You knew this day was coming, but you certainly didn’t expect it to get here so fast… your child’s sixteenth birthday! Time flies, right? How can you be old enough to have a sixteen-year-old?
Alas, your child has a newly minted driver’s license and is feeling on top of the world. You, on the other hand, can finally see the end of shuttling the younger children to and from school functions. Things are looking great… until you call your insurance to add your child as a driver.
“It’s going to cost me how much more??”
Yeah, it’s pretty bad, especially if you’re adding a son as a driver.
Why does it cost so stinkin’ much?
Keep in mind that your child just started driving. How well did you drive when you first got a license? Remember back in the day, windows down, blaring Nirvana or Toby Keith, cutting corners a little too closely or maybe thinking you could make the red light that one time? You were new and made mistakes, right? Times may have changed but driving has not. The only thing that makes a driver better is experience.
It’s no secret that teen drivers make errors and don’t use their best judgement at times, which puts them at a much higher risk for tickets, violations, and accidents. Insurance companies know this and must price accordingly.
But why are my son’s premiums so much higher than my friend’s daughter?
It’s not just your son, or young men, for that matter. Males typically have higher premiums than females, thanks to driving statistics. On average, the numbers show that men are more likely to:
- Choose vehicles with faster acceleration
- Avoid using their seatbelts
- Get a speeding ticket
- Drive under the influence
Again, keep in mind that insurance companies must rate drivers according to their risk… and young drivers, especially boys, are a big risk.
Okay, makes sense, but is there anything I can do to lower the premium? Something, anything… please?!
Most insurance companies have a few items that will help lower premiums. For example, Ag Workers 6-month policy will accept Drivers’ Training credit for a discount and also has a Good Student discount for children who maintain a B-average or better.
Be sure to talk to your insurance company for complete details on discounts for youthful drivers.
Adding a teen driver to your policy isn’t the end of the world.
Give the friendly agents at Ag Workers a call. Ag Workers Insurance works hard to protect your hard work.
by Lara Dolloff