Many parents will buy their teenagers their first used car shortly after they turn sixteen. Once mom or dad has helped their teenage driver find a good and reliable used car it is time to find car insurance that won’t cost them an arm and a leg for their new driver. New drivers will typically have higher premiums than older drivers who have more driving experience.
Even though new drivers are considered inexperienced, the premium that you pay doesn’t have to empty your checking account. In fact, parents can save a little bit of money by using their existing insurance policy. Many companies will offer “multi” discounts. This means that if the policyholder has more than one car on their policy, then they will usually get a discount on the additional cars. Other insurance companies will offer auto and home insurance together and this can make paying your insurance even easier. If you are adding a new driver and car to the policy you may receive multi-driver and multi-car discounts.
If the new driver has had a driver education course such as Driver’s Ed in high school, then you may also be able to receive a discount. Many schools offer these courses and if they do not, you may find them available through private companies. You can also take the course and receive a discount for both you and your new driver. Many insurance companies offer these discounts and because many states are requiring that students take these courses, then the situation is even better for you.
Some insurance companies also offer a Good Student discount. These programs award students by offering discounts to students who make good grades in school. If a student also takes a defensive driving course voluntarily, you may also be able to save by sending the certificate to the insurance company, as most insurance companies offer defensive driving discounts as long as the course was not a requirement for a speeding ticket.
Teens have higher accident numbers than any other age of driver. As they progress from being 16 to 17 to 18, their driving gets better as they gain experience. This is why it is important to be prepared for teen car insurance to be more expensive when they first begin driving. They are a higher risk because they tend to be involved in many more accidents. As a parent, you will need to expect to pay that higher premium, but as the teen becomes more experience you can expect that premium to begin dropping on a yearly basis. To make car insurance more affordable for your teen, you should be prepared to budget in that amount when purchasing them a used car.
Car insurance is also a good opportunity for students to learn responsibility. They should be able to help parents pay the premium through summer or part time jobs. They should also learn the effect that a traffic ticket or accident will have on their premium. They will also be able to see how being a good student allows you and them to save money on their insurance.
For more Car buying tips visit Atlanta Used Cars at http://www.UsedCarsAtlanta.us and Dallas Used Cars at http://www.UsedCarsDallas.us.
Kevin Lloyd writes Car buying tips about Atlanta Used Cars at http://www.UsedCarsAtlanta.us and Dallas Used Cars at http://www.UsedCarsDallas.us.
Defensive driving courses generally help an individual to hone up his driving skills even if he has had his license before and is an experienced driver. The basic concept behind such a course is to make an individual trained so that he could react to the mistakes made by other drivers on the road and avoid an accident.
Defensive driving courses in a way assume that even if you drive carefully there are always those rash drivers who will either jump the red light or would take a sudden u-turn without making any signal, and you need to be ready when they do.
Most people enroll themselves for a defensive driving courses because having completed such a course not only makes his drive home safer, but it also entitles him to certain privileges. He gets a discount on his insurance premium, his points on his driving record get reduced, and to cap it all, some states even dismiss tickets issued against a person who has completed his defensive driving course.
Defensive driving courses can be attended either in a driving school or one can enroll for such a course online. Whatever mode he chooses, he should first clarify what courses satisfy his state’s requirements.
There are a lot of rules that a driver is taught to follow in a defensive driving course. The first and foremost thing that one needs to remember is to pay attention. The commonest explanation after an accident is that they had not seen the other man approaching. The only way out is to be alert, always. Another important rule to follow is not to trust any driver on the road.
It is always better to maintain a safe distance from a car in front. One should also remember that even if he follows the traffic lights someone else might not. It is also advised that under no circumstances should one not wear his seat belt. Many an accident injury could be averted if the people inside the car strapped themselves up properly.
A defensive driving course also emphasizes that a person should drive only if he is sober. Even if he is feeling sleepy it is advised that he should stay away from the wheel. It is also instructed that speed limits be followed strictly. A driver is advised to avoid all sorts of distractions while driving such as listening to the radio or talking on the phone.
One should also slow down in case of rain or snow. It is recommended that an eye should also be kept on the pedestrians and their pets so that nothing untoward happens if they stray on to the driveway. In fact one is also given tips regarding riding a bike, for example it is suggested that one wear a protective head gear while riding.
The list of such laws goes on. One needs to go through them thoroughly and put them to practice on the road. One becomes a much safer and secure driver and at the same time also gets to enjoy a few privileges for being so – this is the best part of such defensive driving courses.
Author: June Mala © 2006 http://www.nkpk.com
A driving school may be the answer you have been looking for if you are one who is looking to learn how to drive, lower premiums on your automobile insurance, or reduce the number of fines and tickets you have gotten. The court of law, may assign a particularly unruly driver (one who has gotten several tickets within a span of a year) to driving school. This could erase their driving record, prevent suspension or revocation of their drivers license. Furthermore, an accredited driving school can raise teenage drivers awareness on the etiquette and techniques of driving, which enables them to become better drivers.
If an agency has not designated a driving school for you, you can find the proper one by contacting your insurance agent or your state’s public safety office. There are several different categories of driving schools, it is important that you locate the type you are specifically looking for. For example, truck driving school, which is specific for learning to drive semi-trailers. Courses for truck driving school can run as short as three weeks all the way up to three months.
Another type of driving school is racing school; of course, this is completely different from the slow and safe manner of regularly driving schools. However, even new teen drivers could benefit from this training, as most will teach how to control pedal input and steering smoothly. Additionally, they teach on controlling the vehicle during changing lanes, emergency braking, and skid corrections. Racing school can cost anywhere from $1,095 to $3,250. Teen programs are slightly cheaper from $525 to $1,095.
When thinking in terms of teen drivers, parents may want to consider defensive driving school. Prices vary, but could cost somewhere around $375 for a one day class. In this glass, they will learn about skidding and correcting. As well as the property way to react in different occurrences such as wrecks or road conditions.
No matter, which type of driving school you choose to enroll in the best thing to remember that driving is not a privilege it is a right. It is important that when you attend driving school, they you do so with the utmost discipline and do not take it lightly. Everything you will learn in these classes will help you in the future on the road and could even work to save not only your life, but the life of other people as well.
David Evermon has been involved in many environment related projects, writing on many subjects related to the environment and project management his hobbies at http://driversinfo.zupatips.com
With auto insurance premiums rising across the country, comparing premiums for similar auto insurance coverage has become the ultimate test of your shopping savvy. Have you checked with every insurer to be sure you’ll be paying the lowest premium for the most coverage? Did you check on all the discounts for which you might be eligible, such as good-grades discounts for your high school student, driver’s education and defensive driving course discounts, anti-theft device price breaks, and multi-car rates? Putting it all together to know you’re getting the best price is challenging, but the money you’ll save on your premiums makes the extra effort well worth it in the long run. Follow these three steps to be sure you’re making the right choice.
First, log onto http://www.naic.org to find out if there are any online resources that pertain to your area. This is the website for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Find the link to NAIC States and Jurisdictions. From there, you can find out if your state or area has a website listing the current rates of local auto insurance companies. If so, you’re already a step ahead of the game. Just keep in mind that the rates quoted on these sites cannot take your personal situation into account. If you have bad credit or a poor driving record, your premiums will probably be higher than those listed on your local insurance commissioner’s website, but at least you can study trends of different companies in your area from an unbiased source, making useful comparisons that can save you time when you’re calling around. Even if your state doesn’t have a site, the NAIC website contains consumer guides with valuable information to which you may want to refer during your search.
Next, you need to shop around for coverage. Be honest with the companies you call or visit online about your personal situation, your insurance needs, and your driving history. When you receive a quote, confirm that you know exactly how much coverage is being offered for the premium amount mentioned. Remember that your auto insurance is actually a group of several different types of coverage. Ask how much coverage the quoted premium provides to you and how much each coverage is worth. Make sure you’re comparing similar plans, and know what’s required by law in your state.
Finally, it’s time to talk discounts. Once you’ve narrowed your choices, compare the discounts offered from one insurer to another. Get a quote on the final premium amount after all discounts are taken. One insurer may offer you two discounts good for 5% each while another may offer you only one discount. However, if that one discount offers you a savings of 15% total, it will make more sense to purchase your policy from the second insurer. Take a look at the bottom line (the final premium amount) for a true comparison.
Look at the information the NAIC has to offer you, shop around for the lowest premium and best coverage, and make sure you receive every discount to which you’re entitled. If you follow these steps, you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing you got the best auto insurance deal available to you.
Brad Stroh is currently co-CEO of Freedom Financial Network and http://www.Bills.com. If you would like more of Brad’s articles, please visit the Bills.com information on http://www.Bills.com/autoinsurance