Shopping for Teen Driver Insurance

It’s commonly thought, and with good reason, that teenagers are some of the most dangerous drivers on the road. The auto insurance companies follow this line of reasoning when determining rates. So, when you have a teenager reaching driving age who may be on the road part-time or even full-time, the thought of making sure he or she is properly insured may be a bit frightening. However, if you are careful, and do your research, you can leverage certain discounts and get the best insurance value. Learn a bit more about the options available to you in terms of auto insurance for young drivers and then you can make the right decision for your family.

Separate Policy or Not?

When considering teen driver insurance, the first decision you have to make is whether you will add your teenager to the family’s policy or if you will require him or her to get a separate policy. In most cases, parents choose to add their teen to the family policy. It is usually cheaper this way, and some insurance companies won’t cover a teen driver on his or her own, anyway. However, in certain cases, allowing a teen his/her own policy may make sense. This is a decision best made when you look over your current policy and your needs with your agent.

Primary Driver or Added Driver

Assuming you decide to add your teen to your existing policy, which most families decide to do, your next decision is whether you add an additional car to your policy with your child as the primary driver, or whether you simply list him as a secondary driver on one of the family cars. The second alternative is normally the cheaper option; however, this decision is often made because of other factors. If your child is buying a car for herself and driving it most of the time, she would be considered a primary driver.

Discounts

No matter which route you go, it is important to look into what potential discounts may be available when shopping for insurance for young drivers. A child with good grades could qualify for a good student discount, taking certain driving courses may qualify for other discounts too. Another consideration is a multi-car discount or discounts that are available when you bundle your automobile and home policy together. When you add all of these values together, sometimes it can cost much less than you may have thought to insure your teen driver.

Now that you better understand the insurance options available for your teen driver, you can make the decision about what is right for your family. When you have special insurance needs, like a teen driver, it is even more important than ever that you work with an independent agent. Even though you may be able to buy a policy online–a one-size-fits-all approach to insurance will not be able to get you the best rate and the exact coverage that you require. With the right insurance, you will have fewer worries and be able to rest easy–at least until your teen is actually behind the wheel!

For extra insurance on your teen driving safely, make sure do your part in emphasizing the importance of it.  Sometimes insurance companies even publish their own guides on safe teen driving.