I've actually wondered about that myself. I used to be pretty loyal to one insurer for years—mostly out of habit, I guess—but a couple years back a friend nudged me into shopping around. Turns out, loyalty wasn't doing me any favors. Switched companies and ended up saving enough to cover a weekend road trip to Rehoboth Beach with the family. Not bad at all for an afternoon of clicking around online...
Never really considered the defensive driving course angle though. Did you find the course itself worthwhile, aside from the discount? I've always been curious if they're genuinely helpful or just another box to tick. Guess it wouldn't hurt to look into it—every little bit counts these days.
I took one of those defensive driving courses a few years back, mostly for the discount at first, but honestly, it ended up being surprisingly useful. I figured it'd be a snooze-fest, but the instructor shared some real-world scenarios that stuck with me—especially about handling aggressive drivers and bad weather. Saved me from a potential fender-bender during a nasty storm last winter...so I'd say it's worth more than just ticking a box for insurance savings.
"I figured it'd be a snooze-fest, but the instructor shared some real-world scenarios that stuck with me"
Haha, same here. I remember zoning out at first, but then the instructor started talking about hydroplaning and suddenly I was all ears. Actually remembered it when my car slid last month...turns out steering gently really does help. Who knew?
Hydroplaning is no joke, especially if you're driving something older without modern traction control. Had a similar scare in my '78 Mustang—rear-wheel drive plus wet roads... not exactly fun. Makes me wonder, does insurance in Delaware typically offer discounts for completing defensive driving courses or anything like that? Might be worth looking into if it saves a few bucks on premiums.
"Makes me wonder, does insurance in Delaware typically offer discounts for completing defensive driving courses or anything like that?"
Defensive driving courses can help, sure, but honestly, the savings aren't always as impressive as they're made out to be. Took one myself a couple years back—spent half a Saturday in a classroom just to shave off maybe 5-10% from my premium. Not exactly life-changing money. You might actually get more bang for your buck by shopping around every year or two and switching providers. Loyalty doesn't always pay when it comes to insurance.
Also, about hydroplaning... traction control isn't some magic bullet. Even newer cars with all the bells and whistles can slide if you're going too fast or your tires are worn down. Had a close call last spring in our family SUV—modern tech didn't do much when we hit standing water at highway speed. Bottom line: good tires and slowing down still beat tech every time.
