Everything You Need To Know About Insuring Your Teen Driver
If you’re the parent of a teenager who is getting ready to hop behind the steering wheel, insuring them can get expensive. This is because the risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group. We’ve gathered some helpful tips to help you keep your premiums as low as possible, and your teen safe.
Reduce Distracted Driving
Some Teens may get distracted easily, which increases their risk. To minimize their potential for distractions:
- Make sure their phone is out of reach while driving. Out of sight, out of mind is a great policy when it comes to texting and driving. If they really need to answer a text or make a call, encourage them to pull over in a safe spot first.
- Put down the coffee and food, (as well as other distractions). It may seem like you can multi-task, but really all you’re doing is increasing your chances of getting into an accident.
Set Expectations for Safety
The best way to keep your teen’s insurance premium stable is for them to keep their driving record clean. To help reduce potential accidents:
- Restrict your teen’s nighttime driving
- Take a ride with your teen occasionally to make sure they are keeping up with the safety habits that they learned
- Establish driving-area limits
- Set a curfew
- Talk to your teenager about the dangers of drinking and driving
Best Ways to Save on Your Auto Premium
- Consider raising your deductible
- Ask about a good student discount
- Have your teen keep up their good driving record
- Enroll your teen in driver’s education
Policy Options
Rather than setting up an independent policy for your teen driver, consider adding them as an additional driver on your existing auto insurance policy. Typically, this is the most cost-effective option.
Enroll Your Teen in Driver’s Education
Although courses may be available at your child’s school, consider enrolling them in a driver’s ed course. Often, discounts are available for teens who take recognized driving classes because it extends the teaching period.
Consideration your Deductible
By increasing your deductible and utilizing insurance for big repairs, you can significantly reduce the cost of premiums. If leasing or financing a car this may be required by companies as an exposure cap at $500 dollars!
Weigh Your Buying Decision
Wanting to get your teenager a new car to drive with the latest safety equipment is understandable, but you may be better off purchasing a safe, used vehicle. Before you make an auto purchase, we’d be happy to give you an insurance quote to help you with your buying decision.