Car Insurance for a 17 Year Old

When shopping for car insurance for a 17 year old you will undoubtedly notice the higher cost for this coverage than the cost of coverage for a seasoned driver. Don't fret; there are ways that you can find discounts for this pricey expense even without scrimping on necessary coverage.

Insurance for teens can be costly.

Most seventeen year old drivers do not have a long driving history, and this makes potential auto insurance companies nervous. Without a solid history of driving, and without the valuable experience gained from years of driving, drivers are at a potentially higher risk for auto collisions, speeding tickets and other instances that may raise the cost of car insurance exponentially.

Searching for car insurance for a 17 year old will be different than searching for car insurance for a person with years of driving experience. Some insurance companies won't insure drivers of certain ages, so this can make the process of finding adequate coverage frustrating.

On the bright side, a seventeen year old with one year of driving experience may pay less for car insurance coverage than a sixteen year old who just obtained a license.

Parents may have success in simply adding the seventeen year old to their existing auto insurance policy. Even though a driver of this age will almost always cause a steep increase in monthly policy premiums, adding the minor driver to an existing policy may be a more cost effective method for getting coverage. Most insurance companies will charge less for a seventeen year old added to an existing policy as opposed to an entirely new policy solely for the teen.

There are other ways to save money on a car insurance policy for a young driver:

• Good Student Discount: Your seventeen year old will only qualify for a good student discount if he or she meets the grade point average (GPA) requirements of the insurance company. Typically, insurers like to see a student with a GPA of 3.5 or above, although this number varies from one company to another. Keep in mind that documentation will be required to claim this discount; it is not enough to simply make the claim that your teen is a good student. Be prepared to present copies of report cards or transcripts to the insurance company before you can claim this discount. As new grades are issued, you may have to resubmit proof as well.
• Miles Driven: A seventeen year old who generally only drives to a nearby school campus will usually pay less in auto insurance premiums than a seventeen year old who drives a long distance every day for school and for a job. The justification for this is simple; the less time a teen spends on the road, the less likely he or she is to get into an accident.
• Safe Vehicle: The higher the safety rating on a vehicle, the better the opportunity for a safety discount on an insurance policy for a seventeen year old. A seventeen year old driving a tiny sports car with very little safety features will pay more than a seventeen year old with comparable driving history and a safer vehicle.

The discounts offered to young drivers depend on the insurance company. It is a good idea to start with the insurance company that currently covers your automobiles to find out what discounts are available and then do some comparison shopping among other insurers to find out if there is a better deal available. It may be true that another insurance company altogether will have the best coverage at the lowest price.

Not all insurance companies offer car insurance to people who fall into this age group. Look to larger insurers like Progressive or Geico for car insurance coverage for your seventeen year old driver.

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