The Importance of Adding Teenagers to Your Car Insurance

In the state of Pennsylvania, driver insurance follows the car more than the person. The best way for beginner drivers to learn quickly, get comfortable, and go on to be safe drivers is they learn to drive, do the driving test, select the safest vehicle for new drivers, and drive afterward continually, all in the same car—so that they are comfortable during their tests and safe on the roads.

Adding Teenagers to Car Insurance Saves You Money

In many cases, parents will be sharing their cars with their kids or passing down a car that’s in their name with existing insurance policies. Insurance premium costs are linked to the car’s mileage, and the levels of safety the model provides. However, the level of experience of the driver also plays an important role. Older drivers who have spent more time on the roads will be offered lower insurance deals than teen or beginner drivers.

While teens can get their own insurance policies, this is only if they have their own car, and it will be more expensive than adding them to an existing policy.

Is Car Insurance Expensive for Teen Drivers?

Yes. Teens’ lack of driving experience makes them more likely to have accidents, and so insurance companies are hesitant to sign them on. When they do, they demand higher premiums to protect themselves from the possible financial loss they might encounter in covering the costs of the teen’s accidents.

One silver lining in this scenario is the availability of a driving lessons insurance discount. Beginner drivers who go for professional lessons can get discounts on their insurance costs by providing certificates of completion of driving lessons. There are numerous packages available, including discounts for taking just a few lessons or significant benefits for those who complete whole driving courses.

Does a Teenage Driver Need Car Insurance?

Insurance is mandatory once you have a driver’s license. Learner drivers may use the car insured in someone else’s name until they have a driver’s license. However, it doesn’t make much sense to then get a different car from the one they learned to drive in. If the teen has a car they are using for the driver’s test, it must be under their own insurance policy beforehand, even as a learner driver.

Technically, there’s no type of car insurance exclusive to teenagers. No matter the age of a driver, they must meet a state’s minimum requirements for liability insurance. If the car is being financed, a lienholder will likely require collision insurance and comprehensive coverage as well.

If your teen is found committing an offense in your car without them being insured, you may lose discounts, be unable to file claims, or your insurance may be canceled altogether.

Why Add Your Teenager to Your Insurance Policy?

While learner driver insurance is possible, it is significantly more expensive than the costs of adding a teen to an existing insurance policy.

Insurance for learner drivers in Pennsylvania should only really be taken out if:

• You do not have a driver’s license or a car, and you don’t know a trusted, experienced driver who has insurance, a car, and is willing to include your child on their policy and lend the teen the car.
• It may be important to the teen, for whatever reason (a sense of independence, monetary earnings, etc.), that they buy a car. If this is the case, it would still make more sense financially for the child to pay for the vehicle, but for the car insurance policy to then be in an experienced driver’s name.

How to Add Your Teen Driver to Your Car Insurance Policy

• Keep track of your teen’s driving behavior; check in with them regularly and continue to provide support with practice and accompanied driving. The better the teen drives (and the fewer offenses), the lower your insurance payments will be.
• Get a quote for adding your child to your existing policy with higher liabilities—100/300/100 is usually best.
• Find out from your insurance broker when you must add your child, whether at the permit stage or when a license is obtained, as costs for this may differ between companies.
• Ask around at different car insurance companies, get multiple quotes, and find the best rates.
• Add your child at the appropriate time to your current policy or a new insurer with better rates. Ask for discounts with both (remember, if your teen gets professional tuition for the road, you can claim a driving lessons insurance discount).
• Shop around annually to check that you’re still getting the best deal possible, and find new possible discounts.

Is your teen gearing up to start driving? Take a look at our guides to passing your permit test and passing your driver’s test.

Related Resources

• Do You Need Insurance With A Learner’s Permit In PA?
• Drivers Ed Insurance Discount in PA
• How to Lower Your Car Insurance in PA