The statistics about teenage drivers aren't good. According to the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 16-year-olds get
into accidents almost six times more often than drivers between
the age of 30 and 59. No wonder car insurance premiums are so
high for this age group.
However, not all car insurance companies take the same dim view
of young drivers. And some discounts are available to help you cut
costs. Remember, the higher the risk, the higher the cost of insurance
premiums. Let this be your guiding principle as you shop for insurance.
To find out how to save on your auto insurance Please visit us at
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Here are 10 suggestions to help lower premiums and keep your teenager's
license free of violations:
1. Help your teen learn the laws and follow them to the letter. By far,
the best way to lower car insurance costs for teens is for them to keep
their driving record clean. Make safe driving a family project. In some
states, restrictions apply to new drivers. Parents should know what the
laws are and insist that their sons and daughters follow them.
2. Set a good example. Do you break the speed limit and tailgate? Do you
yell at other drivers when you're behind the wheel? If you do these things,
how can you expect your children to act differently? Start watching your
own driving long before they get their license and you'll have a much easier
time convincing them to be safe drivers. Remember, actions speak louder than words.
3. Put your teenager on your policy. Rather than setting up an independent
policy for your teen driver, put them on your auto insurance policy as an
additional driver. In this way, all the discounts applied to your policies
will be passed on to them.
4. Pay your teenager to get good grades. Here's a creative tip — find out
how much you save if your teenager gets a good grade point average and pass
it on to them. Usually, having a 3.0 or higher GPA will reduce your car
insurance premium by 10 percent. Figure out exactly how much this saves
you and give that money to your teenager. This accomplishes two things.
First, it provides a direct reward for academic performance. Secondly,
it motivates them to continue getting good grades.
5. Enroll them in driver education courses. Discounts are available for
teens who take recognized driving classes. But call your car insurance
company to find out which schools are covered before paying big bucks.
6. Steer clear of sports cars. Don't try to live vicariously through
your teenager by giving them the hot car you couldn't get in high school.
Getting your teenager a safe car to drive, with the latest safety equipment,
will lower your premiums. Not only will you save money on car insurance,
but fast driving will be less of a temptation.
7. Get their support. Don't assume that your teenager wants to vacuum
clean your wallet. Ask them for help cutting costs and point out that
you will share in the savings (see rule #4). Tell them how much car insurance
costs and show them how this fits into the family budget. If nothing else,
you will score points for treating them as adults.
8. Talk to your kids about drugs and alcohol. This is a tough subject to
broach with teenagers, who think they have everything under control. But
the consequences of saying nothing can be catastrophic. Take the time to
lay down some guidelines in this important area.
9. Take traffic school to beat tickets. Once a ticket is on your teen's
license, it takes months to get the violation removed. Instead, encourage
them to take traffic school if the judge allows it. A day spent thinking
about the consequences of unsafe driving can bring rewards for years to come.
10. Ride with your teenager. Your teenager was a safe driver last year
when he or she got a license. But what's happened since then? Let your
son or daughter take the wheel while you sit back and relax in the passenger
seat. If you see them doing something that breaks rules or seems unsafe,
point this out in a diplomatic way. If they are doing a good job driving,
praise them for their efforts.
If you follow the above suggestions, you will find that you can make it
through the teenage years safely — and without paying an arm and a leg
for car insurance. It just takes cooperation and understanding from both
sides of the generation gap. To find out how to save on your auto insurance Please visit us at
Auto Center
