Anyone who has teenagers at home knows how incredibly expensive they are. Food doesn"t stay in the refrigerator when they are around. Movies, clothes, and random trips to the mall become necessities. School and extracurricular activities are always requiring extra funds. And, if those teens are driving in the Los Angeles area, auto insurance rates seem to go through the roof.
If you"ve ever gotten auto insurance quotes in Los Angeles, you know that simply adding a teen driver drives the premiums up. In some cases, families see their rates increase by almost 200% when adding a teen driver to a policy. Parents of teens, especially conscientious and safe teens, may think that such an increase is unfair. However, the increase in rates is understandable considering that young drivers make up only 14 percent of the driving population but account for almost 30% of motor vehicle accident costs. Regardless of how sensible a parent thinks that their teen is, statistics say they are high-risk drivers.
Most parents have experienced those moments when they wonder if their teenagers have any brains whatsoever. Whether it is garbage that never gets taken out, homework that doesn"t get turned in, or choices of friends that are less than desirable, sometimes teenagers do not exercise the best judgment. This tendency is recognized by auto insurance companies and is one of the reasons for higher rates. The lack of consistently focused judgment makes adolescents more likely do engage in reckless behavior behind the wheel of a car.
Another area in which teens pose a high risk is with regard to alcohol. Again, parents of Los Angeles area teens may believe that their children would never drink, or, at least, would never drink and drive. The statistics from the National Highway Safety Administration, however, point to consumption of alcohol being a factor in 31% of all teen driver deaths. Again, lacking fully mature judgment, teens are statistically at risk for making poor decisions when it comes to driving, and alcohol and insurance companies charge for auto insurance accordingly.
There are, however, several steps that parents and teens can take to help reduce the huge jump in auto insurance rates. Most companies will give discounts for teens who have completed approved driver education programs. In addition, some auto insurance providers give graduated discounts for superior grades on report cards. And, of course, parents should shop around with various companies to compare quotes and get the best rates available.
And, after all has been said and done, and auto insurance quotes have been obtained, good grades have been earned, and safety classes have been taken, it sometimes helps for parents to sit back, take a breath, and realize that eventually all adolescents grow out of the teen years and the rates will eventually return to more manageable proportions.
If you"ve ever gotten auto insurance quotes in Los Angeles, you know that simply adding a teen driver drives the premiums up. In some cases, families see their rates increase by almost 200% when adding a teen driver to a policy. Parents of teens, especially conscientious and safe teens, may think that such an increase is unfair. However, the increase in rates is understandable considering that young drivers make up only 14 percent of the driving population but account for almost 30% of motor vehicle accident costs. Regardless of how sensible a parent thinks that their teen is, statistics say they are high-risk drivers.
Most parents have experienced those moments when they wonder if their teenagers have any brains whatsoever. Whether it is garbage that never gets taken out, homework that doesn"t get turned in, or choices of friends that are less than desirable, sometimes teenagers do not exercise the best judgment. This tendency is recognized by auto insurance companies and is one of the reasons for higher rates. The lack of consistently focused judgment makes adolescents more likely do engage in reckless behavior behind the wheel of a car.
Another area in which teens pose a high risk is with regard to alcohol. Again, parents of Los Angeles area teens may believe that their children would never drink, or, at least, would never drink and drive. The statistics from the National Highway Safety Administration, however, point to consumption of alcohol being a factor in 31% of all teen driver deaths. Again, lacking fully mature judgment, teens are statistically at risk for making poor decisions when it comes to driving, and alcohol and insurance companies charge for auto insurance accordingly.
There are, however, several steps that parents and teens can take to help reduce the huge jump in auto insurance rates. Most companies will give discounts for teens who have completed approved driver education programs. In addition, some auto insurance providers give graduated discounts for superior grades on report cards. And, of course, parents should shop around with various companies to compare quotes and get the best rates available.
And, after all has been said and done, and auto insurance quotes have been obtained, good grades have been earned, and safety classes have been taken, it sometimes helps for parents to sit back, take a breath, and realize that eventually all adolescents grow out of the teen years and the rates will eventually return to more manageable proportions.
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