By JD Glass
Do you have a Teen Driver? There are 5 Ways to Save! As you already read in our Insurance and Teen Drivers, the newest of drivers have the highest of risks (and those numbers double for young male drivers), and this is part of what makes teaching teens to drive well, drive responsibly, and to protect themselves and others while behind the wheel, such a stressful experience.
And the truth is that while teens of the age 15-19 are only about 6% of the population, they’re not only 8% of the expenses related to vehicle crash fatalities and injuries, but sadly, in accidents involving teen deaths, 63% were driving at the time of the incident.
These numbers are alarming to everyone, from parents, to other drivers, and even the auto insurers. And they are aware that no matter how careful your teen is, they’re likely to face a higher accident risk. This is higher risk is why premiums for teens tend to be higher when compared to other drivers.
But there are still things you as a parent/legal guardian can do to help keep these costs under control.

Driving Lessons and Defensive Driving:

Enrolling your teen (or even yourself!) in a defensive driving course not only makes great sense from a practical perspective (practice makes perfect!), the majority of companies offer a discount for those that have completed one, and all you have to do is send in the certificate to your agent to begin saving!

Safest Car:

If you have more than one car, you can insure your teen under a multi-car auto policy which will cover all the drivers under it, and this means your teen is covered no matter which car they drive. But, if you can name a primary operator for each vehicle, name your teen as the primary operator on the safest car. This is the one that is not only the easiest to maintain (and repair if necessary) but also the one with the best safety features--and make sure it’s the one they use most frequently. Do that, and it’s likely to lower the premium overall.

Teen Policy Deductibles:

You already know that a deductible is the amount of money an insured driver pays for damage costs before the insurance begins to pay. Well, if your teen’s coverage includes collision and comprehensive physical damage insurance. If you increase the deductible, the insurance agent may be able to lower the premium.

Good Grades Count:

And not just in school, but out of it as well! Since studies show that teens with good grades are also the safest drivers, a B average of higher means your teen can probably qualify for a discount on their premium, if your insurer is one of the many that provides that.

Track That Teen:

Yes, there are apps for smartphones that allow parents and guardians to track what and how their teen does behind the wheel--and many insurers will offer you a savings on your rates if you do. To further incentivize teens and parents, there are companies that offer these programs for free, so make certain to ask so you can take advantage of it. When it comes to saving money on car insurance for young adult drivers, talk with the agent about which policy and program will work best for all of you.

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