Sticker Shock-kids On Car Insurance

[monarchsfan16]

my car insurance was already through the roof but now it's probably about to go up (accident leaving school, involving...yup another teenage driver). the good student discount helps some, but they should really increase that, because we do work hard for our grades, and I have found, from talking to friends, that those of us with better grades think things through more thorougly on the roads. I know I also get a discount for taking driver's ed (and just a basic course at that)...even though driver's ed is required to get a license under age 18 in nh. they had told us that the price would go down after i had had my license for a year, but not sure what will happen, since the accident was around 10 months of having a license. Thankfully my mother pays the insurance, otherwise I would not be driving at all. For me it is a necessity because all the high school kids in my town are tuitioned to the next city over for school. I'll take 20 min in a car any day over being on the bus at 6 am for an hour long ride. Also with activities at school, it's pretty difficult for my parents to deal with transportation. Getting my license at 16 was allowed, because i needed to get it.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by KarenC
I'm not looking forward to the cost of insurance but we will be in line at the DMV when they open the morning of his 16th birthday.

Better check into that....I remember going down on my 16th birthday only to be told that I had to wait until the day AFTER my 16th birthday to get a permit.

 

[C.Ann]

My DD worked part-time and paid the difference between what our insurance was before and after..

Once she graduated from high school, she got her own car (used), her own insurance policy, and paid for it all herself..

 

[peg2001]

Originally posted by KarenC
I'd be interested to check back with you when you're kids are 16.

I'll try to remember to post back in 9 years and let you know how it is going. I didn't drive until I was 18, so I know that it can be done. To be honest, insurance costs are just one of the reasons we plan to wait before lettings our DDs drive. There are other more important ones. I also don't intend to let me DDs ride in cars driven by teens so you can probably write me off as



Peggy

 

[sue1013]

Car insurance rates are crazy especially in NJ. Both my kids have paid their own insurance. I feel drivng is a priviledge and if they wanted to drive they needed to be responsible for paying for it. Most of my friends pay for their kids insurance using the exuse they can't work they have sports or other activities. My kids have or had sports that kept them from working part of the year also and they learned to work around it. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think teaching your children that if something is important to them they can find a solution is a bad lesson.

 

[KarenC]

Originally posted by peg2001
I'll try to remember to post back in 9 years and let you know how it is going. I didn't drive until I was 18, so I know that it can be done. To be honest, insurance costs are just one of the reasons we plan to wait before lettings our DDs drive. There are other more important ones. I also don't intend to let me DDs ride in cars driven by teens so you can probably write me off as



Peggy

I'm a fiercely protective mom as well...but, I've found that as my kids give me reason to trust them, I'm willing to accept things I said I'd never allow. The best example is co-ed sleepovers after high school dances. What kind of crazy idea is that and who are these parents who let their kids do that??? Well, as I got to know the kids and other parents I softened up on this idea and allowed it under certain circumstances. My daughter never gave me a reason to regret this. DS still is not allowed, because I think he's still too young. I've learned never say never.

Back to driving, I remain very concerned about the risks of teenage drivers. DH works for a major insurance company so we've got access to lots of statistics What we've learned is that the best way to avoid accidents is to give kids lots of practice. Good drivers get that way through experience. The reason teen drivers have so many accidents is because they are new drivers, not necessarily because they are teens. (Okay, being teens certainly doesn't help the situation!)

DS drives himself everywhere we go now--with DH or me in the passenger seat. I like the idea of having them gain experience while I still have parental control over them--at 18 they often demonstrate more poor judgement than they did at 16. And they are legally adults and have the "you're not the boss of me" attitude. I recently read a study that confirms this--the human brain continues to develop into our early 20's. At 18, the part of our brain that controls judgement is undergoing changes and the judgement of an 18-year-old is biologically impaired. Of course, this is in general and every kid is different.

Illinois has a new law that new drivers cannot have more than one passenger during the first six months that they hold their license. I think this is a good idea to limit distractions.

Prayers and pixie dust are definitely needed for all of us parents of new drivers.

 

[KarenC]

Originally posted by aprilgail2
Better check into that....I remember going down on my 16th birthday only to be told that I had to wait until the day AFTER my 16th birthday to get a permit.

Already been there. In Illinois, you can get your permit the day you turn 15 and your license the day you turn 16. Our DD was the last of her friends to turn 16 and could not wait another second to get that license. Fortunately, she passed the test on her first try.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Originally posted by KarenC

Illinois has a new law that new drivers cannot have more than one passenger during the first six months that they hold their license. I think this is a good idea to limit distractions.

NH put this law into affect last January, the day after I got my license. I fell under the old law, which was that I had to have a "responsible" adult over the age of 25 in the car with me whenever I drove for the first 90 days. NH has had the "graduated license system for awhile. Unfortunately most teens just break the law anyway (I didn't, because I'd be in more trouble at home then just having my license taken by the state), so the laws seem to do no good...just my experience.

 

[Chris2597]

We have our 18 yr old son on our insurance and the rates have doubled. Our carrier told us that they insure the teen driver on the most expensive car in the house, because they could possibly drive any vehicle in the home. He has a 10 yr old truck, with liability only....but his insurance is high because my dh and i have new cars....
Also, our carrier told us that any licenced driver (dependent child) living in the home must be insured and once a driver is put on the insurance it is very difficult to remove them. We asked about the option of getting him his own policy...they said no....that since he is a minor....and dependent we could be sued for his action and they would be liable/.

 

[KarenC]

Originally posted by Chris2597
Our carrier told us that they insure the teen driver on the most expensive car in the house, because they could possibly drive any vehicle in the home.

Maybe this varies from state to state...so I could be wrong here but, I'd shop around if I were you. That's not the way all insurance companies handle it.

When we added our DD, our agent figured out which of our cars it would be cheapest to rate her on. It turned out that the car she was driving was the car that was cheapest to insure her on. So she's listed as the primary driver on that one and that's the car our rates went up on. Even though she's away at college, and we're getting a discount for that, she will remain the primary driver on that vehicle. When we add DS, he will not be listed as the primary driver on any vehicle and will be rated on my minivan. If he is driving any of our cars, he will be covered. I'm still holding my breath to see how big the impact is of his driving.

 

[lisajl]

We are in the same boat. Our DD is now 18. She took the drivers training course, but not until she was 17. She then broke her foot, turned 18, and had to do two more driving lessons after that.

She finally got that out of the way, but she did not want to get her license yet. So, my DH has been sitting in the passenger side while she drives to work. Then we go back and get her. She drives home of course.

She will be paying for her own insurance...period.
There is no way we can afford it for her. It is a privilege to drive, not a right.

BTW, KarenC, I believe you! Our daughter has been driving since she got her first permit. I think she is really, finally ready, to get her license. Experience is the best teacher!

We are making her an appt. at the end of the month at the BMV.
We will still be riding with her if she gets her license. That is what a friend of ours did with her daughter, too. Just to be on the safe side.
(Especially through the winter months here in Ohio).

Lisa