credit score affects car insurance rates because insurers believe it to be a measure of how responsible you are. If you keep your credit score at 650 or higher, your insurance company will likely reward you with discounted rates.

As you can see in this table, your credit score can really make a difference when it comes to how much you pay for car insurance.

With these major insurers, someone with poor credit could pay between 27 and 127 percent more for coverage than a person with good credit.

How does commute affect auto insurance?

Do you find yourself queuing up your favorite podcast for your lengthy commute? If you do, you might be paying more for car insurance than someone who works from home.

Rates for drivers with a longer commute can be anywhere from less than one percent to five percent more than those with a shorter commute. This is because statistically, the more time you spend on the road, the higher your chances of being involved in an incident that could result in claims being filed (meaning you are perceived as higher risk than someone who drives fewer miles each day).

What are the best and cheapest companies offering car insurance for healthcare professionals?

So which insurance companies offer the cheapest car insurance for healthcare professionals? Look at this table for average six-month rates for medical professionals from some of the country’s major insurers.

As you can see, USAA offers the lowest rates for healthcare professionals in terms of the cheapest coverage. Still, this insurance is only available to members of the military, veterans, and their families. The cheapest coverage available to all medical professionals is offered by State Farm, followed by GEICO.

The best auto insurance companies for healthcare professionals offer discounts based on professional memberships. For example, if you’re a member of the American Nurses Association, you may qualify for discounts based on your membership.

We’ll discuss this in greater detail in the next section, but you should check with your insurer to determine what membership or affinity discounts may be available to you.

Are there car insurance discounts for nurses and other healthcare professionals?

Are there medical professional discounts? The short answer is yes. Nurse discount car insurance is available from many insurance companies, and other healthcare professionals are also covered by discounts. Keep reading for more on what you may qualify for as a medical professional.

Graduating with a BA or a higher degree, whether it’s in a medical discipline or not, will typically earn you a discount on car insurance.

This is in addition to any other discounts you qualify for, and that means your savings could be impressive when all the discounts are calculated.

Many companies offer a car insurance discount for nurses and other healthcare workers. Professional discounts are available to medical professionals in all fields. Pharmacists and nutritionists are eligible, and researchers and scientists developing new treatments or medications qualify as well, along with LPNs and surgeons.

If you work in the medical field in any capacity, ask your insurance agent about a possible discount.

Even students studying medicine in college can get discounts on affordable car insurance for students if they maintain a 3.0 or better GPA.

As with the good credit score discount, insurance companies believe that anyone studying for a career in medicine is probably responsible and therefore less of a risk to insure.

What are some other ways to save on car insurance for healthcare professionals?

In addition to car insurance discounts for nurses and healthcare professionals, you should ask about other discounts you may qualify for. Bundling multiple policies could save you money. For example, if you bundle your home and auto insurance, many companies offer significant discounts.

Make sure you get the right coverage mix for your needs. If you own a new vehicle, full coverage is probably a good idea. Still, if your vehicle is older, liability may be sufficient (though you should consider higher limits than your state’s minimum requirement).

You should also shop around. Get quotes from at least three companies to make sure you’re getting the best rates based on your needs, considering your profession and any discounts for which you may qualify. You can use the free comparison tool on this page to get started.

Car Insurance for Healthcare Professionals: The Bottom Line

Car insurance for medical professionals is often lower than for individuals working in other professions. USAA, State Farm, and GEICO offer the lowest rates for medical professionals. But factors like your driving record, credit score, and commute are also factors that can have a significant effect on your rates (often more of an effect than your profession).

Other ways to save on car insurance as a medical professional include asking about discounts, bundling policies, and shopping around for coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions: Car Insurance for Healthcare Professionals

Now you know more about auto insurance coverage for healthcare workers.

If you need a little more information about car insurance for doctors and other medical workers, look at these frequently asked questions.

#1 – Are there special car deals for healthcare workers?

You may be able to find special car insurance discounts for healthcare workers, especially as COVID-19 has led to an increased appreciation for this line of work in most circles. CNN recently published a list of coronavirus-related deals for healthcare workers.

Companies like Chevrolet and GM are currently offering deals on cars for healthcare workers.

#2 – Does health insurance affect car insurance?

There are specific types of insurance coverage—known as MedPay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance—that pay for the costs associated with injuries after an accident.

MedPay and PIP coverages may not cover all of your medical bills from an accident, and they won’t pay for any non-vehicular injury or illness. Car insurance is not a substitute for health insurance.

#3 – Which insurance is best for your vehicle?

The best type of insurance for your vehicle really depends on your car and what’s important to you. Newer or leased cars should have full coverage, but older cars may get away with liability-only coverage.

Each state has its own minimum requirements for car insurance, and the Insurance Information Institute has compiled a list of them for your reference.

You should also check an insurer’s ratings. A.M. Best ratings show an insurer’s financial standing. Sick of bad customer service? Check an insurer’s J.D. Power ratings to see how well it actually serves its policyholders.

#4 – Is it discrimination to use education level as a factor in adjusting car insurance rates?

Like other auto insurance factors (like credit score and gender), using education level to adjust rates is a controversial practice. At this time, there are four states (California, Hawaii, Georgia, and Massachusetts) that have made this practice illegal on the basis of discrimination.

Who has the best car insurance for your needs? To get affordable car insurance for healthcare professionals, enter your ZIP code in the tool on this page. You’ll get free quotes from top insurers to compare.