Cheap Car Insurance for Young Drivers in 2024 (Save Money With These 10 Companies!)

Travelers, Progressive, and Allstate are our top choices for cheap car insurance for young drivers.

A driver’s license is a turning point in every teenager’s life, but it does not come without a cost. Usually, it is in the form of more expensive car insurance rates for young drivers. But, there are some ways to find cheap young driver insurance rates, starting with shopping at the cheapest companies.

Our Top 10 Company Picks: Cheap Car Insurance for Young Drivers

Use independent rating tools to check the stability of insurance companies, and always pay attention to what customers are saying about the auto insurance company you’re questioning.

Read on to learn more about finding cheap car insurance for a teenage auto insurance policy. You can also use online tools to find the cheapest young driver car insurance. Use our free comparison tool to compare rates from different companies.

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#1 – Travelers: Top Pick Overall

Pros

• Policy Discounts: Travelers has plenty of young driver discounts.
• 24/7 Support: Travelers offers constant support on young driver policies. Learn more in our Travelers review.
• Coverage Options: Young driver insurance can be customized easily with add-ons.

Cons

• Customer Reviews: Travelers’ customer ratings could be better.
• Claims Processing: Slower claims processing times have been reported by a few customers.

#2 – Progressive: Best for Competitive Rates

Pros

• Competitive Rates: Progressive’s rates for young drivers are competitive. Read our Progressive review to learn more.
• Snapshot Program: Teens can earn lower rates if they do well in the Snapshot program.
• Coverage Variety: Teens can be fully protected on the road with options at Progressive.

Cons

• Customer Service: Responsiveness from customer service isn’t always rated well.
• Snapshot Rate Increases: Poor Snapshot scores may increase rates.

#3 – Allstate: Best for Coverage Options

Pros

• Coverage Options: Allstate has plenty of add-ons to protect new drivers on the road. Learn more in our Allstate review.
• Claim Guarantee: Allstate guarantees satisfaction on claims, so unsatisfied customers may get a discount.
• Online Convenience: Allstate’s app is useful for teens who want to manage policies and claims online.

Cons

• Claim Satisfaction: The efficiency of claims processing has some complaints.
• Best for Teens Joining Policy: Teen rates are cheapest if teens are added to an existing policy.

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#4 – Farmers: Best for Customizable Policies

Pros

• Customizable Policies: Farmers’ policies for young drivers can be customized. Read our Farmers insurance review to learn more.
• Safety Discounts: Teens who drive cars with safety features will have lower rates.
• Local Agents: There are some agents available locally.

Cons

• Claim Experience: Farmers’ claims processing could be slightly improved.
• Online Tools: Tools for online management may not be as good for ease of use.

#5 – The Hartford: Best for Defensive Driver Discount

Pros

• Defensive Driver Discount: Teens who take a defensive driving course will get a discount (learn more: The Hartford car insurance discounts).
• Repair Shop Network: You can choose to get your car repaired at a trusted repair shop.
• Coverage Options: The Hartford has add-ons useful for teens, such as roadside assistance.

Cons

• Best for AARP Members: The Hartford’s specialty is older drivers with AARP memberships, not teenage drivers.
• Claims Satisfaction: Rated as average by most customers.

#6 – Liberty Mutual: Best for 24/7 Support

Pros

• 24/7 Support: Young drivers have access to support constantly. Read more in our review of Liberty Mutual.
• Good Student Discount: Good students under the age of 25 will get a discount.
• Add-On Coverages: Fully protect new drivers with add-ons.

Cons

• Customer Service: Less personal as Liberty Mutual mostly provides online support over local agents.
• Discount Options: This could be limited by young drivers’ location.

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#7 – State Farm: Best for Personalized Service

Pros

• Personalized Service: State Farm is more personalized because of local agent availability.
• Student Discounts: State Farm discounts young drivers who are good students or away at college.
• Policy Options: State Farm has plenty of options to protect younger drivers.  Read our State Farm car insurance review to learn more.

Cons

• Financial Rating: State Farm has a lower financial rating than its competition.
• Online Capabilities: Agents are needed to finalize most policy actions.

#8 – Nationwide: Best for Accident Forgiveness

Pros

• Accident Forgiveness: Some teens may be able to avoid increased rates from accidents.
• Bundling Discount: Bundling auto insurance with renters or home insurance lowers rates.
• Young Driver Discounts: Nationwide has Nationwide car insurance discounts specifically for young drivers.

Cons

• Online Management: Online tools may not be as simple to manage.
• Customer Service: Service isn’t rated highly by all Nationwide customers.

#9 – American Family: Best for Customer Service

Pros

• Customer Service: American Family customers have left mostly good reviews.
• Accident Forgiveness: Some families may avoid increased rates after accidents.
• Coverage Options: Plenty of great coverages for teens are sold. See what’s offered in our American Family review.

Cons

• Availability: American Family is not sold in all locations.
• Bad Drivers: Teens with DUIs, accidents, etc., will have higher rates.

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#10 – Erie: Best for Youth Discounts

Pros

• Youth Discounts: Erie has a good array of discounts for youth drivers.
• Coverage Options: There is a full range of options for young driver policies. Read our Erie review for more information.
• Rate Lock: Rates are locked at Erie and only change unless there are policy or driver record changes.

Cons

• Availability: Not all states carry insurance from Erie.
• Claim Filing: Erie claims can’t be filed online.

Types of Car Insurance for Young Drivers

If you remember back to when you first started driving, there may have been a lot of learning curves. No matter how much education you get in a classroom or a driver’s education course, there is no better teacher than experience.

Unfortunately, that usually means that mistakes are part of education, and sometimes, those mistakes can be quite costly. Experience, in this case, means that you will see lower costs. You’ve had time to practice safe driving habits. However, if you’re a teen driver, you’ve just started your driving journey, and insurance companies are going to take that into consideration.

Read more: Best Car Insurance Rates for Young Drivers With Points

No matter what type of car your teenager is going to drive, he needs to carry liability insurance for it. Since young drivers are more prone to be responsible for accidents, it is a good idea to purchase more liability insurance than the state requires as a minimum.

This is more expensive in premiums, but carrying the best car insurance for young adults will pay for itself if there ever is an accident for which your young driver was at fault.

The type of car your young driver is going to be using may or may not warrant comprehensive or collision insurance. If the car is a beater car with little value, you may be able to save the expense of comprehensive and collision insurance.

However, if the car becomes damaged or totaled, there will be no insurance payout, so the cost of repairs or replacement will have to be out of pocket. If the car is a newer car or a car that still has market value, then it may be a good idea to add the additional coverage to the insurance policy.

What to Look for When Shopping for Young Driver Insurance

What should you look for when shopping for car insurance? To find cheap car insurance for young drivers, secure several quotes for comparable coverage to see who can offer you the most affordable rate. Keep in mind that rates will differ by gender.

While this is currently changing, there are still statistics out there that rate drivers by their gender. Finding cheap car insurance for young female drivers will be easier than finding cheap car insurance for young male drivers.

 

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Other factors determine a driver’s payment. Auto insurance providers usually look at credit scores, marital status, and driving records. While most drivers have a wide range of variables, some of these won’t apply to a teenager who has just started driving. Always ask what factors are being used to determine a young driver’s rates.

Make sure you are comparing the same deductibles for the same coverage amounts as well. This will help you get a fair picture of who can truly offer you the cheapest car insurance for teenagers. Narrow down your choices to two or three selections.

At this point, your next step should then be to check young driver car insurance reviews to see the following:

• How long they have been in the insurance industry
• What is their average financial strength rating is
• How their customer service is reviewed
• How many payouts do they have on the average
• What their claims to payout ratio is
• How fast their claims handling process takes

Looking at these factors will help you pick a reputable company.

When To Shop for Young Driver Insurance

When should you shop for car insurance for young drivers? Car insurance rates for young drivers are 68% higher than rates for adults. Comparison shopping can save you up to 20%. Insurance companies base insurance premiums on age groups and the risks associated with those particular age groups.

Typically, young adults have the highest rates of accidents and are the most unsafe drivers on the road. Even if your teenager is a safe driver, they will be viewed as a high-risk and will have to pay expensive insurance rates

If you have a teenager who is getting ready to get your drivers license, you should probably start looking for car insurance quotes for a young driver right away.

There are many factors that can determine your premium rates, but typically young driver insurance is expensive.

Young drivers are considered the riskiest drivers for an insurance provider to cover, so they also charge a premium price to provide insurance for those drivers.

Insurance Obstacles for Young Drivers

Since car insurance for young drivers is so expensive, it is tempting to buy the cheapest car insurance you find. However, there could be pitfalls with that method, so be very careful when choosing a car insurance provider.

If car insurance is cheap, but the policy is severely lacking or flawed, you may end up without the coverage you and your young driver need.

Also, if you choose a car insurance company that is not reputable or has a sketchy financial rating then you may end up not being able to collect on a payout.

Another risk factor is choosing a little-known car insurance company that is not legitimate. It could be a fraudulent company taking your premiums and then disappearing when it’s time to pay a claim.

Review every car insurance policy very carefully. Wording can be everything in an insurance policy, and if you have a claim with an insurance company that is questionable at best, you may find yourself fighting for your benefits in a court of law.

Depending on how the policy is written, the judgment may be in favor of the insurance company, which means you will be out-of-pocket for the car damage costs and your court costs as well. So while you should shop around, be careful of the final choices you make.

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How to Save on Young Driver Insurance

What are some ways that a young driver can save money on car insurance? Start by shopping at cheap companies for young drivers.

Car Insurance for Young Drivers: Monthly Rates by Coverage Level & Provider

One great way young drivers can reduce their premiums is to do their best in school. Many insurance companies give discounts to students who have exceptional academic performance. Keep in mind that in some cases, this only applies if they are a full-time student, so ask before assuming you’ll get a good student discount.

Safe driver car insurance discounts are another great way to save on young driver car insurance. Auto insurance rates can also depend on the vehicle that will be driven. One of the main factors used to determine insurance premiums is the year, make, and model of the vehicle. Newer cars are more expensive to insure, while the cheapest cars to insure for teenage drivers will be older cars with a myriad of safety features.

Buying a safe, older vehicle will drastically reduce the amount of money spent on insurance and will also provide a safer driving experience. Additionally, you will have peace of mind knowing that you are in a safe and reliable car.

Safety is extremely important with teenagers since they have the highest fatality rates among drivers.

Vehicles that operate at high speeds and that have a ton of “fun” features can distract young drivers, but insurance companies reward those who make choices based on safety when it comes to purchasing a car.

Drivers Education Courses

Another one of the top young driver car insurance tips is to sign up for driver’s education courses.

Most students have the opportunity to take these classes at school. However, there are additional courses that can help equip young drivers with the proper knowledge needed to operate a vehicle safely.

Driver’s education courses teach drivers the laws for their particular state as well as the importance of driving safety.

Taking these courses prior to obtaining vehicle insurance will help to decrease rates. In fact, substantial defensive driver car insurance discounts are given to teens who complete these courses. While some states require teen drivers to take driving courses in school, many states do not. If you do not have any courses in your particular town, you can sign up online.

In addition to driver’s education courses, here are some other ways that you can get cheap car insurance as a young driver:

• Add yourself to your parent’s car insurance policy
• Work with insurance agents that cater to new and young drivers
• Ask about specific discounts you may qualify for
• Compare rates between companies at least once a year

Getting young drivers’ insurance quotes directly from sites like Travelers or using online insurance rate comparison tools are the best ways to shop for cheap insurance for young drivers.

You can get rates from a variety of companies right from home without calling around different agents or insurance providers. With online insurance quote comparisons, you have the ability to research a number of companies.

College Student Discounts

What happens when a teenager gets ready to go to college? When teenagers go away to college, this presents their parents with another chance to obtain more affordable car insurance for young drivers. Not only is there an option for a student discount, but there are also ways to reduce coverage while they’re away at school if they’re leaving their vehicle at home.

If these teens can be convinced to leave their vehicles in their parents’ garages while they are away at school, their rates can decrease as a result. If teenagers are going away to college and they are taking their vehicles with them, they can still qualify for some of the lower car insurance rates.

Please note that those who are moving to a new state will need to purchase car insurance in that state.

Obtaining lower quotes means stressing the fact that they are low-mileage drivers. College students who are living on campus or close to it can qualify for the low-mileage discount. While teens are in school (high school or college), parents can coach them to work as hard as they can to earn the best grades and teach them as many safe driving habits as possible.

Car insurance companies will offer cheap car insurance quotes for young drivers or a reduction in rates when parents present proof that their teenagers were high achievers in their schools.

Cheapest Vehicles for Young Drivers

What should you look for when purchasing a vehicle? Cheap car insurance for teenagers is easier to get if they drive the most economical cars. Parents then have the opportunity to purchase a used car for their teens that is safe as well as inexpensive.

Furthermore, used cars often do not need to be covered by collision and comprehensive insurance coverage. However, don’t let this deter you from buying your young driver a new vehicle if that’s what you want to do. There are a variety of ways to save money, even if you’re a young driver with a brand-new vehicle.

You can buy a new car for your teenager, and still qualify for low premiums if it isn’t a sports car, it has several safety features that help prevent accidents, and it has several air bags and automatic seat belts.

Read more: Finding Inexpensive Rates for Auto Insurance

Teenagers can qualify for the same discounts that adults can if:

• Their parents are insuring more than one vehicle with the same car insurance company
• They purchase a homeowner’s policy and/or a life insurance policy with car insurance
• They park the car in a garage rather than the driveway or the street
• They drive the car in a safe area

You may need to add collision and comprehensive coverage that will increase your rates, but this doesn’t mean that they’ll become astronomical if you follow the above tips.

Other Ways to Save Money

What are some other ways young drivers can save money? You can limit their driving, which can lead to potential savings. Though that may not make you popular with the driver in question.

You may be able to have an exclusion written for coverage for your most expensive cars, meaning that you do not allow your child to drive the luxury car or the SUV, but you do allow them to drive the older family sedan.

With an exclusion, coverage is not provided if there is an accident involving your teenager as a driver.

As mentioned above, in some cases, an insurance company will also lower rates if your child goes away to college and does not take a car with them. You will have to explain this to your insurance company, however, as they won’t know the car isn’t in use unless you tell them.

In a case like this, your insurer may consider that your child will only be driving periodically when they come to visit, or they may drop coverage requirements for a child if they are not living at home.

Case Studies: Finding Cheap Car Insurance for Young Drivers

Below are a few different examples of how young drivers can save.

• Case Study #1 – Good Student Discount: One young driver, Sarah, was able to find affordable insurance by taking advantage of the good student discount offered by her insurance provider. As a full-time student with excellent grades, Sarah qualified for a discount. By submitting her grade reports regularly to the insurance company, she was able to save money.
• Case Study #2 – Choosing a Safe and Economical Vehicle: Another young driver, Alex, focused on purchasing a used car that was both safe and inexpensive. By opting for a reliable vehicle with built-in safety features, Alex was able to reduce rates. Additionally, since the car had little market value, comprehensive and collision insurance coverage was not necessary.
• Case Study #3 – Taking Driver’s Education Courses: Emily, a young driver, enrolled in a driver’s education course to improve her driving skills. Completing the course not only equipped her with the knowledge needed to drive safely but also helped lower her insurance rates. Many insurance companies offer discounts for teenagers who have completed driver’s education courses.
• Case Study #4 – Comparison Shopping and Online Tools: John, a young driver looking for cheap car insurance, utilized online insurance rate comparison tools. By comparing quotes from different companies, he was able to find the most affordable rates for comparable coverage (learn more: Cheap Car Insurance Companies That Beat Quotes).

These examples are just a few of the ways teenage drivers can save on auto insurance coverage.

The Final Word on Cheap Car Insurance For Young Drivers

Young drivers will see higher insurance premiums than their parents or older siblings. There are many ways young drivers can receive discounts, such as student away at school car insurance disounts or taking defensive driving courses.

It’s not easy to obtain cheap car insurance for young drivers. However, there are some actions drivers under 25 can take to get the best rates possible. Young drivers have the benefit of starting with a clean slate since they do not have bad driving records and have not accumulated any points on their licenses.

However, teens and young adult drivers are considered by insurance companies to be high-risk due to their limited experience on the road, which is the reason for the increased insurance rates.

Young drivers are quoted the highest insurance rates of drivers in any age group. The best way to find reduced rates is to shop and compare. By doing so, not only are you able to find different types of insurance, but you’ll also be able to find companies who offer a variety of discounts for things such as good grades and driver training courses. Compare rates with our free tool today to find cheap car insurance for young adults.

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