Auto Insurance Tips for Teenage Drivers
For experienced, older drivers, getting cheap auto insurance is not a big deal. However, finding affordable car insurance for a young person is not always an easy task. According to statistics, young drivers under 25, especially males, tend to make insurance claims more often than any other group of drivers and are therefore, a high risk group. But is it fair that a safe, young driver be made to pay for the actions of his peers? Not all auto insurance companies take the same dim view of young drivers and some discounts are available to help you cut costs. By knowing how the companies evaluate drivers, you can save yourself a lot of money on car insurance. Here are 10 suggestions to help lower premiums without giving up great coverage and keep your teenager’s license free of violations:
1) Help your teen learn the laws and follow them to the letter. By far, the simplest way for a young person to get cheaper car insurance is to maintain a clean driving record. A young driver can do this by driving safely and responsibly and staying with the posted speed limits. Parents should know what the laws are and insist that their sons and daughters follow them.
2) Put your teenager on your policy. Rather than setting up an independent policy for your teen driver, it may be a good idea to add them as an additional driver on your Car Insurance Policy and get cheaper premiums. Most insurers offer lower rates for young drivers who remain on their parents’ insurance policy.
3) Pay your teenager to get good grades. Numerous auto insurance specialists have recently introduced incentives such as providing a discount for high school students who are able to maintain a GPA of 3 or higher. Check with your auto insurance broker to see how much you save if your teenager gets a good grade point average and pass it on to them. This could act as an incentive to get better grades!
4) Enroll your teenager in driver education courses. Another way a young person can get affordable car insurance is by taking a defensive driving or driving safety class. You can usually register for these classes at your local high school or community school. It is also a good idea to enroll in some training programs within a year of passing the driving test to prove to the insurer that your teenager is serious about safe driving. By practicing driving in different weather conditions, at night, etc these programs will make your teenager a safer driver, which in its turn, will enable insurance companies to regard them as lower risk and offer discounts.
5) Steer clear of sports cars. The type of vehicle you purchase for your teenager will have a major effect on the insurance rate you pay. Sports cars and SUV’s should be avoided. It might be wiser to purchase your teenager a small car with a lower engine capacity and with many safety features. You should also note that insurance companies tend to charge more if the car you are insuring has modifications on it.
6) Shop around. The best advice for saving money on your teenagers auto insurance is simply shopping around and getting lots of quotes. Since it’s so easy to get quotes online these days, you don’t have any excuse for not checking out lots of different policies.
