Revisiting Your Auto Insurance When your Teen Starts Driving
by adminWhile it can be hard to accept that your teen is ready to hit the road, that day comes quicker than you think and it’s important to be prepared mentally and financially. If you have a teenager that is starting to drive and will be driving the family vehicle, it’s essential that you speak with your auto insurance provider about your policy to make sure that you have the proper coverage for your teen’s drive time. Here are some things to investigate before your teenager gets behind the wheel.
Where do they live?
If you have a younger teen who just received their learner’s permit and is still living at home, your auto insurance coverage may be sufficient if it covers all drivers sharing the household. If your teen lives on-campus or elsewhere and is sharing the family vehicle you may need to insure them separately by adding them to your policy as an additional driver. The last thing you want to do is make assumptions about your coverage. Even though your teen is still your family, they may not be covered once they move out of the family household.
Can they get their coverage?
Depending on the ownership dynamics of the vehicle your teen will be driving, who is paying the associated bills, and how often they will be driving the vehicle, you may want your teen to obtain their auto insurance rather than share yours. There are many variables when it comes to choosing the right policy for your teen driver. Taking your questions to an insurance provider is the best way to figure out what sort of setup works best for your family. If your teen owns their own car and it is registered in their name, they will need to have their own policy. However, insuring teens isn’t cheap because of their limited driving experience. It may be more economical to be the primary owner of the vehicle and add your teen driver to your policy.
Business or pleasure
Sometimes, when teens take up driving and start sharing the family vehicle the purpose of the family vehicle shifts. While that minivan may have been listed as pleasure use for a decade, if your teen is picking up regular shifts at the local restaurant and driving themselves there often, it would be wise to speak with your auto insurance provider to determine if this changes your vehicle’s purpose on your policy. They can answer your questions about how the vehicle’s main use is determined, and how to properly insure it under any circumstances.
While there isn’t much peace of mind to be had when your teen starts driving, you can ensure your teen is properly covered with the right auto insurance from an expert provider like Prime Insurance. Having your questions answered by professionals can give you the confidence to know your newly minted driver is covered, just in case.