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Teen drivers/ Insurance


DawnM
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We called around but found adding the kids on to our existing policy with our current insurer (State Farm) gave us the best rates with our discounts (multi-car, accident-free whatever number of years, etc).   For us, it didn't make sense to start over with someone new.  

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Our current insurance (Kemper) is $135/mo for three cars for DH and me driving.

 

We are told adding my son (16) will be an additional $135/mo for a 2002 Saturn VUE or $210/mo for a 2012 Honda Accord.

 

So, our insurance will be either $270 or $345.

 

 

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We have used GEICO for 15 years and when ods got his license and car, they originally quoted us twice our then current rate.  I said no thanks and began calling around.  

 

When I got a more reasonable quote, I called GEICO to cancel our policy and they 'miraculously' found some special discount for us that wasn't available 2 weeks earlier.  So, our insurance went up $600/year for ods and a 3rd car, which he pays for.

 

Dd just got her license and our insurance increased again by $250/year, which she will pay for.  It will go up a bit more when she buys a car and we'll then have 4 drivers and 4 cars.

 

We also have our home owners insurance with Geico.

 

 

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Insurance for teens is painful.  We have USAA.  My daughter has her own car (an '02 Jetta so nothing fancy... but because of its issues we did opt to go with the roadside assistance since it was cheaper to do it on our insurance than through AAA).  My husband and I driving two 2012 vehicles was $103 a month.  Ani and her car added $128 a month.  She's paying for it.

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We called around but found adding the kids on to our existing policy with our current insurer (State Farm) gave us the best rates with our discounts (multi-car, accident-free whatever number of years, etc). For us, it didn't make sense to start over with someone new.

This was how it went for us. I was surprised after calling around that State Farm was cheapest. We put off adding a third car for a long time because of the insurance. Ds 18 went away to college at same time we added ds 16. We have ds 16 on an old car with just liability insurance.

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We have Geico.  Best rate we could find.

 

We might go with them for home owners once our current policy is up.  Their home owners isn't actually Geico, but Travelers.

It is? does it say Travelers on their policy? Or does it say Geico?

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Haven't read the other responses. I've been getting quotes, though dd doesn't have her license yet. Our best quote was from our current insurer, Liberty Mutual. It was around $250 a year to add her. I thought that was very reasonable and less expensive than other quotes I was getting. She does need to take a 6 or 8 hour safe driving course, sign a safe driving contract, and she is on honor roll. Those all helped reduced the rate. Our cars are older, a 2002, 2005, and 2010, so that may also be a consideration.

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Has anyone looked into Metromile or esurance pay-per-mile? It's a low base fee, then per-mile rate. When you go over 150 miles in a day, all the mileage is free--it's a trip or something.

 

This would be ideal for some young people--or some parents--but I haven't checked about age requirements.

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I'm not sure if this holds true across states but my neighbor was telling me that if they have their permit for a longer period before getting their actual license it greatly reduces the rate. In other words, if you can get them their permit upon turning 15 or what have you with a full year of driving before license at 16, your rate would be better than if they only had their permit a month or two. Her insurance didn't bother to tell her this though until after the fact. I still need to call our insurance and ask, but we still have a year until permit time.

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I'm not sure if this holds true across states but my neighbor was telling me that if they have their permit for a longer period before getting their actual license it greatly reduces the rate. In other words, if you can get them their permit upon turning 15 or what have you with a full year of driving before license at 16, your rate would be better than if they only had their permit a month or two. Her insurance didn't bother to tell her this though until after the fact. I still need to call our insurance and ask, but we still have a year until permit time.

Also, No insurance cost in my state for teens with permits. It is only when they get their licence when they begin charging.

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I called 4 companies yesterday.  It took over 1.5 hours.  UGH.

 

Gieco was cheapest, but DH is reading that their home owners stuff stinks as they outsource for that and people have had issues with claims.

 

Our state with Geico uses something other than Travelers.  DH can't use Travelers but could use this other company.  Homesite I think it was called.

 

Do any of you have one company for home and another for auto?  I don't know what our rates would be with that, I will need to call back to the two we are looking at.

 

 

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Yup, it is awful.  We just added our 20 year old, who never took drivers ed and just got her license onto our policy and she is currently using my car when I don't need it.  It was almost $1,000 a year to do so, but she is paying us monthly for the increase.  Youngest has her permit and she is a high honor student who took drivers ed so she won't be as expensive but that's coming up for us by spring.  We have Liberty Mutual.

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I called 4 companies yesterday. It took over 1.5 hours. UGH.

 

Gieco was cheapest, but DH is reading that their home owners stuff stinks as they outsource for that and people have had issues with claims.

 

Our state with Geico uses something other than Travelers. DH can't use Travelers but could use this other company. Homesite I think it was called.

 

Do any of you have one company for home and another for auto? I don't know what our rates would be with that, I will need to call back to the two we are looking at.

I have been with State Farm for over 30 years. We have all our vehicles there, our home and our life insurance. Totals 240 per month....not including ds16. His dad pays his, also,through State Farm and it adds $144 per month.

 

If I had to pay for Ds's he would not have such a newish car.....I think I priced him on our older 2003 eclipse and it was about $50 more per month.

 

Edited to add SF has a Steer Clear program ds completed.....and ds had drivers Ed.......and good grades. All those things gave him a discount with SF.

Edited by Scarlett
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I called 4 companies yesterday.  It took over 1.5 hours.  UGH.

 

Gieco was cheapest, but DH is reading that their home owners stuff stinks as they outsource for that and people have had issues with claims.

 

Our state with Geico uses something other than Travelers.  DH can't use Travelers but could use this other company.  Homesite I think it was called.

 

Do any of you have one company for home and another for auto?  I don't know what our rates would be with that, I will need to call back to the two we are looking at.

 

We do have our home and auto policies separate right now. Our home owner's increased about $150 per year when I switched our cars to Geico. This was nothing compared to the auto insurance savings we had when we switched. We have 3 young drivers on my policy and making the switch to Geico was about $200 per month cheaper. 

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We had State Farm.  We did find USAA was more affordable *if* you qualify to use them. (Former military service.)

 

Something to think about - it is cheaper to buy a "new" crappy, $1500 car with liability than it is to carry them on a car for full coverage.  DS costs us about $35/mo if I remember correctly but it's because he bought his own car and he paid $1200 for it.  Saves a ton.  DD did the same thing - bought a twenty year old Toyota and carries liability.

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Travellers.  Ours doubled with DD, from about $80 to $160/month.  Three older cars with liability only.  DH's car recently died, and he got a newer car.  Haven't seen how that's going to affect us yet.  

 

Sorry.  It sucks. 

 

ETA, we have all insurance at the same place.

Edited by goldberry
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We do not license the kids before 18. Our rates go up enough as it is without adding two additional years to the pain.

 

Our rates have doubled to have an 18 yesr old and a near 20 year old. The 18 is not a primary driver on any vehicle nor did he take a car to college, but they still upped our rates a ridiculous amount. Of course due to Michigan being a No Fault state, our rates are through the roof anyway.

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We have State Farm.  One newish car with full coverage and two older cars with just liability.  We have clean driving records.  For Dh, myself, 18 ds on "away at school" status, and 16 yo ds our bill is $166/mo.  This includes a small life insurance policy for me which gave us a bundle discount.

 

State Farm was able to assign ds to the oldest/cheapest car.  I think that is $60/mo of the policy.  When we called around some companies required the riskiest driver to be assigned to the most expensive car.  That would be very bad deal for us! Not sure all companies allowed the "away at school" status.  

 

It does make us hesitant to buy any newer cars.  Ds also knows that his rate will skyrocket with any tickets or accidents and he will have to be responsible for the difference.  

 

 

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We do not license the kids before 18. Our rates go up enough as it is without adding two additional years to the pain.

 

Our rates have doubled to have an 18 yesr old and a near 20 year old. The 18 is not a primary driver on any vehicle nor did he take a car to college, but they still upped our rates a ridiculous amount. Of course due to Michigan being a No Fault state, our rates are through the roof anyway.

This kid will be 17 about 6 weeks after he is eligible for his license, but we NEED another driver. My 18 year old refuses to drive and now that I am working, well, it is difficult.

 

My 18 year old has a social group (he has Asperger's) and for me to go get him after work and come back up, take an additional 40 miles in traffic.

 

Thankfully, another kid lives somewhat near us and I pay him to go down and pick up my son. I just meet him there and can drive him home from there.

 

But their activities are such that it would be VERY helpful to have an additional driver to get people places when DH and I are working.

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This kid will be 17 about 6 weeks after he is eligible for his license, but we NEED another driver. My 18 year old refuses to drive and now that I am working, well, it is difficult.

 

My 18 year old has a social group (he has Asperger's) and for me to go get him after work and come back up, take an additional 40 miles in traffic.

 

Thankfully, another kid lives somewhat near us and I pay him to go down and pick up my son. I just meet him there and can drive him home from there.

 

But their activities are such that it would be VERY helpful to have an additional driver to get people places when DH and I are working.

 

 

Yes it is very helpful.  I am so thankful ds16 is able to drive now.

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