It’s Time to Insure my Teenage Driver!

So it is time to insure your teenage daughter. As many of you are well aware, this can be a headache at times. For the most part, it is just a heightened expense. No matter how good a teenager you have, it is very apparent young drivers are more costly to insure.

Being that insurance rates are directly correlated with statistics, the statistics show that teenage drivers are more hazardous on the roadway. Teenagers show higher rates of crashed, whether it is fatal or not. There are some other contributing factors on why teenager’s insurance rates are much higher. Teenagers can be easily distracted. The distractions include passengers that are loud, cell phones – talking and texting, inexperience, do not know how to properly handle situations, etc. It is clear, and fair to say, these increased rates are due to increased risk associated with young drivers.

How do I Minimize my Costs?

If you are a parent looking to ensure you teenager, here are some good ways to cut down on the high costs.

1. Keep them on your policy. It is more likely to get a better deal by keeping them on your current policy rather than attaining their own. This allows for a multi- car discount, available with all automobile insurers.

2. Is your teenager going away for college? Are they leaving the car at home? This is a good piece of information for your insurance company to know. If they are going away to college, and not taking the car with them, this shows they will not be driving it as much. This should drastically lower your insurance premium.

3. There are discounts available! In this case, good grades do pay. Your teenager will need to maintain a grade point average of a B or better to qualify. Most of the time you will need to provide proof of these grades at the signing of the policy; and possibly periodically throughout length of policy to ensure grades are still standing at an acceptable level. Insurance companies also offer teenagers a discount on the auto insurance if they take a driver improvement course or similar. Check for specifications.

4. Check out different companies. You would be amazed to see how different premiums can vary through insurance providers. Make sure you look for the most teenager friendly auto insurance you can.

5. What car are they driving? This is a very key aspect of coverage. Depending on what car your teenager is driving, you could save significantly as far as your policy is concerned. Cars to completely avoid when looking for a discounted rate are those that promote speeding and reckless driving habits. These cars would include sports cars, smaller cars and certain colors that might be taken as sporty. Trucks and SUV’s should also be avoided as a general rule. These vehicles are designed for more advanced drivers and are often prone to flipping and rolling in a car accident or unfavorable conditions. Stick with a basic sedan that has great safety ratings and features. Most insurance companies even offer more discount for safety features outside their standard.

When shopping for insurance, keep these points in mind. They could save you more than you think!