Finding auto insurance for young drivers can seem like a difficult task for most parents and young adults. However, there are a number of tips that can help make it much easier for you to find affordable auto insurance for teens and young adults. Just remember, the earlier you start the process, the easier it will be.
Young Drivers Have Little Experience
Obviously, the younger the driver, the less experience they will have behind the wheel. Insurers take this into account because younger drivers have not developed the reflexes and instinctive knowledge that more experienced drivers have. They tend to be slower to react to and make more mistakes when something out of the ordinary happens. These factors make it more likely for young drivers to have accidents. Insurance companies know this and this is the base for higher insurance policy costs.
Teen Drivers Tend To Be More Reckless
Hand in hand with little experience is recklessness. Teen and young drivers are more likely to be distracted during driving and slower to recover from being distracted. Sending text messages, talking on cell phones, and interacting with passengers are some of the ways in which young drivers tend to get distracted. Speeding and otherwise ignoring traffic laws are also factors in teens and young adults getting into accidents. Statistically, teenage boys tend to get into more accidents than teenage girls. Teens aged 16 to 18 tend to get into more accidents than adults aged 26 and older.
Tips To Lower Young Driver Insurance Costs
There are some basic things you can do, starting now, to lower the insurance costs for your young driver.
- Have the driver take a defensive driving course. These courses are often available as high school classes, but not every high school offers them. There are many courses available through non-profit organizations, government agencies, and private (for-profit) schools. There are even courses available online. Taking a defensive driving course may help a young driver to receive discounts on auto insurance.
- When possible look at adding the new driver and his/her vehicle to the parents’ policy. When getting a quote, make sure to compare adding the driver to your policy as opposed to getting a new policy. You will probably find the it is much cheaper to add them to your policy than it is to get a brand new policy. “The cost of adding a teen to your auto insurance policy will increase your annual insurance premium by an average of 44 percent if you have one car in your household, 58 percent for a two-car household and 62 percent for a three-car . Insurance.com“ However, a new policy can cost approximately 365% more than adding them to your esixting policy.
- Have your teen drive a car that is considered safe and reliable. While they may desire a sports car or the latest SUV, a four door sedan would be much better as far as obtaining lower insurance rates. Older cars with sturdier frameworks are less expensive and safer in the event of a collision. Having your teen drive a vehicle such as this will not only help to lower your young driver insurance costs, it will also provide some peace of mind.
- Good grades can sometimes count toward lower insurance costs. High grades show a sense of responsibility that can often translate into lower rates. If your teen driver has a grade point of 3.0 or higher, ask your agent for a discount.
- Compare quotes from at least three different insurance carriers. It would be even better to compare five or more as the quotes you receive may vary greatly between carriers. Also, have each company give quotes based on new policy vs. adding the driver to the parents policy. Be sure to compare apples to apples in getting the quotes. If you decide to look at different deductibles, make sure you get quotes for each amount from each carrier. Be proactive by asking each carrier if they have any other discounts you could apply for. For example, if your teen has been a member of an organization such as the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, they may be eligible for a discount.