Two of the nation’s largest insurance companies have elected to extend coverage to same-sex married couples at a reduced rate. While most insurance companies offer discounted rates for different-sex couples, State Farm and Allstate allow married gay couples and domestic partners to take advantage of a lower insurance premium in the eight states where gay unions are legal.
According to CBS News, State Farm spokesman Dick Luedke recently commented on the company’s decision to offer single-household discounts to gay married couples. He stated, “Marriage is marriage. It doesn’t matter if you are married to someone of the same sex.” Luedke noted that offering a discount to all married couples makes sense from a statistical standpoint as well, explaining that married drivers are far less likely to be involved in an automobile accident.
Esurance also offers a similar reduced rate to committed same-sex partners in California, Illinois, Oregon and Washington, and plans to extend the discount to other states in the coming months. Eric Madia, director of product and actuarial management at Esurance, estimates that gay couples who qualify for the discount can expect to save nearly 10% on their auto insurance premiums.
Experts suggest that married couples and domestic partners should contact their insurance company and ask directly for the discount, as a number of organizations have begun to offer reduced rates to qualified gay couples.
