Car Insurance For Young Drivers

Purchasing car insurance for young drivers is never a pleasant subject to discuss, particularly for those funding these young drivers. Many are simply unprepared for the sticker shock of insuring a teen driver. Completely inexperienced, young drivers are prime candidates for insurance companies to charge an arm and a leg to cover.

These drivers are simply too new and unproven to inspire much confidence from their parents and insurance companies alike. Overall, teens are more likely that older drivers to drive aggressively, particularly when male teenage passengers are present. Data shows that teen driver death rates increase with each additional passenger. Teens are some of the worst offenders when it comes to seat belt usage. Only about 61% of high school students surveyed use seat belts when riding with others.

While the high costs of car insurance for young drivers may seem unavoidable, there are a few things that can help lower the associated higher insurance premiums. Most major insurance companies offer a good student discount, which means that successful students will reap benefits from their academic achievements. Likewise, attending a defensive driving course will oftentimes result in lowered insurance premiums. Car selection is also key. Choosing a sedan versus a coupe can result in significant savings when it comes to insuring a teen's first vehicle. In addition, a car equipped with a variety of safety and anti-theft features will be cheaper to insure.

While all young drivers face some daunting insurance costs in their first few years of driving, those that are able to stay accident free will see relaxed rates in the future once they establish themselves as mature, experienced drivers. While a safe teen driver may be "overpaying" for the coverage they are receiving, good drivers eventually do end up saving big in the long run over their more aggressive peers. Individuals with a history of claims and accidents will end up paying significantly more on insurance premiums throughout their lifetime.

Shopping around on a regular basis for the best rate is key in all situations. Insurance companies use complex algorithms in determining risk of a driver, which ultimately results in corresponding insurance premiums that need to be charged to cover the perceived risk of a given individual. Young drivers can always expect to pay more for insurance coverage, however by taking advantage of any applicable discount programs, savings can be had. Overall, the safest of drivers will always end up with the best rates.