Vehicles With Airbags Cost up to 40% Less to Insure, Quote.com Study Finds

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., July 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Airbags can result in auto insurance savings of up to 40%, according to a recent report published by Quote.com.

The savings potential depends on many factors and often applies only to policyholders who carry personal injury protection (PIP) or MedPay.

Airbag Insurance Discounts

Discounts for airbags vary significantly between companies from 3% to 40%.

• Geico – 40%
• State Farm – 40%
• American Family –30%
• Amica – 30%
• Nationwide – 20%
• Liberty Mutual – 15%
• Progressive – 12%
• Farmer's – 10%
• The General – 8%
• The Hartford – 3%

Since airbags protect vehicle occupants, insurance providers offer discounts based on the number of airbags and the level of protection for all passengers. So, vehicles with side curtain airbags in the back are often eligible for a bigger discount than vehicles with only front airbags.

Airbags directly affect injury claims, so the biggest discounts are for policies that cover the occupants' medical costs.

Melanie Musson, a nationally recognized car insurance expert with Quote.com, points out, "While most insurance providers have eligibility requirements, Liberty Mutual offers its discount for any vehicle with airbags."

Types of Airbags

The most common airbags are in the front for the driver and front passenger. These airbags protect the driver's and front passenger's head and torso.

Side airbags protect the occupants' abdomen and chest. These are less common and are typically installed in the doors.

Curtain airbags serve many purposes. They protect the occupant's head. They help prevent injury from flying debris. They keep occupants from being ejected through the windows. Finally, they stay inflated longer than other airbags to protect during rollovers.

Many of the safest models manufactured today also have knee airbags that protect occupants' legs.

Airbags Save Lives

When airbags were first introduced, many believed they would take the place of seatbelts, but in reality, they're designed to work with the seatbelt to maximize injury prevention.

Airbags have sensors that detect a change in speed caused by a crash. Different airbags have different sensors, and some will deploy for certain crashes while others won't. The sensors are so sensitive that they can deploy the airbag in 0.03 seconds.

In 13 years of data collection, researchers discovered that airbags had saved 30,000 lives.

Read Quote.com's entire report here: How Airbags Affect Insurance Rates.

SOURCE Quote.com