Teen Car Insurance

Auto insurance for teen drivers can be an expensive prospect. Here's how to cut teen car insurance costs and keep your child safer on the road.

This page:

  • Describes ways to save on teen car insurance

  • Recommends the best cars for teen drivers

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Lowering teenage auto insurance rates

Adding a teen driver to your policy is always going to mean a higher premium. But there are a few ways to cut costs.

Make sure your teen drives safely. Even one ticket or fender-bender can send your teen's auto insurance rates sky high.

Take advantage of good student teen driver insurance rates. You could probably be saving up to 25% on your teen's car insurance if she maintains a "B" average or above.

Keep your teen driver insured on your policy, and list her as a occasional driver if possible.

Shop around. Teenage car insurance rates vary a lot from company to company, so get a few quotes. (We like ComparisonMarket and Netquote, because you can get multiple competing quotes from one easy online application.)

And last but not least, auto insurance for teen drivers gets cheaper as the car they drive gets safer and less expensive.

The best cars for teens

The key to making a safe driver out of your teenager is to give him the opposite of the car he'd like to drive.

The best cars for teen drivers are slower, bigger cars with a lot of safety features. Teens are very prone to accidents, especially ones caused by speeding, so the smaller the temptation, the better.

Older used models can be safe cars for teens as well, because they are less likely to encourage reckless driving behavior. As an added bonus, a used car can decrease the cost of auto insurance for teens too, especially if you drop collision and comprehensive coverages.

On the other hand, some experts actually believe the best cars for teenage drivers are newer model cars with their improved safety devices like airbags, antilock brakes, and automatic seat belts.

But, no matter how popular they are, SUVs are generally not safe cars for teen drivers. Not only can they encourage aggressive driving, but they are very easy to roll, which doubles the danger. A disproportionate number of teenage auto accident involve only one vehicle, so it's best to stay on the safe side.

Online auto insurance for teens

Now that you know how to choose the smartest coverage and the safest car for a teen, don't forget to shop around.

We like Netquote, because you can apply for a quote online, and then follow-up with an agent in your area who can better explain the costs and options associated with insuring a teen-aged driver.

ComparisonMarket offers a similar service, with instant quotes and instant online policy purchase.


Want more help choosing the right coverage and cutting insurance costs? Read the guide to car insurance options.

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