December 14, 2010

Three Ways In Which Parents Can Help Children Lower Their Auto Insurance

Children who reach the legal driving age are often confronted with the harsh reality of high car insurance quotes, and most quickly look for ways to find lower auto insurance premiums that are affordable given their limited incomes. For parents, it's a great opportunity to help children understand how car insurance works, why it's important for every driver, and how looking for auto insurance online can yield better premiums for drivers of all ages. If your children need lower auto insurance costs, here are a few tips for helping them find cheap premiums with great coverage.

First of all, make sure that the child understands the risk factors that lead to high auto insurance rates in the first place. Insurance companies charge more for younger drivers because they're inexperienced and more likely to drive recklessly. Explain to the child that avoiding risky behavior will avoid an increase in insurance rates down the road. Often, the cost of insurance is a better incentive for safe driving than safety for teens. You should also recommend a safe vehicle if the teen hasn't selected a car yet. Again, explain that safer vehicles are better for lower insurance rates because of insurance company actuarial tables which track the possibility of car insurance claims. Look at cars with your teen and explain how different safety features like side airbags might lower insurance rates–and more importantly, why these safety features are worthwhile in a vehicle.

Getting a new driver to take a defensive driving course can relieve many parental fears and can lead to much lower auto insurance quotes. While teens may blanch at the idea of taking another driving course right after driver's education, doing so can yield savings of 20% or more off of the cost of a new driver's car insurance policy. As the courses are usually very easy to complete, it's often a simple matter to convince stubborn teens to take them just for the car insurance savings that they provide.

Finally, look for auto insurance online with your teen. Try to find a few auto insurance websites that provide both auto insurance quotes and information about car insurance. These websites are a tremendous way to learn about all of the risks of driving that affect car insurance quotes. They can also teach teens about different types of car insurance and how they're used in an accident, which can be very helpful in the long run. By offering car insurance quotes from a number of different auto insurance providers, these websites also keep teen drivers' rates low, ultimately yielding savings that will last a lifetime.