According to a study released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly a third of all traffic related fatalities are caused by teenage drivers. This is because teen drivers are more likely to commit errors while driving, make poor decisions and drive at unsafe speeds. While insurance companies realize that some teen drivers are safe drivers, they have no choice but to go with the overall statistics when considering their rates. However, there are somethings that parents and teens can do to lower the premiums on their car insurance policy.
Keep Grades Up
Good grades usually reflect responsibility and good decision-making skills for a teen, and most insurance companies reward students for a good report card. Typically, parents need to submit a copy of the report card -- showing at least a 3.0 GPA -- to the insurance company via fax or mail. The discount stays on your insurance policy for up to one year before you need to submit a new copy. Keep in mind that college students, as well as high school students, qualify for this discount.
Traffic School
If you have a teen that gets speeding tickets, the judge may order traffic school. You will want to make sure they attend. It is usually an all-day thing on a Saturday. Once they attend the class the points from the speeding ticket will be removed from their record. Traffic tickets make the insurance premium go up. Not only will it help clear their record, it will help them reflect on their mistakes.
Choose a Practical Car
Car insurance companies consider teenagers with sport cars a higher risk than other teens. If you get your teenager a car that has four doors and air bags their insurance premium will be much lower than it will be for a teenager with a sports car. Teenagers are more likely to speed in a sports car. In addition to sports cars, some four-door vehicles tend to have high insurance rates associated with them. Typically, it's because the type of vehicle has a high-rate of being stolen. To ensure you're getting a good price, call your insurance company and go over the rates for various models before you purchase a vehicle for your teen.
Add the Teen to Your Policy
It is usually much cheaper to add the teenager to your policy than it is to have them get a policy of their own. If they are on your policy you can have them listed as a part-time driver rather than the primary driver. Insurance policies consider full-time drivers or the primary driver to be higher risk because they are on the road more so the insurance premium is higher. Plus, your policy likely has additional discounts -- like a multi-policy discount or a discount for being a long-time customer.
Keep a Good Attitude
Teenagers often develop a sense of invulnerability. They think that nothing will happen to them and as a result it affects their driving. It is often not lack of skills but attitude that causes them to be in an accident. You can help them with this attitude by riding along with them and watching how they are driving. Offer advice and encouragement and that will help them to get a positive attitude. With a positive attitude they will make fewer mistakes and that will help with the insurance premiums.
Emily Retherford - I am a professional freelance writer and a single mom! I love my career because it gives me the time to put my kids first. I like to be ...
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