My daughter just got her driving license and I am planning to buy her a car soon. Is car insurance for young drivers relatively expensive than that of an adult because I want her to have insurance coverage also.

Lisa

Salt Lake City, UT

Safety is the number one priority we want for our teens especially when it comes to driving. Young drivers aren’t experienced and when it comes to driving, they are not good at avoiding road risk or drivers who drive recklessly.

In reality, young drivers don’t have a driving history to prove that they are responsible drivers. With that said, car insurance for young drivers tends to go high because of the majority of their peers are liable for greater claims compared to a matured driver. The rate of car insurance for young drivers can sometimes triple compared to an experienced driver, but you can start lessening its cost by doing these simple tips.

1. Prove to your insurance company that you are a responsible driver by earning good grades. Car insurance for young drivers can greatly reduce if they can maintain a good grade.
2. Get your teen a sedan for starters. Don’t’ buy them a fast or high powered cars, it will only result in high insurance cost.
3. Install safety features in your car. You can get discounts if you can prove to your car insurance company that your vehicle is safe to drive, thus reducing the chance of an insurance claim.
4. It is proved by insurers that young drivers who enrolled for a defensive driving course are less likely to get into road accident and they are giving discounts because of this.

I am turning 19 and I want to have my own car insurance. My dad says it won’t come cheap. How can I prove him wrong?

Michael

Houston, TX

Your dad has his reasons why he thinks you won’t be able to get cheap insurance for your vehicle. Most of the top insurance companies charge high premiums on young drivers like you. This is due to the fact that most of the incidents of theft, fire, and road mishaps involve young drivers. Most automobile insurance companies also regard young drivers as careless and irresponsible, so higher charges are in store for young drivers like you.

In order to get cheap young driver insurance, you should prove to the insurance company that you are responsible enough to handle your own car. You should enroll in a defensive driving school so that you can present yourself as a responsible driver. You should pick a driving school that is recognized by most vehicle insurance companies.

Another way to get cheap young driver insurance is to get good grades at school. Most straight A students get cheap rates for car insurance. You should strive to perform well in school.

Lastly, another proven way to avail of cheap young driver insurance is to buy safe vehicles. Forget sports cars since these are more prone to accidents.

My son received his learner’s permit already but he does not have a drivers license yet. Am I obligated to include him in my insurance policy even though he does not own a car yet?

Jerry

Good Question. Jerry.

A teen must go to the Secretary of State to get their level 1 license. A parent or a guardian must accompany him because they will have to sign in his application at the same time otherwise, he will not be issued of the Level 1 license. This will indicate your approval of the application of the minor.

The parent or the guardian must also contact their insurance company to verify if they cover minors with level 1 license. If for instance your son is about to receive his level 2 license, you may ask your insurance agent if you can add him already to your policy or after if gets his full license. Some insurance companies may allow him to be covered without adding him as a driver yet till he gets his full license, and some insurance companies will allow him to be added with his learners permit.

With a level 1 license, a minor may be able to drive a vehicle if they are accompanied by a parent or a guardian, licensed driver , 21 years of age and above. It is a responsibility of a parent or guardian to complete the supervised driving with a licensed adult driver. A level 1 license is a learners license. It has restrictions for teen drivers during the time that she is still beginning to master driving skills that is necessary to become a responsible driver.

Goodluck!

MariCAR