Guide to Cheap Car Insurance for Young Drivers by Chris Robertson

As a parent whose teenager has just passed the drivers license test, you might be wondering if it's possible to find cheap car insurance for young drivers. While it might be difficult to find insurance as cheap as your own, there are some steps you can take to ensure the best possible rate.

Encourage Drivers Education

The first step to getting a more affordable rate is to encourage your new, young driver to take a drivers education class. Most high schools offer this class as an elective. Drivers Education teaches new drivers all the rules of the road as well as defensive driving techniques with hands-on experience. Sure...you can try to teach your teen to drive on your own, but Drivers Ed instructors are trained and experienced in teaching teens to drive. Insurance companies favor teen drivers who have successfully completed a defensive driving course. This can help lower your teen's car insurance right from the start.

Emphasize Laws of the Road

Make sure you teen driver understands the laws of the road and how serious the penalties can be for breaking the law. Teens tend to think that "just a little speeding" won't hurt or some young drivers may not pay attention to proper signaling or stopping all the way for traffic lights and stop signs. Your teen should understand that penalties can be stiff for teen drivers who break the law, and that every negative item that reaches his/her driving record will also affect their insurance premiums. Some insurance companies will cancel a policy if they feel a teen driver is demonstrating reckless behavior while driving. This means your teen may have to wait several years before re-applying for car insurance. So the best way to get cheap car insurance for young drivers and to keep it affordable is he/she must be a safe driver.

Add Your Teen Driver to Your Own Insurance Policy

Instead of opening a new policy for your teenager, add them to your policy as an additional driver if you are the primary driver of the vehicle. Your discounts will be applied to their policy, thus, making their premium much cheaper for starters. Check with your insurance company about driving with a beginner's permit. Most teen drivers using a permit are automatically covered under the parent's policy.

Avoid Sports Cars

Sports cars can ruin parents' chances of getting cheap car insurance for young drivers. Most car insurance companies frown upon sports cars, especially for teens. Rates are exceptionally higher for sporty cars, even if your child is a safe driver. Explain to your teen the added costs of owning a sports car and how it will affect all other household finances. On the other hand, buy a car for your teen that's affordable and with the latest safety features if possible. Certain safety features can also help lower your teen's insurance premium.

Encourage Good Grades

Some auto insurance companies reward students who consistently get good grades or have a high GPA (grade point average). These rewards come in the form of discounts on their auto insurance. Getting good grades often reveals a teen's character in other areas of life, including driving! Insurance companies realize this fact and offer discounts to those students who "make the grade." You can even encourage continued academic success by giving the money saved through discounts on insurance to your child each month or quarterly. Surely your teen would like a $50-$100 bonus on their allowance for spending money!

Shop Specifically for Cheap Car Insurance

Cheap car insurance for young drivers can be found more quickly using the Web. If shopping for new insurance for your teen, use car insurance comparison websites to see what various companies have to offer. Check out their financial rating and Better Business Bureau status. Also, compare the types of coverage offered for your teen driver and the premium amount for different coverage. Some car insurance agencies specialize in young drivers, so these might offer more discounts than your current insurer.

Make the most of your teen's early driving years with coverage you can depend on and afford. Check out online sites today to find a reputable company that offers cheap car insurance for young drivers. You'll never regret taking these steps!