Statistics show that teenage drivers are far more likely to be involved in vehicle crashes, and these statistics tend to raise car insurance rates for teenage drivers. Parents that have teenagers that are learning to drive can expect to pay rates that are a bit higher for their teen. However, there are a variety of ways that you can work together with your teenager to get lower rates on your car insurance.
Tip#1 – Teach Your Teen the Laws
One of the best ways that your teen can get low rate car insurance is by keeping their driving record totally clean. In order for teens to keep a clean driving record, they need to know and understand the traffic laws. As a parent, you need to make sure that your teen studies the laws and understands what they mean and how they apply to driving. Remember that some states have laws that only pertain to new drivers, so be sure that your teen is aware of those laws as well. Not only should you have them read and learn the laws for driving, but you also need to help teach the laws by your example. Follow the traffic laws yourself when you are driving and communicate to your teen how important the laws are for everyone’s safety.
Tip#2 – Add Your Teenager to Your Policy
While some parents tend to set up separate insurance policies for their teenager, you can save a great deal of money if you add them to your current policy. It’s possible that the discounts you’re already getting on your policy could carry over to them as well and if you buy them a separate vehicle to drive, you can get an even better discount for adding another car to your policy.
Tip#3 – Encourage Good Grades
Most car insurance companies will offer discounts for teenagers that have better than a “B” average in school. You can save up to 10% if your student keeps up the good grades, so encourage your teen by offering incentives to keep their grades up. Offering an incentive for good grades can also help to keep them working hard and applying themselves at school. You may even want to figure out how much money you’re saving on insurance when they get good grades and then pay them the amount that you save. This is an excellent motivation for teens to keep their grades up and to teach them how they can save on their car insurance.
Tip#4 – Driver Education
Having your teenager take a driver education class can be a great way to help teach them important laws and lessons about driving. If they take a certified course, you may also be eligible for discounts on your car insurance rates as well. If you are not sure which classes will qualify for a discount from your insurance company, then give them a call and find out before you pay for your teen to take the class.
Following these tips can help you get your teenager through those first years of being a driver without having to pay extreme amounts on car insurance. Remember, while car insurance rates for your teen driver will probably be a bit higher, you can help them achieve lower insurance rates with a little work.
