Car Insurance for Teens

Once a child turns sixteen, there’s little one can do to keep them from getting behind the wheel. There is nothing a teenager wants more than the freedom that comes with driving. The problem is, this means a rise in car insurance rates for the parents. Short of banning your child from driving, there are a few ways that you can insure that your insurance rates remain reasonably low.

Insurance companies don’t want to see a teenager driving fast, expensive cars, as this poses a higher risk given their inexperience behind the wheel. Insurance rates for teens are already higher than the average and driving a faster car only increases that risk and subsequently the insurance premium. Insurance providers would much rather see a younger driver driving a slower, less expensive car that will not be so costly to repair or replace if an accident should occur. It is much harder for a teenage to drive an older, heavier car more recklessly and thus the risk of an accident is much lower.

Driving history is also taken into account when insuring a teenager. Most insurance providers will offer lower rates to teenagers with good driving records. This can be achieved by not claiming small accidents like dents and scratches and maintaining a driving record free of speeding tickets and traffic violations. The more blemishes on their driving record, the higher the insurance premium will most likely be.

Parents also have the option of listing their teenage son or daughter as an occasional driver on their policy. This raises their premium, but if the child is a safe and responsible driver it can help them gain a less costly premium more quickly when they choose to get their own policy. If the teen is driving a safer vehicle however, it may be cheaper for them to simply get their own policy.