Car Insurance Deals

Getting insurance for a 17-year-old driver can be an expensive proposition. You have probably already received some quotes and may still be in sticker shock. Fortunately, there are ways to save money on insurance for teens. Here are some things to keep in mind when you’re shopping.

If you’ve already considered just getting your teen the state minimum coverages, you might want to rethink that idea. Suppose your son hits someone while driving home one night and totals out a brand new car? Is that $15,000 of state minimum coverage going to replace a car that’s worth $25,000 or more? No, it won’t. Your teen will be responsible for paying the difference. Since he is probably broke with no money of his own, and you are still legally responsible, you will ultimately be the one looking at a bill for the balance.

Another problem with carrying the state minimum coverage is the risk of lawsuits. It’s true that your daughter may not have any assets worth suing for, but what about you? Consider your home, car and liquid assets before deciding how much coverage is enough. Remember that you are legally responsible for this young man or woman until they are at least 18. Some states say that you are responsible until they turn 21. Protect your own assets by investing in higher coverage levels for your teen.

Something you may have wondered about is discounts for your teen. Most companies offer a good student discount. If your son never cared about getting good grades, this discount might encourage him to work harder at bringing home A’s. Most insurance providers don’t even require all A’s, they consider A’s and B’s to be perfectly acceptable.

You can also secure a discount car insurance for your 17-year-old by investing in a driver safety course. Talk to your insurance provider to find out about qualifying classes in your area. Whether your daughter wants to attend the class or not, make her take it. One idea is tie the use of her car to her performance in the class. There are two great benefits to this program. Your teenager will become a safer driver and you can take advantage of a nice discount.

If you haven’t actually purchased a car for your teen yet, consider getting one that has a few things going for it. You want it to be relatively inexpensive. Cars that will cost less to replace typically cost less to insure. Choose one that is relatively basic without a ton of electronic gadgets and gizmos. Again, it’s a cost of replacement issue. The more gadgets a car has, the more it typically costs to replace. Choose a car with plenty of safety features. Even cheap cars have airbags and anti-lock brakes these days. The safer the car is, the less it costs to insure. Make sure it has a theft deterrent system. If it doesn’t come with one, consider having one installed.

When you are purchasing insurance for your teen driver, consider adding collision and comprehensive coverage. These are only required for cars that are financed, so you can skip them if the car is paid for. However, consider the fact that this is a teenage driver and the chances are good that he or she will, at some point, strike a mailbox, fence post or other stationary object. Without collision, the subsequent damage will not be covered. Comprehensive coverage will take care of any mysterious damage that should occur while in parking lots.

There is no doubt that insuring a teen driver is an expensive proposition. The last piece of advice for saving money on it is to shop around. Comparison websites can help you come up with a list of companies along with their quotes and any special programs they offer. Taking the time to compare prices can be the single best thing you do to save money on insurance costs for a 17-year-old.