Adaptive Headlights Car Insurance Discount: How Much You Can Save in 2023

Key Takeaways

• You can save up to 5 percent on your premiums with an adaptive headlights car insurance discount.
• Adaptive headlights actively respond to changing conditions on the road in real-time, providing drivers with better visibility and more reaction time.
• Currently, eight different insurance providers offer an adaptive headlights discount.

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Ever notice the headlights in your car adjusting slightly whenever you drive around curvy roads at night? Your vehicle might qualify for an adaptive headlights car insurance discount.

Read through our brief guide to learn how you can save up to 5 percent with an adaptive headlights car insurance discount. While that sounds like humble savings, car insurance discounts stack. Earning a handful of smaller savings can therefore lead to cheap car insurance premiums.

You can earn more than just discounts for adaptive car headlights, enter your ZIP code into our FREE quote tool above to compare rates from reputable providers near you and ask about what other discounts are available.

What car insurance companies offer an adaptive headlight discount?

Headlights are an important safety feature on your vehicle. As the driver, you need to be able to see well at night without blinding oncoming vehicles.

According to a study performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), improvements to headlights could help reduce pedestrian deaths. In 2016, only 2 vehicles received ‘Good’ headlight ratings from the IIHS. In 2018, that number increased to 26.

As a way to reward drivers for using a safety feature that helps reduce both traffic fatalities and the number of claims being filed, some companies offer an adaptive headlights car insurance discount.

In the table below, see what companies provide this discount to customers. If information about specific savings is available, it has been included in the data.

As you can see, 8 different insurance providers currently offer some kind of defensive driver discount if your vehicle has adaptive headlights. Liberty Mutual provides a 5 percent discount and The Hartford provides a smaller 3 percent discount.

While the adaptive headlights car insurance discount rates are minor, these savings can be stacked with other car insurance discounts. Earning enough will help you secure more affordable car insurance premiums.

What are adaptive headlights?

Since 2010, adaptive headlights have become a more popular feature added to even economy vehicles. What are adaptive headlights and how do you know if your vehicle is equipped with this safety feature? When in doubt, check your car’s user manual when you are not driving to safely discover if your headlights are adaptive.

However, another way to test if your car has adaptive headlights is by simply driving at night. Pay attention to how your headlights move. Does the brightness and angle of your lights adjust without you doing anything? Then your vehicle is most likely equipped with adaptive headlights.

Currently, the 2020 Hyundai Elantra, the 2020 Infiniti Q50, and the 2020 Subaru Outback are all equipped with adaptive headlights, to name a few options on the market. This is a common feature in vehicles produced after 2010.

Adaptive headlights respond to changing conditions on the road in real-time. This gives drivers better visibility as well as more reaction time.

The most common type of adaptive headlights is curve-adaptive. These headlights pivot based on the direction the vehicle is driving in, illuminating corners better for the driver. Sometimes, speed is also factored in.

Adaptive headlights can also refer to automatic high beams. Headlights with this safety feature will adjust between high beams and low beams whenever another vehicle appears within the headlight’s sensor-range.

Similar to automatic high beams, you might also have adaptive driving beams. Adaptive driving beams readjust when another vehicle is approaching, making the brightness less harsh for the oncoming driver.

Occasionally, you’ll hear curve-adapting headlights referred to as cornering lights. Technically, though, cornering lights are extra bulbs located near the main headlight and they do not pivot or move.

When your steering wheel is turned or if your turn signal is on, the cornering lights also turn on, temporarily widening your visibility. Once the steering wheel is centered, the lights automatically turn off. This is an older technology than truly adaptive headlights.

How can I qualify for an adaptive headlights car insurance discount?

To qualify for an adaptive headlights car insurance discount, first, verify that your vehicle is actually equipped with the safety feature.

Next, inform your insurance agent and directly ask about the specific adaptive headlights discount you’re interested in. Otherwise, your insurance provider has no way of knowing what safety features your car has.

Keep in mind that car insurance laws vary by state. Therefore, depending on the regulations where you live, this discount may or may not be available.

How much can I save with an adaptive headlights car insurance discount?

Currently, you can save around 5 percent with an adaptive headlights car insurance discount. However, different companies will provide you with different levels of savings.

Safe, reliable headlights have been a hot button issue in America for many years. Improvements to car headlights have been implemented over the past decade in an effort to reduce pedestrian deaths.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pedestrians are 1.5 times more likely to be killed in a motor-vehicle accident than the actual vehicle occupants. At least 75 percent of pedestrian deaths occur at night.

However, as headlight technology has improved, pedestrian fatalities have decreased. Because adaptive headlights lead to less risky driving and fewer claims being filed, insurance providers give discounts to drivers who utilize this life-saving technology.

However, replacing and repairing adaptive headlights can be very expensive. Therefore, the total percent saved is relatively minor.

You are now an expert on finding an affordable adaptive headlights car insurance discount. As headlights in American-driven cars continue to improve, expect to see more opportunities to receive discounts based on your vehicle’s headlight technology.

From companies that offer adaptive headlights car insurance discounts to safe driver discounts and more, compare rates from reputable insurance providers near you by entering your ZIP code into our FREE online quote tool.

References:

1. https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/study-highlights-rising-pedestrian-deaths-points-toward-solutions
2. https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/pedestrian_safety/index.html