Learner drivers are usually teenage girls and boys who haven’t gotten their actual drivers license yet, but may or may not have already gotten their learners permit. Now the big question is – Do I have to have a learner insurance to be on the safe side of things when learning how to drive?
And here’s the deal:
If you’re a minor and don’t yet have a driver’s license – an insurance company simply will not allow you to have an insurance plan with them. You will need to get your driver’s license and then apply for insurance (which will be sky high if you decide to pay for it yourself).
Your parents can also add you to their insurance policy, which is what most people do. This is going to increase their premium payments, so the best thing would be to let you drive the oldest car (but with seatbelts and airbags) that they can possibly get so that they can pay less for their insurance premiums with you on their policy.
The way most auto insurance companies work is like this: you insure the car with the company and then basically include/exclude people from it. Usually in your household your wife or husband will be included on your auto insurance policy while your kids who do not have a driver’s license will be excluded. In the event that your son or daughter starts driving your car after getting their driver’s license, you can simply add him or her to your own auto insurance policy. You do not need to buy your kid his own insurance policy. If you want to see who’s listed on your car insurance policy simply look at the declarations page which shows you the vehicles insured, the limits on your insurance and other important information that you need to know.
Because all insurance companies are different in their policies it’s your best bet to call your insurance agent and find out if your kid is covered by your insurance plan when you’re in the passenger seat driving with him. The rule is that anyone who has your permission to drive your vehicle is also covered by your auto insurance, however different insurance companies might have different wording in their legal contracts so that there are exceptions to this rule and this is where you definitely want to be safe to avoid any potential financial trouble.
There are two discounts you can get for your teenage driver once she’s put on your insurance:
- Good grades discount
- Driver’s education class
Good grades discount means that you will get a discount for your premium in case your child gets above average grades (the average is stated by your auto insurance company) or simply stays in school.
Driver’s education class discount is a discount auto insurance companies must give you if you or your child has taken a Driver Education Class. This is valid in most states, however there are exceptions. The discount is usually 5%-10% and is valid for three years from the date of taking the driver’s education class. These classes usually cost from $45 to $60 and can save you from $80 to $200 (or more) within three years. Also, depending on the cost of your annual premiums you can be saving more each year if they’re higher and less if your premiums are lower. In any scenario, it’s a good practice for your child to pass a driver’s education class not only because of the discount (which will help due to the sky-high cost of teenager auto insurance) but also give your son or daughter confidence in their driving skills. (As it once gave me). Here’s the link to an article called First Time Car Insurance that talks about lowering your premiums and also avoiding some financial risk situations during accidents.
P.S. They teach a lot of neat things at driver’s education class such as parallel parking, driving on the highway, what it is like to drive intoxicated… you get the idea. Your kid will have fun during the class, no doubt about it.