When you first bring your child home from the hospital, it’s hard to imagine that just a few years later, they will be jumping behind the wheel taking off to meet friends. Even though the prospect of adding a new driver to the family can be daunting, our team put our heads together to provide the best tips before your teen hits the road.
The worst thing you can do as the parent of a teen driver is to not inform your insurance company of the new driver. Some parents attempt to do this in order to avoid premium increases but the risk greatly out weighs the rewards.
While teen drivers are generally expensive and your insurance premiums will go up, you may qualify for a few discounts.
Good Student discount: Students may be eligible for a Good Student discount of up to 20%, if they maintain a "B" or better grade-point average.
Student Away at School discount: Additional discounts are available for students who are attending school more than 100 miles from home without a vehicle.
Teen Driver Monitoring discount: Our Teen Driver Monitoring discount is dependent upon the presence of a permanently installed GPS within the vehicle your teenager primarily operates, or if the teen is enrolled into an eligible app on their smartphone.
Setting expectations with teen drivers is important. While setting hard curfews may sound like a good idea, the last thing you want is your teen racing home to beat your curfew in order that they don’t get in trouble. Instead, tell them to be home around the specified time.
When your teen is riding with you before they get their license, talk through normal driving procedures as they happen on the road. This is especially important when driving conditions are less than ideal. When driving in heavy rain, dense traffic, or late at night, explain to your teen the basics of what you are doing and why you are doing it. You may get the cold shoulder or an eye roll but they will remember this whenever they are inevitably in this position.
Show your new driver where you keep the vehicle's registration and proof of insurance. In case they are ever involved in an accident or pulled over by police, this will serve them well.
As an adult with assets to protect, carrying the proper insurance is incredibly important. Instead of carrying state minimum insurance that saves you a few dollars, we recommend that all of our clients carry umbrella coverage that protects parents and teens in a worst-case scenario. For many clients, simply bundling their home, auto, and umbrella policies off set a significant portion of the added expense.
Handing over the keys to a new driver can be stressful. Our team has helped countless new families protect what matters most by identifying the right insurance for them. Call us today to learn more.
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