How Teen and Student Drivers can Save on Their Auto Insurance

Posted by Shawn Srour
1
Dec 15, 2015
178 Views
Adding a teenager to your insurance plan can be stressful, both from a personal and financial standpoint. However, there are several ways to reduce the financial stressors of having a young driver in your family.

First, shop for a vehicle for your teen carefully. San Diego Auto Insurance charges higher rates for certain categories of cars, including brand new cars, old cars without standard safety features, red cars, heavy vehicles such as trucks and SUVs, and sports cars. Search consumer rating databases to find which vehicles are consistently rated the safest, and choose a car that features safety features such as curtain airbags, front airbags, anti-lock brakes, and others. Spending a little more on a safer vehicle could very well save you thousands in the coming years. Also, consider the color. Some agencies will charge more for certain colors of a vehicle. Discuss the cheapest color options with your insurance agent.

Second, once you've found a car, you think you want to purchase, visit your insurance agent. Ask for a rate quote on the vehicle, and discuss with your partner and teen whether the quoted rate is affordable. If it is not, consider looking for a different vehicle.

Third, many agencies offer discounts for good grades and optional safety programs. Consider enrolling your teen in driver's ed classes, and encourage them to keep their grades up. Ask your agent if they offer any extra safety programs beyond a classic driver's education course, and utilize those programs as an opportunity to teach safe driving and reduce your rate.

Fourth, keep your teen bundled with your policy. Although it might be tempting to put them on their plan, consider keeping your name on the policy to reduce rates and take advantage of multi-plan discounts you may already have. Most children can stay on their parent's plan until after college or marriage, whichever occurs first. Check with your agent for company-specific policies.

Finally, make sure your teen knows the consequences of not driving safely. Share rate increase information with them, as well as any personal consequences your family may employ for misuse of family cars.

Ultimately, rates drop with age, so putting off having a teen driver as long as possible will save you the most cash. This is not an option for many families, but if your teen is willing to wait a little longer to start driving themselves, consider putting off this milestone for a few months or even years.

Having a teenage driver in the house will always be more expensive than not, but with these tips and a little bit of planning, you can minimize the impact to your family budget and keep your teen driver safer on the road.

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