Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte
The Tennessee defensive driving insurance discount set by law covers one group only: regular drivers over 55 who finish a commissioner-approved accident prevention course, and the insurer decides how much the reduction is. For drivers 55 or younger, no Tennessee law sets a course discount. If you want to know what your own policy allows, ask your insurer.
Key Facts
- The only law: TCA 56-7-1107 requires a premium reduction for regular operators over 55 who finish an approved accident prevention course. See what the law says.
- Which course: at least 8 hours of classroom instruction, or an approved online course. It is not the 4-hour court course or the TDOSHS 8-hour class. See a different course.
- How long: the reduction lasts 3 years, based on the last course you finished. See how long it lasts.
- Who is left out: drivers a court required to take a course, recent violators and drivers with a recent suspension. See the exclusions.
- Everyone else: no Tennessee law sets a course discount for drivers 55 or younger. See younger drivers.
The Tennessee Defensive Driving Insurance Discount Law
Tennessee has one law that ties a driving course to car insurance. It is TCA 56-7-1107, titled “Accident prevention course for older drivers — Reductions in premiums.”
Under subsection (a), insurers must include “appropriate reductions, as determined by the insurer to be actuarially justified.” The reduction applies “when the regular operators are over fifty-five (55) years of age and have successfully completed a motor vehicle accident prevention course approved by the commissioner of safety.”
In plain words, the law says a reduction must exist for these drivers. It does not set the size. Each insurer decides what is “actuarially justified,” so no official source gives a set amount.
Who Qualifies Under TCA 56-7-1107
The law lists a few conditions. A vehicle can get the reduction when:
- The regular operators are over 55. The statute says “over fifty-five (55) years of age.”
- They finished an approved course. It must be a motor vehicle accident prevention course approved by the commissioner of safety.
- No exclusion applies. Subsection (e) leaves out some drivers, as shown below.
The driver also has a job to do. Under subsection (d), the person who claims the reduction must give the course information to the insurance company.
The Accident Prevention Course Is a Different Course
The insurance course is its own course. Subsection (c) says it is “at least eight (8) hours of classroom instruction” or “an online course that is approved by the commissioner.”
Tennessee has two other courses that people also call defensive driving:
- The Driver Education Course. It runs at least 4 hours and is used for court orders and speeding point removal. See the TDOSHS Remove Speeding Points page.
- The 8-hour Driver Improvement class. It comes after a notice of proposed suspension from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS). See the TDOSHS Defensive Driving Schools page.
Neither of these is the accident prevention course named in TCA 56-7-1107. Each one has its own job, and neither one is tied to insurance by law.
How Long the Reduction Lasts
The law sets a time span. Under subsection (b)(1), the reduction lasts “a period of three (3) years.” The insurer may start it at the next renewal date of the policy.
If you take the course more than once, the newest one counts. Under subsection (b)(2), the 3-year period is based “only upon the last course the operator has successfully completed.” For more on repeat limits for all Tennessee courses, see how often you can take defensive driving.
Who Is Left Out
Subsection (e) lists three cases where the section does not apply.
| Situation | What TCA 56-7-1107(e) says |
|---|---|
| Convicted of, or forfeited bond for, a violation | Not until 3 years free of at-fault accidents or violations |
| License suspended or revoked | Not if it happened within the previous 3 years |
| A court required a defensive driver training course | The section does not apply to that vehicle |
The first case matters after a ticket. TCA 56-7-1107(e) covers an operator “convicted or forfeited bond” for a violation. Ask your insurer how it treats a paid ticket.
Suspensions, SR-22 Filings and Insurance
A license suspension touches insurance in two ways. First, TCA 56-7-1107(e) leaves out a license “revoked or suspended for any reason” within the previous 3 years. That includes a suspension from the TDOSHS Driver Improvement Program.
Second, some drivers need an SR-22 filing. The TDOSHS points page lists SR-22 insurance as a step for a restricted license after a points suspension.
TDOSHS also says the insurance company files the SR-22 electronically. The filing is kept for the length of the suspension or revocation, and the insurer sets the cost.
The 8-hour Driver Improvement class does not change these rules. It can stand in for a suspension or shorten it “In most cases,” but the 8-hour class does not remove points. After it, the driver is on probation for 12 months.
Drivers 55 or Younger
No Tennessee law sets a course discount for drivers 55 or younger. The statute covers only operators “over fifty-five (55).” Any discount for other drivers is the insurer’s own choice.
That means the answer depends on your policy. Your insurer can say whether it offers a course discount at your age, which course it accepts and what proof it needs.
Speeding Point Removal Is Not an Insurance Rule
Some drivers take a course to remove points after a speeding ticket. That is a separate law, TCA 55-8-207. It removes points, not the conviction.
The point removal rule has firm limits:
- Speeding only. It does not cover any other violation.
- Up to 5 points for one speeding conviction.
- Within 90 days of the conviction, not the ticket date.
- Once in a four-year period.
TDOSHS says “Only the points will be removed, the conviction will remain.” No Tennessee law says point removal changes your premium. How an insurer treats your record is up to the insurer. For more on tickets and rates, see our guide to speeding tickets and insurance.
Court-Ordered Courses and Insurance
A court may require a course “in addition to or in lieu of any portion of other penalty imposed” (TCA 55-10-301(b)(1)). What that means for your case is up to the court. No Tennessee law says a course dismisses a ticket.
A court-ordered course also has an insurance limit. TCA 56-7-1107(e) says the section does not apply to “Any motor vehicle whose operator is required by any court to take a defensive driver training course.” So the section does not apply to a vehicle whose operator a court required to take such a course.
If a court ordered your course, follow the order. The court clerk must give a list of approved entities in the county to anyone ordered to attend (TCA 55-10-301(b)(4)). The TDOSHS Court Ordered Traffic Schools page says “prior to registering for an online course, please confirm that the course will be accepted by the court.”
What the Insurance Department Covers
The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) has an Auto Insurance 101 page. It explains basic car insurance, including Tennessee’s minimum liability limits of 25/50/25.
That page gives no data on rate increases after a ticket. So no official Tennessee source we read says how much a ticket or a course changes a premium. For your own rates, the insurer is the source.
Questions to Ask Your Insurer
These questions help you get a clear answer:
- Do you give the TCA 56-7-1107 reduction, and how much is it on my policy?
- What proof do you need that I finished an approved accident prevention course?
- When would it start, and does it begin at my next renewal?
- Do you offer any course discount for drivers 55 or younger?
- How do you treat a speeding conviction after its points are removed?
Write down the answers and the date you asked. Ask again if your policy changes.
What We Found on the Official Pages
On the official pages we checked on October 27, 2026, only one Tennessee law tied a course to insurance. TCA 56-7-1107 covers operators over 55 who finish an approved accident prevention course.
The TDCI Auto Insurance 101 page gave no rate-increase data. The statute’s own words, “as determined by the insurer,” leave the amount to each company. That is why this article gives no percentages or dollar figures.
Common Mistakes
Each item below is based on Tennessee law or an official page:
- Assuming the 4-hour course earns the reduction. The law names a commissioner-approved accident prevention course.
- Mixing up the 8-hour classes. The TDOSHS Driver Improvement class and the insurance course are not the same course.
- Expecting a set amount. The insurer decides what is “actuarially justified.”
- Not telling the insurer. The driver must give the insurer the course information.
- Counting on a court-required course. The section does not apply to that vehicle.
- Treating point removal as a rate rule. It removes points, and the conviction stays.
How Requirements Can Vary
Tennessee point values, the Driver Improvement Program and the speeding point-removal rule come from state law and TDOSHS rules (TCA 55-50-505, TCA 55-8-207 and Rule 1340-01-04) and apply statewide. Whether a court orders a course for your ticket, which course it orders, and how your case is handled are up to the court on your ticket or the TDOSHS letter you received. Fines and court costs depend on the court and the charge.
Laws, rules and court practice can change. Check your ticket, any court order or TDOSHS letter, the TDOSHS website and the Tennessee Code before you enroll or pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does defensive driving lower insurance in Tennessee?
Only one Tennessee law requires a reduction. Insurers must give one to regular operators over 55 who finish a commissioner-approved accident prevention course. For anyone else, ask your insurer.
How much is the Tennessee course insurance discount?
No law sets an amount. TCA 56-7-1107 says the reduction is “as determined by the insurer to be actuarially justified.” Your insurer can tell you what it gives.
How long does the reduction last?
It lasts 3 years. The insurer may start it at the next renewal date. The period is based on the last course you finished.
Does a court-ordered course count for the discount?
No. TCA 56-7-1107 does not apply to a vehicle whose operator a court required to take a defensive driver training course. A court-ordered course serves the court’s order instead.
Can I take the accident prevention course online?
The law allows “an online course that is approved by the commissioner.” The other option is at least 8 hours of classroom instruction. Ask your insurer what proof it needs.
Does removing speeding points lower my premium?
No Tennessee law says so. TCA 55-8-207 removes the points for one speeding conviction, and the conviction stays. Ask your insurer how it treats your record.
I had a ticket last year. Can I still get the reduction?
Not under TCA 56-7-1107 until you have 3 years free of at-fault accidents or violations. The law covers an operator “convicted or forfeited bond” for a violation. Ask your insurer how it treats a paid ticket and what its own rules are.
Is the TDOSHS 8-hour class the insurance course?
No. The TDOSHS 8-hour class is part of the Driver Improvement Program, after a notice of proposed suspension. The insurance law names a separate accident prevention course approved by the commissioner of safety.
Conclusion
Tennessee law requires a course-based insurance reduction only for regular drivers over 55 who finish a commissioner-approved accident prevention course, and the insurer sets the amount; other drivers should ask their insurer what it offers before they enroll.
The Driver Education Course is a separate course: if a court orders one, confirm the court will accept an online course first, and for speeding point removal, check the TDOSHS 4-hour list first. If that fits your case, you can take the Tennessee Driver Education Course online.
Related Articles
- Defensive Driving Course TN: The Complete Tennessee Guide
- How Does a Tennessee Speeding Ticket Affect Your Car Insurance?
- How Often Can You Take Defensive Driving in Tennessee?
- How to Remove Points From License in TN: What the Law Allows
Sources
- Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance — Auto Insurance 101
- TDOSHS — Traffic School: How to Remove Points (4-Hour)
- TDOSHS — Court Ordered Traffic Schools
- TDOSHS — Defensive Driving Schools (8-Hour Driver Improvement)
- TDOSHS — Driver Improvement (Points Accumulation)
- TDOSHS — Reinstatements
Billy Forte is the owner of Driving Logic, an online driver education course provider serving Tennessee and other U.S. states.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Tennessee course rules, point values, fines and penalties depend on your ticket, court, TDOSHS notice and case facts, and they can change. Use official TDOSHS, Tennessee Code and court sources, and consult a qualified Tennessee attorney for advice about your own case.