Adding a teenage driver to your auto policy

A new driver in the house changes the auto policy. Insuring a teen adds to the cost, and adding another driver can be costly.

What the insurer needs

Give complete and correct information, such as the make, model and year of the car the teen will drive, because the quote depends on those details. The premium for a teen on an expensive, newer sports car can be considerably higher.

Discounts to ask about

Some insurers offer these discounts:

• Two or more cars on one policy
• A good student driver under age 25
• A driver education course
• Airbags or other safety equipment, and anti-theft devices
• Auto and home insurance with the same company

Rules for the car at home

House rules can limit a teen's driving hours, the friends in the car and the miles driven each day or week. The crash figures behind those rules:

• Night. The fatal crash rate at night for drivers 16 to 19 is about 3 times that of drivers 30 to 59, per mile driven.
• Passengers. Teen or young adult passengers raise an unsupervised teen driver's crash risk, and the risk grows with each one.
• Seat belts. Of drivers and passengers 16 to 19 killed in crashes in 2020, 56 percent weren't wearing one.
• Phones. In 2019, 39 percent of high school students who drove texted or emailed while driving at least once in the prior 30 days.

When to review the policy again

These events can change the premium:

• Adding or removing a vehicle
• The teen graduating from high school or turning 18

An annotated example

What to do next

Call the insurer before the new driver takes the car out alone. Give the details of the car they'll drive, ask which discounts apply, and write down the new premium. Set the house rules for nights, passengers and phones, and set a reminder to review the policy when they turn 18.