Finally getting their driver’s license is really exciting for any young person and getting their first car is even more so. Getting their own car gives a teen freedom and means no more waiting for their parents to pick them up or begging someone to drive them somewhere. It’s thrilling stuff.
Buying first time car insurance is generally very low on the list of exciting car related activities in the mind of the average teenage driver, but you can bet it’s very much on their parents minds, especially when it comes to getting the best deal.
All car insurance companies base their rates partially on driving record and credit history so every young driver is already at a financial disadvantage when it comes to the cost of car insurance. They really do not have any kind of driving record yet and very few young people have much of a credit rating either.
What makes matters worse for those seeking young driver car insurance is that the statistics that all insurance companies rely on a great deal to access risk don’t usually paint a picture of young drivers as very good or careful ones either.
Year after year, these statistics show that drivers under the age of 21 end up in the most accidents and involved with and responsible for more vehicle damage, both to their own car and other people’s than other age groups. Sadly, as any Dallas DWI attorney can tell you, teens are also right up there in those DWI/DUI and distracted driving accident figures as well, making them an even poorer risk as far as insurance companies are concerned.
Shopping for Car Insurance for a Young Driver – Getting Started
So the idea that a new teen driver’s car insurance is ever going to be “cheap” is a very unrealistic one. However, there are a few ways to find less expensive car insurance for first time drivers.
Taking the time to shop around and compare a number of quotes really helps. Even though they see young drivers as the biggest risk to them, the car insurance companies still want their business. With a little research you will find that many insurance companies offer discounts for good school grades. The logic behind this discount is that a young person who can rise above peer pressure and maintain good grades is a more responsible one and likely to be a better, safer driver. Young people who work part time can often be offered a similar discount as well.
Learn About Car Insurance Basics
Before buying a young driver an insurance policy they are going to pay for themselves, the very best thing anyone can do in order to get the best possible coverage at the best rates is educate yourself – and them – a little about the different levels of coverage that are available for the vehicle they have chosen to drive.
You see, the vehicle a person drives can make a big difference to the cost of their insurance policy. If it were up to a lot of young drivers, both males and females, their first car would be as sporty and as sleek as possible. Such a car may not be very good for their insurance rates though.
Sports cars are more expensive for anyone to insure, whatever their age or driving record. Again statistics are what insurance companies look at here and the stats show that a sporty car is just not as safe as say, a nice hatchback. Couple together a sports car and a teen driver and most car insurance companies are going to charge the highest rates they can! Cars with great safety features score extra discounts as well, and as a parent they’ll give you some extra peace of mind as well.
Therefore if you are a the parent of a younger driver shopping for a first car take the time to run the car they are considering through an insurance company’s online quote service. By doing so you may find that it’s the cost of insuring the car, not its actual on the lot price tag, that makes it a prospect that is just too expensive for you – and them – right now.
