June 22, 2010

What Teenage Drivers Need To Know About Auto Insurance Quotes

One of the most stressful times of a parent’s life is the first few months after a child gets a car. Driving is very liberating for a teen, but also very dangerous–not to mention expensive. Auto insurance quotes are usually much higher for teenage drivers, with teen boys paying the most, and premiums will skyrocket for teens that receive speeding tickets or get involved in traffic accidents. It’s important to teach teenage drivers how to keep auto insurance rates low early on, as it will help them drive responsibly and avoid potential insurance increases. Take a moment to gather a few auto insurance quotes and discuss them with your teenage driver.

Point out and explain important parts of different quotes, particularly coverage amounts. Explain to your teen that while states have minimum requirements for car insurance, it’s usually better to buy more than the bare minimum, especially early in a driving career. Explain each type of coverage, too, and what different coverage types provide for a driver, from medical liability coverage to special add-ons like roadside assistance. Make sure that they realize the potential costs of being involved in an accident without an appropriate amount of insurance. If the teen has a job, you can make these costs seem more realistic by putting them into terms they’ll understand–figure out how many hours they’d have to work to pay for even a minor fender bender without appropriate insurance coverage. Ask your teen if he or she has any questions, and if you don’t know an answer, ask an insurance agent.

Teenage drivers should always be told about the different factors that affect and change their auto insurance quotes. Call an insurance agent or two and ask how the cost of insurance would change for your teen if a traffic citation suddenly popped up on his or her record. While teens usually hear endless lectures in driver’s education courses about safely driving under the speed limit, you may have a much bigger effect on their habits by telling them that they’re responsible for all of the costs of a traffic ticket or accident, including auto insurance premium increases.

It’s never too early or too late to teach a teen about auto insurance quotes, and your insurance company will often be glad to provide additional assistance in the form of pamphlets, free quotes, and other valuable sources of information. Make sure that your teen understands how auto insurance works, and what they’ll need to do to keep their driving privileges. You’ll end up with a much safer teenage driver, good peace of mind, and lower auto insurance quotes for the entire family.