Auto Insurance Student Driver

admin — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 04:43:31 +0000

There are many issues, concerns, and considerations when thinking about automobile insurance for a student. Many of them have to do with discounts and savings, some have to do with options on coverages. Let’s dive in.

If the student is just getting their driver’s license, the parents can expect to see a hike in their insurance premiums. These hikes historically have been greater for boys than girls (though statistically girls are proving to have more accidents, so this trend is reversing). It is not unheard of for premium rates to increase as much as 50 to 100 percent. Yes, you read that correctly.

That leads to one of the primary courses of action one should take (whether you’re adding a student driver to your policy or not), and that is to do some comparison shopping. Not all insurance providers are created equal and one of the greatest differences may not become apparent until you see how they handle drivers in the 16 to 25 age range. It could pay you greatly to take the time and comparison shop.

The insurance industry is all a numbers game. That is they have researched which types of people tend to be better drivers (have less accidents and claims) than others. They have found a correlation between good grades in school and fewer accidents. Therefore, if a student maintains a B average they can qualify for a “good student discount” which may be as much as 5 to 10%.

Driver’s education program have become pretty much standard fare. Discounts do apply. Some states require such courses for a teen to get their license at age 16, otherwise, it will be at age 18. Driver’s education can provide a discount of up to15%.

Related to a driver’s education program is the safe driving programs that are specifically tied to some insurance providers. Some insurance companies offer their own driver’s safety program. Teens who apply for a complete these programs can qualify for another discount of up to 15%. Check with your insurance provider, or, this may be a consideration when doing your comparison shopping.

Another consideration that can greatly affect automobile insurance premium rates has to the with the car itself. Younger drivers (and many older ones) are greatly enamored with a certain kind of car – their dream car. Many times that translates into much higher premium rates. Cars with more safety features and less horsepower can be much less expensive to insure.

One final insurance matter that often applies to students has to do with short term auto insurance. Of course, the cheapest option is for a student not to be a full-time insured driver. That’s not always possible, but many university students can get by without having or using a car regularly. But the time does come when that person is going to have to drive. Temporary insurance can be secured for as short a time as one (1) day and up to twenty-eight (28) days. That may just fit the bill for a university student needing to drive home for a break or the end of a semester.

By: David Deffenbaugh

Auto Insurance For Your Kids

admin — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:31:37 +0000

Auto insurance can be very expensive for young drivers. Parents are often worried (with good reason) when a young adult reaches driving age. Here are some things that can help manage the risk and cost.

My opinion is that a young driver should generally not be given a car and insurance without cost or obligation. If the young adult has to work or make a significant household contribution they may have more respect for the privilege being granted. It could also be helpful to have a written agreement about your rules for granting driving privileges. In most states a parent can withdraw permission for the young adult’s driver’s license. This should be considered if the young driver shows recklessness. Many insurance companies have a young driver’s safety program. Your agent may have information on this. Your insurance agent may also be willing to consult with the new driver about how the family’s policy will be affected by an accident or ticket for the new driver. To help keep costs down it is very important for the new driver to avoid tickets or accidents. A couple tickets or accidents could result in the entire family’s auto policy costs to be extremely high!

The largest factor to holding down a young drivers insurance cost is to have liability insurance only on the new driver’s vehicle. That would only be advisable if the cash value of the young persons vehicle is low and you can afford the cost of losing it. The type of vehicle driven can also make a significant difference. (In general the type of car the young adult doesn’t want will have the lowest insurance cost, for example a station wagon vs. a high performance sports car.) Most insurance companies give a discount if the new driver completes an approved safety course. There may also be a good student discount. Check with your insurance agent about available young driver discounts. If the rate for adding the new driver doesn’t seem reasonable you may want to shop rates from different companies. One item that you should not skimp on is the amount of liability coverage. THE STATE MINIMUM IS NOT ENOUGH PROTECTION! Consult with your agent and be sure you and the new driver have enough coverage.

By: Glenn Lamb

Auto insurance » Safety Program

Auto Insurance Student Driver

Auto Insurance For Your Kids