Geico Defensive Driving Course Review: Compare Rates, Discounts, & Requirements [2024]

The GEICO Defensive Driving Course was created to help people become better drivers by learning techniques for accident prevention and anticipating and reacting to situations. It takes four to six hours for drivers to complete the course, but you are able to move at your own pace.

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Home » Companies » Compare the Best Car Insurance Companies » Geico Defensive Driving Course Review: Compare Rates, Discounts, & Requirements [2024]

Written by:

Michael Leotta

Insurance Operations Specialist

Michael earned a degree in Business Management degree with an insurance focus, which led to a successful 25-year career in insurance claims operations and support. He possesses a high-level of business acumen across multiple areas of the insurance industry. Over the course of his career, he served in multiple roles supporting claims operations including: Claims Specialist, Claims Trainer, Claim Au...

Full Bio →
Written by Michael Leotta

Insurance Operations Specialist

Reviewed by:

Kalyn Johnson

Insurance Claims Support & Sr. Adjuster

Kalyn grew up in an insurance family with a grandfather, aunt, and uncle leading successful careers as insurance agents. She soon found she has similar interests and followed in their footsteps. After spending about ten years working in the insurance industry as both an appraiser dispatcher and a senior property claims adjuster, she decided to combine her years of insurance experience with another...

Full Bio →
Reviewed by Kalyn Johnson

Insurance Claims Support & Sr. Adjuster

UPDATED: Jun 27, 2023

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Here's what you need to know...

  • Geico offers defensive driving courses online that teach safe driving techniques for car accident prevention
  • The average driver receives discounts of up to 15% for up to three years
  • You can take three quick and easy steps to sign up for Geico’s defensive course

Some people may wonder, what is a defensive driver discount, and who can it help?

Read More: Compare the Best Car Insurance Companies

Geico offers its clients defensive driving courses to help them become safer drivers. Completion of the course results in a certificate and premium discounts depending on your state of residence.

Find out if your insurance company offers a free defensive driving course. To shop around and look for the best deal on insurance, enter your ZIP code and get a free quote today.

What is Geico’s Defensive Driving Course?

Geico offers defensive driving courses that teach safe driving techniques for car accident prevention. The course focuses on anticipating and reacting to situations. You can adopt defensive driver techniques and get Geico to offer you a discount by taking a course to learn these skills.

Eligibility rules and requirements for defensive driving discounts vary between states. Geico defensive driving course discount is not available in HI, MA, MI, NC, or VT.

The average driver can receive discounts of up to 15% for up to three years. Below are the driving discounts in some major states:

  • California — 5%
  • Texas — 10%
  • Florida — 10%
  • New York — 10%
  • Illinois — 10%
  • Pennsylvania — 10%
  • Georgia — 10%
  • New Jersey — 5%

Here is what the Geico Defensive Driver Course includes:

  • Controlling your speed
  • Looking ahead and expecting the unexpected
  • Being alert and distraction-free
  • Preparedness for all sorts of actions and reactions of other drivers and pedestrians
  • Not expecting the other drivers to do what you would ordinarily do
  • Watching and respecting other drivers
  • Maintaining a safe following distance
  • Driving safely considering (adjusting for) weather and/or road conditions
  • Adjusting your speed before entering a bend, in order to avoid applying the brakes in the middle of a bend

How does the course work?

Once you are registered, you will be able to log into the course on a computer or a smartphone. A laptop or desktop computer would most likely be the easiest way to access the course.

The allotted time for course completion is between four and six hours, depending on your state’s requirements. This course can be completed at any pace that you feel comfortable with.

Once you have completed the defensive driving course, you will receive a certificate of completion to forward to Geico.

How do I sign up for and complete Geico’s Defensive Driving Course?

Take these three quick and easy steps to sign up for and complete Geico’s Defensive Driving Course.

  1. Check with Geico to determine the amount of your discount. Ask about each family member or driver on the policy to potentially secure an even greater discount.
  2. Register for and complete your Defensive Driving Course using any digital device.
  3. Submit your certificate to Geico and receive your savings.

Registration for the course is $39.95.

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Geico Defensive Driving Course: The Bottom Line

If you have Geico insurance, taking the Geico Defensive Driving Course is a good investment, as it allows you to become a safer driver and to potentially receive a substantial discount.

Now that you know more about how defensive driving discounts can impact your insurance rates, enter your ZIP code to view free quotes and shop around for the best rates for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a defensive driving course for an insurance discount if I don’t have insurance with Geico?

Yes, you can use a defensive driving course for an insurance discount even if you don’t have insurance with Geico. Many other car insurance providers offer discounts for completing an online defensive driving course.

When will I see my Geico insurance discount after completing the defensive driving course?

Once you have completed the course, you will need to submit your certificate of completion to Geico. As soon as the certificate has been received, your insurance discount will be applied based on your course completion date.

Will I save more if other drivers on my Geico insurance policy take the course?

You may be able to receive an additional discount depending on the age of the person taking the course. For example, if you are a senior or over 50, you could qualify for Geico defensive driving course for seniors. Contact your Geico insurance agent to find out if anyone else on your policy qualifies for a defensive driver course discount.

What should I do if my insurance discount expires?

Your defensive driver course discount will typically last for three years in most states. Check with your Geico agent to see how long your discount will apply in your state. Once it expires, you can retake the course to receive the discount again.

Will the defensive driving course help with ticket dismissal?

This defensive driving course provides an insurance premium discount for Geico customers. In some states, such as Texas, the SafeDriver.com defensive driver course is also used for ticket dismissal.

Reviews
for Geico

4.11 (19,116 reviews)
0.5
October 31, 2023

Tomer Ravid

GEICO review

GEICO is unpredictable and arbitrary. You\'d need insurance for this insurance, since GEICO is unable or unwilling to provide the most important function of insurance: certainty. They cancelled my new auto insurance for no reason other than their own incompetence. Long story short: I paid the policy in full. While on a vacation with my family, I opened GEICO app and was surprised to find that my policy is scheduled to be cancelled. When I cam...
GEICO is unpredictable and arbitrary. You\'d need insurance for this insurance, since GEICO is unable or unwilling to provide the most important function of insurance: certainty. They cancelled my new auto insurance for no reason other than their own incompetence. Long story short: I paid the policy in full. While on a vacation with my family, I opened GEICO app and was surprised to find that my policy is scheduled to be cancelled. When I came back home I found a letter saying that I have eight days from the 5th of October to send them documents (only accepted by postal mail, even though every document was a copy) or my insurance would be cancelled. In fact the letter was delivered *about 8 days after the 5th of October* (again, delivered while I was not home). At no earlier point had I been informed that these documents were required, and GEICO made no attempt to contact me by phone call, text message or Email. In fact, had I not checked the app and stayed on vacation for longer, I might have ended up driving without insurance unwittingly. I called GEICO multiple times. They consistently assured me that if I sent the correct documents before the fast-approaching cancellation date, my policy would continue. So I sent all the documents they requested by priority mail. In spite of the supposed urgency they were attempting to convey, it took them six days after receiving the documents to start reviewing them (with no way to contact the underwriting department or confirm that they had recieved them). It took five more days for the final review because of their own confusion about what was clearly included in the documents I\'d sent them. Two days before the deadline, I find out by calling them (without any notification on their part) that, in fact, my policy will be cancelled. The reason is that I had no prior insurance, which they claimed was contrary to my statements. This is 100% false and can be refuted by recorded calls to customer service in which I stated that GEICO was my first insurance, and by the fact that they don\'t have the name of my previous insurance company and the coverage limits (required information when you register online if you state that you\'ve been insured). GEICO had zero interest in checking the evidence or compensating me, and there was no way to appeal. Price I have to pay for GEICO\'s incompetence: Having to find new insurance in two days (which was hard in the first place since I have no driving record in the US), possibly higher rates because of the cancellation on my record. If it happened to me, it must have happened to thousands of other customers in the country, as confirmed by a large fraction of GEICO\'S customer reviews online. So the chance that it will happen to you is non-negligible.
Read More
1
January 3, 2022

Volodymyr_Korolevych

Adjuster stopped responding

Cant get ahold of anyone. Always different people giving me different numbers. No resolution Mr [REDACTED NAME], claim adjuster stopped responding to my requests without any resolution. Also not picking up my phone
1
May 17, 2021

Sergei_K

Can't get rid of them

From my personal experience, GEICO is the best place if you want to be fooled. Once you open the door, you can't get rid of them. About a year ago I canceled my policy ceasing any dealings with Geico. I paid the premiums in full and closed my account. Throughout the year, I've been a happy StateFarm customer. Several weeks ago, Geico unilaterally opened my policy forcing me to pay premiums for the following 6 months. Understanding that it could b...
From my personal experience, GEICO is the best place if you want to be fooled. Once you open the door, you can't get rid of them. About a year ago I canceled my policy ceasing any dealings with Geico. I paid the premiums in full and closed my account. Throughout the year, I've been a happy StateFarm customer. Several weeks ago, Geico unilaterally opened my policy forcing me to pay premiums for the following 6 months. Understanding that it could be a mistake, I contacted them 3 times. I talked to 6 different people. All of them promised to help me. I wrote 2 emails attaching copies of my StateFarm Id's for the entire period (after Geico policy cancellation). It didn't cure the problem. Moreover, Geico retroactively and unilaterally (without my desire, knowledge, and consent) reopened the policy. Now, they force me to pay for the previous months (last year). Geico supervisor [REDACTED NAME] claims that he obtains sufficient evidence that I hadn't been insured after I officially broke with Geico in April-May 2020 = the company is right demanding me to pay for nothing. From my non-legal understanding, it's a fraud, He knowingly (I sent them StateFarm Id's for the entire period) mispresents the facts unlawfully demanding payment.
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1
February 10, 2021

vscore16

BAIT AND SWITCH

They waited 60 days and then doubled my rate. they never notified me. When I looked it up they said it was due to the agent putting it in as a sports bus, and since I am using it for sales my rate is double. yes on their letter they sent me it shows right on it that the old use is class "C" and the new use is class "C". The reviews on geicos website are fake. real reviews are much more negative. They lie in their commercials about saving money s...
They waited 60 days and then doubled my rate. they never notified me. When I looked it up they said it was due to the agent putting it in as a sports bus, and since I am using it for sales my rate is double. yes on their letter they sent me it shows right on it that the old use is class "C" and the new use is class "C". The reviews on geicos website are fake. real reviews are much more negative. They lie in their commercials about saving money so why would I not expect them to lie about the rate they are giving me. I am no risk adjuster but any halfway intelligent person knows their is a lot more risk for a bus full of athletes that ways 20,000 pounds than a minivan with one person in it. Yet according to geico insuring a moving tank is cheaper than insuring a minivan. Would you believe that? I am not that gullible. Bait and switch all the way.
Read More
5
February 3, 2021

Trinidad2_

geico is the best

great company with fantastic customer service they lowered my cost due to covid with no issues and they are always a phoen call away fo r help wiht my policy, i wholeheartedly reccomend them
2
February 3, 2021

Jotwox

Not recommend

They were alright not the best. If they put in more effort into the customers they could’ve kept me.
5
February 2, 2021

Waycross43_

Helpful

Geico has been great during the pandemic. They have worked with me changing billing dates based on what I need. They have helped me save 212 dollars a month on insurance.
5
February 1, 2021

Babanana

Geico is amazing

My experience receiving auto insurance from Geico has been extremely positive. The insurance process was perfectly smooth and I have all my insurance information neatly organized at the tip of my fingers on my mobile phone. The coverage and premiums are much better than I received from my previous provider.
2
February 1, 2021

Justin_Kim

Filing a claim at geico

They were very nice and had good customer service. Once I even filed a claim and they got back to me within seventy-four hours.
5
January 28, 2021

Dingo

Insurance You Can Understand

The representative borke down all information in an easy-to-understand manner and then made very easy the process of initiating the policies. I am also very happy with the ease of managing online and on the app.
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