October 1, 2010

Special Auto Insurance Discounts For College Students

College students are young, ambitious and ready to hit the road and learn all they can to prepare them to go out and enter the work force and make a difference in the world. The problem with being a college student is that since they are usually young, auto insurance quotes tend to be high. This makes it difficult for the student on a very tight budget to afford insurance. There are some discounts that every college student or parent of a college student should check into.

The first discount to check out is especially useful for freshmen who head off to school without transportation for the first year. Many insurance companies offer a deep discount on auto insurance quotes to parents who keep students on their policy even though they are away and not in the position to be driving much. It allows students to maintain continuous coverage in case they do have the opportunity to drive while at college or during visits home, but the rate is much lower than normal because the insurance company recognizes that the students will not be driving the majority of the time. Keeping a non-driving student on insurance also makes it easier for that student to acquire insurance at decent rates later because of the continuous coverage. One thing to keep in mind with this discount is the distance from the home to the college or university the student attends. Obviously, if the student is attending within a few miles of home, this discount will usually not apply because the insurance company assumes that the student will still have easy access to a vehicle.

Another important discount to ask about when getting auto insurance quotes is the good student discount. If a college student maintains good grades, the insurance companies recognize that that student is more likely to be responsible and less of a risk than the student who is receiving poor grades. In essence, the student is rewarded for working hard and getting good grades. In order to receive this discount the insurance company will require proof of grades. The freshman can use the final high school report card until receiving the first college one. After that, insurance companies usually require an updated copy of the report card each semester to ensure that the student is maintaining good grades.

One other thing that may help lower auto insurance quotes for college students is a defensive driving course. Many insurers offer discounted insurance rates to policyholders who complete a defensive driving course.

Auto insurance quotes can be discouraging for the college student looking to save money, but by shopping around and asking about these discounts, rates may be better than you think.