Car insurance premiums skyrocket by as much as 130% when a new teen driver is added onto an already existing policy and may even rise by as much as 40% if the new driver receives a traffic citation or receives an auto accident. Luckily, there are numerous ways to lower insurance premium payments for a teenager driving without driving. In fact, many insurance companies will offer discounts for a driver’s parents or guardians having their child insured in addition to them.
There are several ways that parents can reduce the cost of insurance for their teen drivers. Parents can choose to drive an older model car with higher safety features, such as air bags, anti-lock brakes, anti-theft devices and an anti-theft system. Parents should check with their current auto insurance provider to see what type of coverage and prices they are currently paying.
Another way to save money on insurance is by getting the appropriate endorsements from a safety school and getting a driver’s license after passing a basic test. This will ensure that the teen driver will be properly trained to safely operate a vehicle. The license also provides proof that the driver has a full understanding of the laws related to operating a vehicle and will result in lower premiums for the child’s insurance.
Getting a driver’s license is also beneficial because it will entitle the driver to be licensed for a certain amount of time before he or she turns 16. For instance, a driver who is sixteen years old and has a learner’s permit (a state issued card with only limited driving privileges) can drive for a period of two years. If he or she is still under age sixteen, the driver may be allowed to drive only one hundred eighty thousand miles per year, which is about two hours per month on average. The driver must be prepared to undergo a comprehensive driving course after passing the written test.
Once a driver has obtained his or her driver’s license, he or she can begin taking courses and receive additional training in order to obtain a driver’s permit (driver’s license) with additional privileges, such as unlimited mileage or a four-wheeler that has been modified. or improved. Additional courses can usually be taken after the teen has graduated from high school or obtained a GED.
The teen can also opt to enroll in Driver Improvement or Defensive Drivers classes. These classes can help reduce premiums and the cost of insuring the driver. Drivers Improvement classes are offered at a local high school, community college or a driving school and cost less than one hundred dollars per hour.
To get started in a defensive driver’s class, a parent must complete a free written exam and complete two defensive drivers coursework online. If the teen passes these exams and courses, the insurance companies will issue a driver improvement certificate after meeting some requirements. The certificate will then entitle the teen to lower insurance premium payments.
After the completion of the courses, the teen may continue to meet certain requirements, such as completing a driver’s education class. To qualify for defensive driving classes, the parent must take a driving class after he or she graduates from the driver’s education program and pass an examination. Passing this exam will also qualify the driver for discounts in premiums as long as the teen has passed his or her initial course and meets other criteria for eligibility.
Defensive driving classes are not for everyone, so the teen should first talk with his or her parents and decide if he or she wishes to enroll in such classes. Also, the teen may want to get insurance quotes and compare them before making any commitments. The best way to do this is to call each company and ask for information.
Once the teen has completed defensive driving courses, he or she must have a minimum of two hundred and twenty hours of supervised driving time (about eight hundred hours if the teen will be enrolled in Defensive Drivers classes) before becoming a driver’s license holder. Although defensive driving courses can shorten the length of time required for teen drivers to become licensed, they are not a substitute for parental supervision and approval. If the teen does not receive approval for a driver’s license, he or she must complete a driver’s education course in order to obtain one. If he or she fails this requirement, he or she will not be able to take defensive driving classes.
Defensive drivers also receive higher premiums because they have a higher risk than a licensed driver who takes regular driving lessons. Defensive drivers are much more likely to be involved in accidents. If the teen is involved in a wreck, the cost of his or her vehicle repair will be higher and the premium will go up even higher. If a defensive driver is involved in an accident that costs the other person serious damage, the insurance companies may require him or her to pay for damages that are beyond his or her means of repaying, such as paying for repairs and medical bills.
