Why 9 Out of 10 California Drivers Over 55 Are Overpaying on Insurance (And the 5-Minute Fix Insurance Companies Hate)
Written by: Joe Philips, California
Thursday, May 19, 2025
News
⚠️ Did You Know?
87% of California drivers over 55 are missing out on mandatory insurance discounts
State Farm, Farmers, Allstate, GEICO, AAA, Mercury, and Progressive are required by law to give 5-15% discounts
One simple DMV course unlocks savings for 3 full years
I discovered this by accident with my State Farm policy and saved $249.90 per year. Keep reading to see how you can too...
Hi, I'm Joe Phillips from Sacramento, and at 62, I was furious when I discovered the truth. For SEVEN YEARS, I'd been overpaying on my car insurance by $249.90 annually - money that State Farm happily pocketed while knowing I qualified for a California Insurance Code Section 11628.3 discount they never mentioned. That's $1,749.30 I could have saved on my 2018 Cadillac XT5!
I'm blessed with two grandsons - Tyler (8) and Mason (6) - and I love spending each living moment with them. They come around every Saturday for dinner at our Roseville home. What they love most is when I take them on drives to Folsom Lake in my Cadillac XT5 - they call it "Grandpa's fancy car!"
They love it, and it melts my heart to see them happy and smiling.
Although I love talking about my grandsons, this story is not about them; it’s about how an easy-to-follow
and DMV-approved Mature Driving Course made driving a much safer activity for me and my grandsons.
Some admit it, and some don’t, but after you pass the age of 55 your reflexes slow down a bit. To be
honest, I don’t want to admit it either. But safely driving my grandkids around is much more important to me
than my ego.
Why driving after 55 is not the same:
What REALLY happens after 55?
Your eyesight is reduced drastically.
Your hearing is no longer as it used to be.
After 37+ years, you tend to forget defensive driving techniques.
Cars are continuously evolving and come with new safety features, while your skills are left behind.
And worst of all, the communication between your senses and brain cells is slower... much slower.
For example, a younger me would slam the brakes instantly if the car in front of me would stop unexpectedly, but I'm not so sure about the 62-year-old version of me. Last month on Highway 50 near Sunrise Boulevard, I had a close call that really shook me up.
Although it hurts my ego, my feelings, and every cell in my body, I have to admit it: the older you get,
the slower your reflexes get, and it’s less safe to drive.
Now, this isn’t a story about replacing driving with walking… I would never do that unless it’s absolutely
necessary. That being said…
Driving after a certain age is also one of those things that’s hard to talk about with your children. They wanted me to stop driving for 2 years, but I didn’t. I didn’t want to give up my independence and freedom,
but I didn’t want to make roads less safe than they already are...
I knew I had to do something to sharpen my driving skills before anything would
happen!
Yes, I’m talking about accidents. I know you think it will never happen to you until it does.That's when
you'd give all the money in the world to make things right... and most times, it's too late.
I’m the type of guy who likes to prevent things rather than treat them, and I hope you are as well.
I started searching for solutions online and I was bombarded with all kinds of quick fixes:
YouTube gurus sharing their shady and unsafe driving techniques for
seniors.
Blogs that sustain untrue facts like nothing changes as you get older and that you’re safe to
drive just as you are.
Silly, untested supplements that claim to improve your driving performance overnight.
To be honest, I was disappointed and frustrated with the results I got.
An ad popped up. I normally hate ads. But this was different.
It was an ad from the Traffic Safety Institute about a DMV Mature Driver Course, here in California.
I was skeptical and hesitant after all the disappointments but I clicked on it anyway.
And I’m glad I did!
To my biggest surprise, this course was free to start, and it was putting money back into your pocket
because your car insurance will go down after completing it.
I didn’t even take into account saving money before searching for mature driver courses, but this was quite
an incentive.
And not only that – after browsing their website for a few minutes, I learned that:
Their course was California DMV approved. This is mandatory if you’re interested in taking a mature driver course; otherwise it has no value
It was 100% online – all I needed was an internet connection and any device (phone, laptop, or tablet). Plus, the audio narration meant I could listen while drinking my morning coffee!
You can finish the course at your own pace - I would usually log in for a few minutes in the morning while drinking coffee
It was a FREE course to start – no credit card required until after passing the final exam. The only payment was a $28.89 flat-fee AFTER I passed.
It had a 100% money-back guarantee – if you don't save at least $100 over 3 years, you get a full refund! My insurance company told me I'm going to save $83.30 every year for 3 years. That’s nearly $250, which means passing the course will save me over 12x more than it cost me!
They have 24/7 live support that was more than helpful. They were supportive and took their time to answer all my questions. They even helped me with technical stuff (as a 62-year-old, I'm a little clumsy when it comes to technology)!
More than six thousand 5-star reviews from people just like you and me!
Here are just some of them:
Gail, 67 - San Diego
Verified Customer • AAA Insurance
I paid about $20 to save $80 a year for 3 years on my auto insurance. The online class was quick and easy to view and easy to pass the test.
Wayne, 71 - Fresno
Verified Customer • State Farm
The information presented was far better than the AARP class that we attended 3 years ago and less time consuming. Excellent school.
Maria, 59 - Los Angeles
Verified Customer • Farmers Insurance
Excellent program for mature drivers. Easy and very helpful. Great refreshment for all ages too
Linda, 64 - Sacramento
Verified Customer • GEICO
My car insurance rates went up recently (through no fault of my own!) and I was looking for ways to reduce what I pay. I was already getting most of my company’s discounts, but I noticed one called Mature Driver Improvement Course discount that I wasn’t getting and didn’t know anything about. I looked it up online and saw that almost all California car insurance companies will give a 5-15% discount for drivers over 55 who take an authorized improvement course. I signed up for the course from the Best Online Traffic School which I completed on my own time over the last few days. The cost of the course was only $28.89, and now I’m eligible for a car insurance discount for the next 3 years. It’s an easy way to save money on car insurance!
Corazon, 68 - San Jose
Verified Customer • Mercury Insurance
Course is easy to understand. Very affordable. Received the certificate fast and was able to send it to my insurance on time.
I don’t know how you feel, but dealing with this made me feel lonely – like I was the only person on the
planet searching for a mature driver course in California.
It's weird how naive we can be to think that our problems are so unique... just to find out that the
solution already has more than 21,900 reviews!
That was when it clicked for me.
You know that gut feeling you get when you know that something’s right but you can’t explain why?
That’s how I felt after seeing more than 21,900 reviews from satisfied senior drivers!
Needless to say, I wanted to start the course as soon as possible. But I didn't know where to start!
They answered all my questions
I messaged the support team, and to my surprise, they answered all my questions almost instantly.
And believe me, I had so many...
Was I eligible? – Yes, I was, and you are too if you're older than 55.
Will I really save money? – Yes, I saved money.
How long does it take? – It’s up to you, you do it at your own pace.
Will my insurance accept the certificate? – Yes, it’s accepted by all insurance companies in
California.
In less than a minute, I signed up with only my name and email. They didn’t even require a credit
card!
I think it was a Monday morning when I started the course, and by the end of the week, I had my Mature
Driver Certificate in my hand.
Common Questions About The DMV Course
Is this course legitimate and really DMV approved?
Yes, absolutely. Traffic Safety Institute is officially licensed by the California DMV (License #MDIP000076). You can verify this on the DMV website. They've been approved since 2021 and have helped over thousands of California drivers get their insurance discounts.
Official DMV License #MDIP000076
Accepted by State Farm, Farmers, Allstate, GEICO, AAA, Mercury & Progressive
Will my insurance company really honor this discount?
Yes, they're required by California law (Insurance Code Section 11628.3). State Farm, Farmers, Allstate, GEICO, AAA, Mercury, and Progressive all accept the certificate. If your agent seems unaware, mention the law - they'll find the discount code immediately. Mine did!
I'm not tech-savvy. Will I be able to complete this online?
Absolutely! The course is designed for seniors like us. You just click "Next" to move through pages - it's like reading a book online. There's an audio narration option that reads everything aloud. Their 24/7 support team helps with any technical issues. I'm 62 and barely use computers, but I finished it easily.
What if I fail the test?
You can't fail! The final exam is open book with unlimited attempts. You can look up any answer, and there's no minimum score required. The DMV designed it this way because the goal is learning, not testing.
Why haven't I heard about this before?
Insurance companies aren't required to advertise it. Think about it - why would they volunteer to give you a discount? Most people discover it by accident or through friends. That's exactly how I found out after 7 years of overpaying!
Quick Facts About This DMV Course
5-15% Discount
Valid for 3 full years
Your Own Pace
Login/logout anytime
Open Book Exam
Impossible to fail
Fast Certificate
Mailed in 1-2 days
EXCELLENT
4.94/5.0
based on 21,900 Reviews
With over 21,900 verified 5-star reviews, it’s easy to see why people trust this
Mature Driver Course
If you’re older than 55, I strongly advise you to take the same California DMV Approved Mature Driver
Course I did. And yes, I know you're a good driver, and you’ve been on the road for 30 years or more.
This probably hurts your ego a little bit…
But believe me, what you’re about to learn is priceless. It will make driving a much safer and more
enjoyable activity for both you and your family! On top of everything, you’re SAVING HUNDREDS OF
DOLLARS on your car insurance!
DMV License #MDIP000076 | Accepted by all major CA insurers
Wayne, 71 - Fresno
Verified Customer • State Farm
The information presented was far better than the AARP class that we
attended 3 years ago and less time consuming. Excellent school.
Maria, 59 - Los Angeles
Verified Customer • Farmers Insurance
Excellent program for mature drivers. Easy and very helpful. Great
refreshment for all ages too
Corazon, 68 - San Jose
Verified Customer • Mercury Insurance
Course is easy to understand. Very affordable. Received the certificate
fast and was able to send it to my insurance on time.
Linda, 64 - Sacramento
Verified Customer • GEICO
My car insurance rates went up recently (through no fault of my own!) and I
was looking for ways to reduce what I pay. I was already getting most of my company’s discounts, but I
noticed one called Mature Driver Improvement Course discount that I wasn’t getting and didn’t know
anything about. I looked it up online and saw that almost all California car insurance companies will
give a 5-15% discount for drivers over 55 who take an authorized improvement course. I signed up for the
course from the Best Online Traffic School which I completed on my own time over the last few days. The
cost of the course was only $28.89, and now I’m eligible for a car insurance discount for the next 3
years. It’s an easy way to save money on car insurance!
Jacqueline
Verified Customer
This traffic school is very comprehensive. Took it to be able to get a
Mature Driver discount from my insurance. Am having my husband do it too.
