Teen Drivers on Your Car Insurance

A teen driver on your car insurance is enough to make any parent's blood pressure rise. Teenagers have a reputation for being less than responsible and often are out there in the world doing things we don't know about and don't want to admit that they might ever do. A car, or even just the keys to the family car, is a sign of trust and a rite of passage for most teens. But there are consequences to poor behaviors and accidents happen especially when young people drive. Sometimes this can cause complications regarding whether it is better to put a teen driver on your car insurance or get them their own policy instead. Many parents will place a teen driver on their car insurance because they believe that it is cheaper than an individual policy. In many cases, this can be true. At least, it is true until there are a few incidents under his belt and he finally has an accident that wakes you up in the middle of the night.

Teen drivers on your car insurance policy can cost you your policy altogether. While some insurance companies will work with you, there are many out there that have created automated systems that recognize claims and count the number of claims that have been filed in any given time frame. These automated systems will raise your rates or cancel your car insurance policy without hesitation and without human compassion. Once you find yourself in this situation, there really isn't much that you can do to change things. You now have to go out and find a new insurance company (fast) which is most likely going to require that you pay out some higher rates. It is frustrating to say the least, but many teenagers on a parent's car insurance policy have resulted in this exact scenario.

Discount car insurance and car insurance companies that specialize in legal insurance without the perks will often cover your teenager for less than you might think. An individual policy for your teen helps protect you from having to pay for his mistakes for many years to come, well after he has grown up a bit, learned to drive more carefully, and has moved out of the house. This is especially useful if he is driving his own car. Many teens buy their first car (or their parents buy it for them) and it isn't really worth the extra coverage that collision would anticipate. If you can replace the car for $1000, then carrying a $500 deductible and paying out an entire year's worth of collision and you have already covered the replacement cost of the vehicle to begin with. There are many aspects to consider when thinking about carrying a teenage driver on your car insurance policy, but it is in your best interest to consider all of your options in the beginning.