Note if you are in New Brunswick, though: The province’s First Chance program means that drivers who complete a certified driver’s education course and are accident-free receive the same insurance rates as if they had been driving for six years, which is pretty sweet. That works out to a discount of $2,000 to $3,000 typically over a period of three to five years.
Do all driving schools and insurance companies offer the same discount?
All driving schools give you access to the same insurance discount, if applicable to your province, but not all insurance companies do. What does that mean? Well, sometimes, driving schools claim to offer superior insurance discounts—but that’s a big red flag.
Those provinces that do offer drivers’ ed discounts, their governments do not differentiate between driving schools. So, claiming that “school A” offers a better discount than “school B” is a lie.
Rather, the regulations stipulate that students must complete a certified driving school course with any licensed driving school. In Ontario, for example, whether the driving school is a large national chain or a small local business, both are authorized to be applied for the same insurance discount.
However, when it comes to insurance providers, the discounts can vary considerably. Not all insurance companies have the same appetite to insure new drivers. As a result, some insurance companies may offer greater discounts than others, based on the risk level they associate with new drivers. As such, it’s critical to compare insurance rates across a wide variety of providers to make sure you’re getting the best rate.
In addition to the driver education insurance discount, there are other ways you can save money on car insurance as a new driver, too.
The most impactful way to save money on car insurance is to be listed as an occasional and/or secondary driver on a family member’s insurance. Since you are to drive less frequently as an occasional driver, your monthly premiums will be lower than they would be as a regular driver. This can be a great way to get more experience behind the wheel if you’re not the primary driver.
Additionally, bundling auto and home insurance policies can also result in considerable savings—typically about 10-15% across your policies, but you should check with your insurance broker. Insurance companies incentivize grouping together your products through offering additional savings.
