I’m 18 and I am shopping for car insurance. I am quite frustrated with the high rate quotes that auto insurance companies are quoting for me. Why is this so?

Paul

Los Angeles, CA

You should not be surprised that car insurance for teenagers is more expensive that you have thought. Car insurance is expensive because statistics reveal that young drivers are involved in more cases of car collisions and damages. Car insurance companies base their rates on this statistic, which makes it hard for you to get cheap car insurance.

Likewise, young drivers like you do not have the years of driving to speak of. Because you may have started driving for a maximum of 2 years, your driving history is too short. You are still an unproven driver. Car insurance companies will regard you as a risky driver, thus you will be given expensive car insurance for teenagers.

But fret not. You can still lower your charges. First, you must enroll in a defensive driving course. Take one with a company that is recognized by your insurer. You should also try to do good in school, since students who have high grades in school are considered responsible and thus low risk drivers by car insurance companies.
Ask for discounts, you never know what you might be able to get and how much you can save by asking. Some popular discounts can be given for:

1. Military personnel

2. Good grade students

3. Union membership and bank member affiliations

4. Safe drivers with no claims in last 7 years

5. Defensive driving school attendance

6. Clean credit history – used by many carriers to determine payment risk

Hi. We just got a new car here in Austin, Texas. My son has been pressuring us to let him drive. But we’re having second thoughts about it because when we asked for a quote from our auto insurance company, the rates were just too high. Would you know how I can save on teen driver insurance in the Austin area?

Rush

Austin, TX

Hi Rush. Sadly, getting a teen driver insurance or adding a teen driver to your policy will cost you more than you would expect. The good news is, there are several ways of bringing this rate down for you. So read on. First of all, the best way to get the best rate is to compare between several automotive insurance providers in Austin. Of course, I wouldn’t want you to waste your time going to different offices or making several phone calls. The easiest way to do this is to go online and look for those nifty new websites that give free car insurance quotes. If you have two or more cars, check which car they list your teenage driver under.

There are some companies that will include your teen driver on the policy for your most expensive car, thus giving you a higher premium than if they listed the teen with the cheaper vehicle. If you do this, make sure you don’t let your teen drive the more expensive one. Another way would be to have your teen take some Driver’s Education classes.

Some companies offer a discount to teens who read up on their offered courses. Another way could be to volunteer to pay for a higher deductible. This would cost you if your child ever does get into an accident but would save you on your premiums.