I want to buy  my own first time car insurance as I am turning 19 soon. But my dad thinks it will not make my insurance cheaper. I want to know what the real deal is.

Michelle

Chicago IL

At age 19, you are still considered a young driver and usually rated as first time driver. And for this reason, car insurance companies will still charge you a high premium and this is because you are more at risk in meeting accidents, thefts and other mishaps. Also, teens are viewed as more happy-go-lucky which entail them to act less responsible at times.

If you wish to find less expensive first time car insurance, you can enroll yourself in a defensive driving school which can make you a more responsible driver. By doing this, you can show that to the car insurance companies that you can take responsibility.

Aiming for high grades in school allows your teen to get discounts since car insurance companies deem a teen more responsible with higher grades.

Finally, choose safe cars over sports car. This has been proven to decrease car insurance for your teens since sports car are more associated to car mishaps.

Reader’s Question:

My husband and I are going to buy a car for our son who is going to be a first time driver. What can we do in order to make sure that he can also get cheap car insurance here in Tennessee?

Donna

Memphis, TN

It can cost too much to have car insurance for first time driver because those who are below 25 years old are considered to have the highest risk to insure. It can be blamed on the statistics that show that young people are involved in the most number of car accidents. Insurers look into controlling their exposure on the road by giving higher car insurance premiums for drivers between 16 and 24 than drivers under a different age category.

An alternative in getting cheap first time car insurance is to add them to your current car insurance plan if he already has his permanent driver’s license. Your son can be able to benefit from some car insurance discounts as a named driver on your policy. Also, make sure that the car you will buy for your son doesn’t cost too much too insure. Older cars have lower premiums since the repairs/replacement parts won’t be expensive. If you plan to buy him a newer model car, make sure it has safety devices installed in it to lower the risk of having severe damages to the driver, passengers, other people and properties.

Nothing beats shopping around when it comes to getting cheap first time car insurance. In case you are looking into buying a used car for your son, be ready to inform the car insurance company about the make, model and year of the vehicle. By doing this, you can get accurate car insurance quotes from the insurers. These quotes can be beneficial in reaching a decision on buying separate insurance for your son or just include him on your car insurance policy in Tennessee.

Reader’s Question:

I was pretty excited about driving my own car until I learned that there is this thing called first time car insurance.  Well, I’m only 18 and still in college.  Why is it necessary?  I believe I’m a pretty careful person on the road.  Is it expensive?

Aaron

Concord NH

Driving is not just about having fun on the road.  It’s mostly about being responsible so that you do not hurt other motorists.  I believe you understand this because as you’ve said, you are “pretty careful”on the road.  Well, first time car insurance is not exactly a requirement in New Hampshire.  Your state is one among the few that does not require its drivers to carry insurance policies with them when driving.  Instead, a driver who opts not to have first time car insurance will pay $500 to the state in exchange.  That means, you can choose to pay that amount yearly or can choose to buy minimum car insurance for about $800.

Why is first time car insurance is important?  I’m sure you’ve heard of accidents on the road, both fatal and not.  For non-fatal accidents, a driver gets dents on his car or little scratches.  If you happen to be the offending driver, you are required by law to pay for the expenses of the other person.  It’s not a problem if you have cash stacked in the bank.  But if you’re a student, It’s going to be a problem.  This is where car insurance can help you.  It will take care of car accident-related liabilities in the future.  If your car gets vandalized by unknown people or your car stereo is stolen, insurance can also take care of the expenses.  In other words, you’re like hedging against future losses.

As for premiums, car insurance for new drivers are more expensive compared to those who have established their driving records for years.  A new driver has less time on the road and could be prone to accidents due to inexperience and excitability.  Right now what you should get is at least the lowest coverage you can afford. When you have graduated from college and has your own job, you can go upgrade your car insurance policy then.

I’m a new driver and looking for a first time car insurance.  How do I go about finding discounts and getting a good deal on my rate quote?

Sandy

New York City NY

Getting your own personal car is one of the most exciting things for anyone.  I’m sure you’re excited about having one of your own now.  One of the responsibilities that a new driver should know about is a first time car insurance.  Being new, most drivers won’t know where to go and get a good deal.  Usually, the first offer from an insurance agent is accepted without first consulting other firms.  You must not do this.

You have to visit online insurance sites to get the most value out of every dollar you’ll spent for first time car insurance.  What you can do is to go to Google.com or Yahoo.com and use the search keywords “car insurance quote.”  Since you’re female, you could add female to the keywords to give you a more focused search.  There are really insurance companies that provide good packages for first time car insurance particularly when the driver is a female.  Once you’ve chosen an insurance site, fill out the information form so that you’ll be given different quotes from different company.  If there is something on the list you like, check out the insurance company by going to the Better Business Bureau’s website.  If there’s nothing against the company, the search would yield a zero result.  After that, you can choose to apply online by clicking the apply button.  After the application form is filled out, click the submit button.  Within 24-48 hours, a representative from the company will contact you for any requirements they would require from you.

One thing you need to be ready of is that the price tag for a new car insurance is not usually cheap.  This is because you’re still going to build your reputation as a driver.  If you do well within 2-3 years, your next application would be a breeze.