Young Driver Insurance Tips

By Howard Ralston

Finding car insurance for teen drivers can seem like a difficult task for most parents and young adults. Luckily, there are some pieces of advice that can assist you to discover the lowest possible rates on vehicle insurance for teenagers and other young adults. Certain of these tips take time, so the sooner you get started, the better.

Younger Drivers Are Inexperienced
Obviously, the younger the driver, the less experience they will have behind the wheel. Insurance companies consider this to be a major concern when issuing policies to young drivers because they just don't have the driving instincts and involuntary reflexes that come with experience.

Teen and young adult drivers are most often not as swift to react to abnormal traffic conditions as skilled drivers and they are more prone to make costly mistakes. Because of this, young drivers are more apt to be involved in accidents. Insurance companies recognize this and this is the base for higher insurance policy costs.

Teen Drivers Tend To Be More Reckless
Hand in hand with slight experience is carelessness. Young drivers, including teenagers, are a good deal more prone to being distracted while behind the wheel and not as quick to react to road conditions while distracted. Teens are accustomed to sending text messages and like to do so while driving. Speaking on cell phones and getting occupied in actions with their friends or other passengers while driving also lead to distraction. Driving over the speed limit and otherwise ignoring traffic rules are also factors in teens and young adults getting into accidents. According to statistics, young men are more likely to be involved in accidents than young women. What's more, teenagers from the ages of 16 to 18 are more likely to be in accidents than adults of 26 years or more in age.

Tips To Lower Young Driver Insurance Rates
There are certain basic things you can do, starting immediately, to lower the insurance costs for your young driver.

Defensive Driving Course. These courses are frequently obtainable as high school classes, but not every high school provides them. There are a lot of courses available via non-profit organizations, government agencies, and private (for-profit) schools. There are even courses available online. Going through a defensive driving class may possibly help a young driver to get discounts on car 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 ]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 to your policy.
Some cars will cost less to underwrite. While they may wish for a sports car or the most recent SUV, a four door sedan would be a good deal better as far as obtaining lesser insurance rates. Late model vehicles are expected to be lighter than older vehicles. Older automobiles are frequently heavier and safer than their late model counterparts. When your teen is driving a safer and more dependable car, it can help to lower the insurance rates and to make the parents breathe a little easier also.
High grades now can help when purchasing insurance at a later date. Good grades in school show a sense of responsibility that can frequently translate into lower rates. If your new driver is still in school and has good grades, ask for a better insurance rate from your agent.
Compare quotes from at least three different insurance companies. To find the best rate possible, think about getting quotes from five or more insurance carriers. When getting the quotes be sure to compare new policy against adding the young driver to your policy as a parent. Make sure that you get comparable quotes when doing your research. If you decide to look at various deductibles, make sure you get quotes for each amount from each carrier. Be proactive by asking each carrier if there are any further discounts you could apply for. For example, if your teen has been involved in an organization such as the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, they might be eligible for a discounted rate.