Safety features can cut your auto premium. Ask for the discount.

Quote.com published a study saying airbags can lower auto insurance costs by as much as 40%, with the savings depending on which coverages you carry and which discounts your carrier offers. Treat 40% as the top of the range, not what a typical driver gets.

The number is not the useful part. What matters is that carriers price safety equipment, and they can only price what they know about. Anti-lock brakes, airbags, electronic stability control, backup cameras, and anti-theft systems can all move your rate. So can things that have nothing to do with the car: a defensive driving course, low annual mileage, a telematics program. If you bought the policy years ago and your car or your commute has changed since, your rate may be built on stale information.

An independent agent can confirm which discounts are actually applied to your policy and re-shop it across carriers to see whether another one prices your car's features better.