Saturday, March 7, 2009

Car insurance

By Tom Martens

One of the biggest days in any teen's life is the day they get their driver's license. But with that tiny piece of plastic arrive huge responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is auto insurance. Every newly licensed driver must arrange for adequate auto coverage.

Auto coverage for teenagers is very expensive. Teens are considered high-risk drivers because they are less experienced and have more accidents. You should not let that stop you from earning your diver's license, however. With a little planning, teens who drive can find ways to save money on their auto insurance premiums.

The first thing a teen driver needs to do is to get several quotes. These quotes should come from licensed insurance providers. Different companies define teenage risk in different ways, which means one company may charge you a lot while another company may only charge you a little. There is a lot of competition in the insurance trade, and an insurer who knows you are talking to a competitor, might, just might, be willing and able to offer you a lower premium. But you have to ask, and you have to be willing to negotiate. Fortunately, the Internet makes doing insurance research and shopping for premiums a lot easier than it used to be.

If you haven't already, look into taking basic driver education and/or defensive driving. Taking and passing these courses shows insurers that you are serious about driving safely. It allows them to rate your policy as a lower risk, and keeps your insurance costs down, usually about 10%. Talk to an agent about which courses are available to qualify you for a safe driver discounts.

Ask your agent if your company offers discounts to good students or students belonging to a club or organization. See if they extend a discount if your parents belong to a club or organization. Inquire about other possible discounts. This is where it's helpful to check on the net before you see your agent.

Another way to get a great discount on your car insurance is bundling. If you parents have home or life coverage, sometimes their insurance providers will bundle all your policies and offer a discount. Sometimes this discount can be really substantial. And check whether the insurance company offers discounts to household that have multiple drivers or own multiple cars. This is another terrific way to lower your car insurance costs.

If you are a newly licensed teen driver or will earn your driver?s license soon, contact a qualified insurance provider. They can answer whatever questions you may have about car insurance, examine your specific situation closely and make insurance recommendations so that you are properly insured and protected behind the wheel. It will take some time, effort and research, but you could end up saving a lot of money on your insurance premiums, which makes the investment worth it.

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