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Adding a teen driver to your insurance policy?

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If there’s a new teen driver in your household, you need to insure them. Adding a teen driver to your policy can be expensive, so check with your agent or insurance company first. They’ll help you find discounts and other ways to save money. Here’s what you need to know.

Teenager driving a car

  1. Get those grades up.

    Teen drivers with good grades or test scores can get discounts on auto insurance, but they vary by company. Some of the discounts can last for years.

  2. Take a safety course.

    Teens who complete a driver’s education course usually get a discount.

  3. Keep the car at home.

    If your teen driver is away at college and your vehicles stay put, you may get a discount. If your teen takes a car to college out of state, you don’t need to change your policy unless you register the vehicle in that state.

  4. Use a telematics app.

    If you let your insurance company track your teen’s driving habits with a phone app or device that monitors their vehicle, you’ll usually get a discount. If they drive safely, that is.

  5. Get the right vehicle.

    It usually costs less to insure an inexpensive vehicle, or one with a good safety rating. If the car’s inexpensive, it also might make sense to skip comprehensive insurance, which covers things like theft and hail damage and just stick with collision insurance. Collision insurance covers only wrecks.  

  6. Add them to your policy.

    It’s usually cheaper to add a teen to your policy than to buy a separate policy for a young driver. Visit HelpInsure.com to find and compare auto insurance policies. You can also increase your deductible to lower your premiums. 

  7. Teen still learning?

    Learner’s permits are a bit different. You aren’t legally required to have insurance for a teen with a learner’s permit, but you should always let your insurance company know if a teen is learning to drive in your vehicle. If you don’t tell your company you have a student driver and your teen gets in a wreck, your insurance company could deny your claim, void your policy, or refuse to renew it.

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Questions? Call us at 800-252-3439.

Last updated: 4/12/2023