Car insurance is an expensive part of driving and this is especially true for teenage drivers. Unfortunately teenagers have an abysmal safety record when it comes to driving and this results in very high insurance premiums. Many people find that when they add their teenage driver to their insurance policy there rates double and even triple. This is because of the enormous risk that teenage drivers present. There are ways that you can reduce the cost of insuring a teenager but there is no getting around the fact that it is going to be expensive for the first few years of a teens driving life.
The best way to keep car insurance rates down for teenage drivers is to make sure that they are good drivers. Although insurance companies offer discounts for teenaged drivers who take a drivers ed course statistics seem to indicate that they have no real impact on driver safety. There simply isn't enough time to learn what is required to drive in the time that is available for these courses. Recognizing this many states now have graduated licenses that require far more training and restrict driving privileges during the first few years. These states have a much lower accident rate amongst teenagers and consequently lower insurance rates. Even if your state doesn't have graduated licenses you can still reduce your teenagers insurance rates by providing more training and restricting them to daytime driving and limiting the number of passengers.
Statistics show that it is far more dangerous to be on the road at night than it is during the day. Not only is it harder to see at night but there is a much greater risk of drunk drivers. This is why even adult drivers get a lower insurance rate if they limit their driving to the day. This applies even more so for teenagers and is why a number of states restrict nighttime driving for teenagers. The number of passengers in a vehicle will also affect the insurance rate, common sense says the more people in a car when an accident occurs the more people will get injured. Teenagers who drive with passengers also tend to get involved in more accidents because of the distractions. Restricting your teenager to daytime driving with no passengers can significantly reduce the insurance premium.
Teenage drivers can get a significant reduction in insurance premiums by raising their deductible. This is actually true for all drivers but applies especially to teenagers. Insurance isn't really supposed to be used for minor damage it is intended for the major accidents, far too many people use insurance improperly. Raising your deductible can result in a huge saving in the cost of insurance since there won't be any claims for fender benders, which should be paid for out of your pocket anyway.