How to Insure a Teen Driver

Insuring a teen driver can be an expensive proposition. Before you add a teen driver to your insurance policy, you should first consider several issues. You will need to think about driver education possibilities, coverage levels, the type of car your teen drives, and the impact of moving violations on premiums.

Driver Education

More and more insurance companies are offering substantial premium discounts for teen drivers who complete certain driver education courses. Some insurers may offer a discount of up to 35% for completing a certified driver training course. When you consider how much it costs to insure a teen driver, this is well worth the fee for the class. For example, your teen might be able to take the Pass Plus exam, which is an intensive driver training course designed to help teens become safer drivers.

The Right Coverage

You might be tempted to skimp on coverage in order to save money on your teen’s insurance premiums, but this will likely end up costing you more money in the long run. Teenage drivers get into more accidents than any other demographic, so the chances that your teen will have to file a claim are high. Thus, you want to have adequate coverage with reasonable deductibles so you are not faced with costly damages after a collision. You will also want to make sure that you have sufficient liability coverage, as your assets could be put in jeopardy by a lawsuit resulting from an accident in which your teen driver was at fault.

Type of Car

The type of car your teen drives will have a profound impact on your premiums. Ideally, you want a car that is very safe and also fairly cheap to insure. Lists of the cheapest and most expensive cars to insure are readily available online. You will find that low-profile sedans are typically the cheapest cars to insure. Avoid cars that are frequently stolen or can potentially do a lot of damage to another’s vehicle or property.

Moving Violations

If you think insuring a teen driver is expensive now, you can imagine how costly it would be if your teen begins getting tickets or having accidents. Moving violations can drastically increase the cost of insuring your teen driver. Typically, the first violation is a freebie, and your teen can sometimes avoid rate increases by attending a defensive driving course. Your rates will usually decrease for every six months your teen driver goes without an accident or a moving violation. Teen drivers can prevent moving violations by driving defensively and obeying the speed limit and other traffic laws.