How to Determine Teen Car Insurance Needs

Having a teenager in the house who wants to drive is not only a tad bit nerve racking, it's also expensive. The best thing any parent can do is to look into the cost of car insurance that covers a teen driver. Also have a talk with your teen about driving safety.

Instructions

1. Understand that teenage drivers--no matter how mature they are--can get into accidents more frequently than adult drivers. You must make sure your teen driver is well covered, as you should plan on something negative happening. Comprehensive coverage is recommended, and make sure your liability insurance covers what you think is normal for your neighborhood.

2. Enroll you teen in a driving course and a defensive driving/safety course. Upon completion of the course, she will receive a certificate where she can get a discount on car insurance, or you can get the discount if she is on your car insurance. Most teenage boys will pay a higher premium than teenage girls.

3. Look into added safety features for the car your teen will be driving. The more safety features, the more discounts on the teen's car insurance. Consider getting your teen his own teen auto insurance policy, as it not only teaches him the responsibility of having his own car with car insurance, but it will also keep your premiums down on your car insurance. If you decide to keep your teen on your car insurance with his own vehicle, you will be able to get the multi-vehicle discount.

4. Talk with your teen about maintaining good grades in school. Your teen can get the good student discount which is approximately a 25-percent discount if she keeps her grades at B or above.

5. Research other insurance companies, and get quotes. Prices vary from insurance company to insurance company when either you are adding a teenage driver or your teen is getting his own car insurance policy.

6. Talk with your teen about being a good and safe driver and following the rules of the road. A teen with one traffic violation can have you paying two or three times more in car insurance.

Tips & Warnings

• Establish ground rules for your new teen driver. Set curfews if your location doesn't already have them. Check with your insurance agent to see if you have to report that you have a teen driver in your house.

• Increasing the number of teens in the car while your teen is driving increases the risk for a crash, since they focus on the road less and on their friends more.