This is an interesting question. To find out if an IID can earn you car insurance discounts, you’ll have to take several things into consideration. Those include why you have the IID installed in the first place, and if you have other vehicles under the same policy. And of course, the car insurance company has the final say on if they offer you a discount for anything.
Mandated Installation
If you’ve been convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) you may be required by the courts or your state to install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle. All 50 states and Washington DC have ignition interlock laws that specify who needs one, and for how long.
Your auto insurance company received notification of your DUI arrest and will get notification of your entry into the ignition interlock restricted license program. Chances are, they raised your auto insurance rates the second they heard about your DUI arrest. Now that you’re getting an IID installed, you might think they will give you a car insurance discount.
Don’t count on it. Insurance companies are in the risk business. As someone with a DUI conviction, you pose a bigger risk than someone without one. Even if the IID will prevent you from driving your vehicle while intoxicated, it won’t prevent you from trying to drive another car your family owns. And since most states only require you to install an ignition interlock device in the car you primarily drive, there’s always the chance you may try and drive your wife’s car after you’ve been drinking, for example.
Voluntary Installation
Now, let’s say you are not mandated by the courts or the state to have an ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle. What then?
We know that auto insurance companies offer discounts for a number of things, including bundling policies, safe driver, good student, anti-theft devices, etc. It stands to reason that if you are voluntarily installing an ignition interlock device on your vehicle, you might qualify for a car insurance discount. It’s up to you whether you ask if you can get one. Part of it may depend on why you’re installing it.
Keeping Your IID Installed After You’ve Completed the Restricted Driving Program
If you had a DUI conviction and were required to have an IID installed for a restricted driving program, you may have noticed how well they worked. Some of our clients are not quite confident that they won’t be tempted to drink and drive and decide to keep the IID voluntarily installed.
Chances are, after your DUI, your auto insurance rates went sky high. Your car insurance company knows you got a DUI, and they also got notification from the state DMV/DOT that you have an ignition interlock restricted license. So when you regain full driving privileges, it couldn’t hurt to tell your auto insurance company that you are voluntarily keeping an IID in your vehicle. While not likely, it is possible that they will lower your rate just a bit. It certainly couldn’t hurt to ask.
Installing an IID to Prevent Your Teen from Drinking and Driving
We think this scenario may be your best chance for an IID to earn you a car insurance discount. Car Insurance companies charge you more when you have a teen driver in the family. They offer discounts if your teen makes good grades because the theory goes that good academics means better decision making.
But what if you take the decision to drive drunk away from your teen by installing an ignition interlock device in their vehicle? Your car insurance company could very well give you a discount for adding a safety feature like that. They know that statistics are pretty grim when it comes to teens and drunk driving. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), car crashes are the #1 cause of death for teenagers. And 1 in 4 car crashes with teens involves an underage drunk driver.
When you call to add your teen to your insurance policy, ask about a discount for installing an IID. Even if they won’t give you a discount, it may help your teen from becoming a statistic.
Schedule Your Ignition Interlock Device Installation
Scheduling your ignition interlock device installation with ALCOLOCK is easy. With ignition interlock installation locations across the country, we probably have one near you. Just call the service location most convenient to you to schedule your IID installation, or call ALCOLOCK at (866) 700-9300.
Be sure to have your DMV/DOT paperwork with you when you call, as it has some information on it that we will need.
The Day of Your Ignition Interlock Device Installation Appointment
You will need to have someone drive you and your vehicle to the appointment since you cannot legally drive until you get an IID installed. Your installation appointment will last about an hour. This includes the time it takes the technician to connect the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) to your vehicle’s starter. The technician will also calibrate the handheld device to you, specifically, and train you in how to blow a proper breath sample. They will also explain what the various sounds and messages mean. You will get a user’s manual to keep with you until you complete your restricted driving program.
Finally, the technician will make an appointment for your first service visit. All states require these service visits. The device will send you reminders of this maintenance appointment a few days in advance. If you must reschedule the visit, call your Service Center right away. You need to bring your vehicle in for the service visit within a certain timeframe or risk a permanent lockout.
At ALCOLOCK, our goal is to get you back on the road quickly and safely.