If you are younger than 25 you can expect to pay more for car insurance. This is not because insurance companies want to punish young people. Statistics show that although people from 16-25 represent only 11% of all drivers, they are involved in 25% of all accidents.
The good news is, there are things you can do to reduce your premiums, however, even if you will always pay more than older drivers. Young drivers pay 100% more for insurance than another high risk group of drivers, those from 60 to 74.
Available Discounts
If you are younger than 25, you will pay more for car insurance than older drivers. However, there are many things you can do to cut the cost of your premiums. Below are discounts available for young people that can help them save on car insurance.
Look for Student Discounts
Those who earn at least a B as a student can qualify for a good student discount.
The discount can vary from company to company but can be as much as $300 per year with some companies. It might be possible to save as much as 15% by taking a driver’s education class. It is also possible to save by taking a course in defensive driving, possibly as much as 10% (more on this below). If you do not drive as much as the typical driver, you might qualify for a low mileage discount.
Shop Around
Another way those younger than 25 can save on car insurance is by simply shopping around.
The amount you might save from one company to another might shock you. Some say a driver that age might be able to save $1,000 or more just by shopping for the best offer.
The reason rates can vary so much is that because a young person may not have much of a record to prove how good a driver he is, insurance companies consider other factors differently.
For example, the good student discount may be much greater with one company than another. Some companies actually charge more than their competitors because they are trying to scare inexperienced drivers away.
Add Your Parents Policy
If you do still live with your parents, the cost of your insurance might be lower if you are added to your parents’ policy. Again, how much can be saved varies greatly from company to company, so comparison shopping is important. One advantage of being on the policy your parents have is that some companies will allow them to designate you as being the driver of the oldest car.
Get a Policy with a Bonus Accelerator
Few people know about one-way young drivers and others can save on insurance. It is that those who do not make a claim for a certain amount of time get a bonus and get a reduction on their premiums.
One way young drivers, who don’t have much experience, is by getting a policy with a bonus accelerator. Such a policy may be for ten months, but a driver can get a full year’s bonus.
An insurance agent can also tell you what types of cars are the cheapest to insure.
Enroll in an online driver’s education course
I already mentioned earlier that getting student discounts by enrolling in a driver’s education course can help you save up on your insurance.
The great news is that most driving/traffic schools offer insurance discount courses online!
Below are two online schools that I highly recommend if you’re looking for more than a discount.
Both schools offer courses that have great quality. They have also proven their trustworthiness and good reputation after being around for more than a decade. They both have A+ ratings with the BBB as well.
First, we have iDriveSafely.com. This school has been a pioneer in offering auto insurance discounts. To know if you are qualified for an insurance discount, check first with your insurance provider. You can also check iDriveSafely’s website, select your state, and click on Driver Training & Traffic School to see if you qualify or not.
Meanwhile, MyImprov.com will not only help you save up on insurance costs. They also promise that you’ll have a lot of fun while learning different driving concepts. The course was designed by Improv comedians who have worked in Hollywood. I can guarantee that it is hilarious and far less boring than other courses. Plus, if your insurance provider is GEICO, you’ll be happy to know that GEICO is MyImprov’s affiliate partner.
To get the discount, you’ll need to complete their courses and secure a copy of your certificate of completion. Hand it over to your insurance company so that they can process your discount that is supposed to last for 3 years. Check with your insurance provider for more details.