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Last Updated on August 30, 2016 by Diane Hoffmaster
I have a teenage son who will be 16 years old this fall. I have printed out the drivers safety manual for him and soon (heaven help me!) I will have a boy with a drivers permit in my home. To be honest, the entire idea of this boy behind the wheel of a car terrifies me. Not only to I fear for his safety but I am also terrified to see what it's going to cost to add him to my car insurance. I have started researching how to get the best auto insurance rates for teenage drivers and I thought I would share with you a few things that I've learned so far.
Best Auto Insurance Rates for Teenage Drivers
1. Choose your teen's car wisely: The number one factor I have found that influences auto insurance rates for teenage drivers is the type of car they'll be driving. Obviously, if you buy your teenager a brand new BMW you are going to be shelling out more money than if you bought them a used Honda. However, even things like car color and the number of cylinders the car has effects insurance rates for teens. Talk to your auto insurance provider before you start shopping for your teenager's car.
2. Ask about usage based car insurance: Usage based car insurance allows the you to plug a device into the car that monitors driving habits. Good driving habits help save money and YOU get to monitor their driving even when you aren't with them. If the monitor detects risky driving patterns, you can address those with your teen before they lead to an accident.
3. Look for auto insurance discounts: Auto insurance discounts come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Here are just a few that might work to help you get the best auto insurance rates for teenage drivers:
- Multiple car Having more than one car with a company may earn you a discounted rate
- Multi policy If you have your home owners insurance and car insurance with the same company, they will occasionally give you a bundling discount.
- Good driver discount Once your teen has some driving time behind them and they keep their record clean, you could qualify for a good driver discount.
- Safe vehicle The more safety features your car has, the lower the insurance rates. Keep this in mind when shopping for your teens' new car.
- Safe driver class Driver's safety classes are a great way to teach your teenager how to be safe behind the wheel. They can also save you a ton of money on car insurance rates for teens. Consider it a good investment and enroll your teen in a safe driver class!
4. Ask about teenager specific discounts: Teenagers are eligible for a number of discounts to help reduce their car insurance rates. Maintaining good grades is a biggie so make sure they are staying on track at school. There are also low mileage discounts and drivers safety discounts specific for teens.
5. Add your teen to YOUR policy: While circumstances differ between families, it is usually cheaper to add your teenager to your own personal policy rather than getting them their own policy. Ask for both prices when you shop around.
6. Comparison shop for the best rates: Competition is fierce amongst auto insurance carriers. Getting online at Compare.com will allow you to evaluate the prices from multiple insurance providers at once. Compare at least 3 or 4 different sites to find the best rates. However, keep in mind that not all insurance coverage is created equally! Don't sacrifice coverage for price or you may regret it later on!
Compare.com will provide you with multiple, REAL quotes from different insurance companies. There are a lot of “quote comparison” options online, right? You may have even visited a few already. What makes Compare.com unique is that they actually partner with the insurance companies themselves to bring real quotes, where every other comparison generator just gives estimates. That means if you see a quote on Compare.com and like what you see, you can actually buy that real quote without worrying about paying any more than that specific amount. Your purchase will actually happen through the carrier, over the phone or through a local agent.
Compare.com is not biased towards any particular carrier! They offer about 50 different auto insurance providers, although this varies slightly by state. You can shop for the best auto insurance rates for teenage drivers on Compare.com and be confident that you are getting the best deal for your new driver!
Do you have any other tips for finding the best auto insurance rates for teenage drivers?
This post about auto insurance rates for teenage drivers has been sponsored by Compare.com but all opinions expressed here are my own.
Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy. She has two college aged kids, one husband and more pets than she will admit to. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire but left her career in science to become a stay at home mom. Years of playing with LEGO and coloring with crayons had her craving a more grown up purpose to her life and she began blogging and freelance writing full time. You can learn more about her HERE.
Janice
Great post. I sold insurance for 6 years and adding a teen driver always comes with sticker shock. These are great tips. Some companies do give discounts for good grades, too.
Also, some parents just don't add the teen drivers and hope for the best. But if you do that, you may end up with a big fat bill and no coverage on the long run.
Diane
I definitely don't think I would chance that!
Victoria Sconion
Ahhh! So not ready for this. My oldest is 9 and I'm nervous about the 'menstrual' stage. LOL These are awesome tips though so I know what to look for when its that time unless things change by then. Seems like everything is changing and flowing.
Diane
Its amazing how fast our kids grow up!
Chrysa Duran
These are some helpful tips. Insurance can be so expensive when it comes to teens! In some parts of the country it's especially necessary for teens to drive (without parents going nuts as chauffeur) and delaying driving age isn't an option.
Diane
Here in the burbs there really is no way to survive without a car!
Crystal
It feels like I have forever before I have to worry about that, but I know that it'll be here for before I know it. I need to share this with my husband too.