Buying car insurance for teenagers is a task most parents dread. Because teens are statistically more accident prone than the rest of the driving population, their premiums are proportionately higher. Finding cheap car insurance for teenagers is not impossible, though. Let’s take a look at the challenges teen drivers face, review some money saving tips on their car insurance, and find the best place to buy their policy.
Challenges
Teens face many challenges when it comes to driving. The following factors contribute to higher crash rates and more expensive insurance premium for teens:
- Inexperience behind the wheel
- Distractions caused by fellow teen passengers
- Texting while driving
- Drinking and driving
- Feeling invincible
Tips For Saving Money
Despite greater challenges faced by teenage drivers, there are still some things teens and their parents can do to lower the cost of their car insurance. Taking advantage of driver discounts and using some common sense can go a long way in reducing insurance premium. Here’s some good tips for teen drivers:
- Take a formal driver safety course.
- Maintain a B average in school to get as much as 25% off.
- Stay away from newer, more expensive, high performance vehicles.
- Drive a used car with good safety features.
- Add your teen to your policy.
- Have your teen contribute some of the premium. They’ll have a healthier respect for what it costs and will be more likely to drive responsibly.
Where To Buy
First, check with your current insurance carrier to find out how much it will cost to add your teenage driver to your policy. This will give you a starting point to compare when you shop around for more competitive quotes. Next, find a local independent insurance agent who can provide quotes from multiple insurance carriers. You’ll be able to give them all of your information just one time. They’ll then shop your coverages with all of the insurance companies they represent to get a good price comparison.
Conclusion
Purchasing car insurance for teenagers doesn’t have to be as scary as riding in the car with them. Knowing the challenges they face as new drivers can help you and them develop rules that will keep your teen safer behind the wheel. Taking advantage of driver discount opportunities and using common sense risk reduction methods can take some of the sting out of your increased insurance premium. And using an independent insurance agent to shop for the best pricing on your car insurance will mean less work for you and more savings for everyone in your family.