Adding a teenage driver to your car insurance policy will raise your rates. But you can control how much they'll climb. Having teens drive a Camry rather than a Corvette, encouraging them to bring home report cards with straight A's, and urging them to keep their driving records clean can all have a major impact on rates.
Below are a few things to keep in mind when insuring your new driver:
- There is a reason teenagers cost more to insure—New drivers are among the most dangerous on the road, racking up tickets and accidents at rates several times the rate of the average driver. Your teenager does not have to drive. Bicycles and bus passes are cheaper, if you live in a place where that's feasible.
Virtually every insurer requires that all licensed family members in a household be included on your policy, whether they drive your cars or not. You should let the insurer know when the child gets his or her learners permit, but typically the teen isn't listed (or your policy charged) until he or she is licensed.
It is almost always cheaper to add teenagers to an existing policy than to buy another car and then insure it separately. If your household has several cars, it can help to have your new driver assigned to a specific one -- the one that's cheapest to insure. Those vehicles with lower auto insurance losses will typically have lower auto insurance rates. For new drivers, the recommended cars are four-door sedans and crossover vehicles.
- Don't overlook car insurance discounts—If your teen can't get by without wheels, check with our agency to see what types of discounts might be available. We offer good-student discounts to teens who maintain at least a "B" average. We also offer the Teen Smart discount through an online driver’s safety course. Bundling multiple insurance policies, like auto, homeowners and life insurance, will also cut costs.
Ready to Insure your new driver or have questions about how your teen will affect your Auto Insurance policy? Call our office TODAY!