Being a father of (3) teenage daughters can be very stressful, not only because I’m the only man of the house, but one of these days, they are not only going to be driving me crazy, but they will be old enough to drive a car.
I have been dreading the day that they are old enough to drive. My oldest daughter is now 16, and she has her learners permit. She has been focused on getting her license since she was 13 years old. She now wants to drive my vehicle every time we leave the house.
Luckily, I have prepared myself for this time in my life. I know that I have to eventually add her to my policy once she obtains her drivers license. I have (2) vehicles that are primarily used by either me or my wife, so when it is time to add her to the policy, she will be listed as an occasional driver in my household which does save us some money on our insurance premium.
I have also discussed with her ways that she can help me save money on my insurance premium:
- I have informed her that she will be taking an Approved Driver’s Education Course before obtaining her license.
- I have encouraged her to maintain good grades, so she will qualify for a GOOD STUDENT DISCOUNT once she is added to my policy.
- I have discussed the importance of vehicle safety, and have tried to be a role model by maintaining a good driving record.
There is always the discussion of her wanting her own car. I have explained to her that it will be much cheaper for now to add her as an occasional driver onto our policy, then to purchase a vehicle for her and purchase her own separate policy, or have her listed as a Primary Driver of a vehicle on our policy. I have explained the following statistic:
- According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ), teen drivers 16 to 19 years old are (3) times more likely to crash than a driver 20 years old and older.
- Teen drivers exhibit risky behavior that increases the odds they will have an accident, but around 25 years old, the rates begin to level out because their accident risk decreases.
Lastly, we discussed that responsibility is a key factor in calculating insurance rates, regardless of age. I told her that if she continues to keep up her grades, and continues to maintain a good driving record, that eventually we both will be comfortable with her getting her own vehicle in the near future. But it’s going to take some time, and eventually the stress of her being an insured driver will diminish, and we will then be able to obtain, and maintain a reasonable rate for insurance coverage.
Contact us today to see how a teen driver can effect your insurance.
Greg Clem, Personal Lines Customer Service Representative
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