Smart Auto Insurance Blog

It’s generally recommended that everyone should compare auto insurance quotes when shopping for a policy, but new research shows that it pays of big time for drivers under the age of 25.  According to the article “Price Comparisons Pay Off for Yonnger Drivers” by The News Tribune, average premiums vary from insurer to insurer but the difference is very large when you are a young driver.  Des Toups, senior managing editor at the CarInsurance website says the difference is massive.

As an example, a 55 year old man can save an average of $456 a year by shopping multiple auto insurance companies, whereas a driver under 25 can save about $1102.  This is an extremely large difference that young drivers should be aware of.  One reason premium quotes vary so much for young people is their driving record.  They often are a question mark and this can be a major driver of auto insurance quotes when shopping around.  Young drivers don’t have a track record yet to prove they are good drivers and each insurer has its own method of determining the risk of these drivers.

There doesn’t seem to be a consensus of what ultimately matters or not.  Some see good grades as a factor while other insurers do not.  There are many factors that go into determining an auto insurance quote and it’s hard to tell for a young driver what will drive the quote the most.  So shop around and compare quotes, especially if you are young with a limited driving record.

Encompass Car Insurance has a great online resource for those customers with teenagers on their policies.  With teen drivers having an alarming high rate of fatal accidents it’s no wonder they are treated differently.  Just because your teen has been allowed to carry a driver’s license, it does not mean they are as safe as an experienced driver.

There are many things you can do to help prepare yourself and your teen for the challenging road ahead.  You will most likely see your auto insurance rates increase in addition to your anxiety of sending your inexperienced driver out on the road.  Encompass has gathered a  convenient resource on their website to better prepare yourself.

• Some of the topics covered include:
• Teenagers and safe cars
• Tips on helping teens drive better
• Setting guidelines for your teen
• Understanding graduated licensing
• Developing a Parent-Teen contract

When you create boundaries and allow for more time behind the wheel your teen will be better prepared for challenging driving situations and hopefully save lives.

The state of West Virginia has made a change to their driver’s licensing laws as they relate to new drivers.

Effective July 10, 2009, young drivers in West Virginia who do not to enroll in driver ed will be required to drive for 50, rather than 30, supervised hours in the learner’s phase.

In addition, provisional license holders will be prohibited from driving between 10pm -5am (as opposed to 11pm -5 am).

Additionally, new drivers will not be permitted to have any passengers in their car for the first 6 months, and only 1 passenger for the next 6 months.

More information on West Virginia auto insurance.