Car Insurance for Teens and New Drivers

How to Get Auto Insurance for Teen Drivers

Teenage boy sitting in driver's seat holding keys

Finding the right car insurance for teenagers is crucial for both peace of mind and financial protection. While auto insurance for teens can be pricier due to their lack of driving experience, GEICO is here to help you find the right car insurance rates for your new driver.

As parents and young drivers navigate the roads together, understanding the unique considerations and options available can make all the difference. From exploring coverage tailored to inexperienced drivers to accessing resources aimed at promoting safe driving habits, our insurance solutions are designed to support teens and their families every mile of the journey.

Save on Car Insurance Cost for Teens and Young Drivers

GEICO DriveEasy

DriveEasy offers discounts on car insurance premiums by monitoring safe driving habits through the GEICO mobile app. 

  • DriveEasy tracks the driving habits of every enrolled insured and rewards safe driving habits with a discount (all eligible drivers must enroll). 
  • Drivers are eligible for a discount of up to 10% simply for enrolling in the program and monitoring their driving. 
  • After the monitoring period, drivers who demonstrate safe driving habits can receive a discount that exceeds 10%.

Join the 260,000+ teen drivers that have enrolled in DriveEasy already, 75% of which received a discount after renewal!

Other GEICO Discounts

Car insurance for new teen drivers can be costly due to their limited driving experience and higher accident rates. You can save money by adding your licensed teen to your existing car insurance policy and extending your coverage to them.

Your young driver could also qualify for these money-saving discounts.*

  • Good student discount-available when you maintain a "B" average or better. Teenage drivers can get up to 15% off on certain coverages.
  • Good driver discount-available if you have not been in an accident within the last 5 years. Teenage drivers can save up to 22% on most coverages.

*Discounts available in most states.

Reduce Teen Active Distracted Driving

Comparison graph showing active distraction and hands-free usage between teen drivers and all other drivers.

Data collected from drivers shows teens spend 55% more time directly handling their phone while driving! Work with your teen to improve their safe driving skills by reducing their distracted driving time.

  • Avoiding active distraction is simple. Avoid the handheld use of your phone at all times when driving
  • Replace active distraction habits with a handsfree alternative like:
    • Answering calls through a Bluetooth enabled device
    • Controlling music and GPS through the voice activated assistant in your car or phone
    • Utilizing steering wheel controls for music and phone call activities
    • Enabling Apple CarPlay or Android Auto if available

Tips for parents of new teen drivers

  • Discuss when, where, how, and who your teen can drive
  • Discuss limiting the number of passengers in the car
  • Try to establish a curfew
  • Insist your driver (and passengers) wear seat belts at all times
  • Limit teen driving during high-risk times, like Friday or Saturday nights
  • Set driving-area limits
  • Prohibit driving under the influence—or riding with friends who are

How much is car insurance for teens and new drivers

Car insurance for teens and new drivers tends to have higher premiums because younger drivers statistically pose higher risks. 

Teenage car insurance premiums are also impacted by whether they purchase a separate policy or are added to an existing one. When teens are added to policies as drivers, they can typically secure lower rates.

Factors that influence the cost of insuring a teen driver

When determining insurance premiums for teen drivers, GEICO considers individual factors such as age, driving record, and type of vehicle. However, we offer discounts and personalized solutions to help mitigate expenses and ensure comprehensive coverage for your teen.

Will the rate drop as my teen gets older? 

While rates typically decrease as teen drivers gain experience and reach milestones like turning 25, individual circumstances vary. Factors like driving record, vehicle type, and coverage choices influence rate adjustments. Maintaining a clean driving record and completing driving courses can help lower premiums over time.

How to Add a Teen Driver to your Car Insurance

For parents, it's important that your teen driver has the proper amount of car insurance coverage before they get behind the wheel. Luckily, adding them to your auto insurance policy is easy. It may also be cheaper than getting them a new policy of their own. Contact a GEICO agent when your teen gets their permit or driver's license to get a quote for a new driver on your policy.

Moving a Teen or Young Driver to Their Own Policy

GEICO makes it easy to move a teen or young driver to their own auto insurance policy. We can apply discounts they qualify for and give them the benefit of their experience on an existing policy. They'll also continue getting the same great customer service. We are here to help—from making a policy change, filing a claim, or even just asking us a question.
When adding a teen driver to your policy, your existing car insurance coverage extends to them. To ensure adequate protection for every driver’s unique circumstance, you can differentiate your coverage based on the vehicle your teen driver uses. Older vehicles, for example, typically carry lower coverage limits to reduce costs, while newer vehicles typically have higher limits. With GEICO, you can confidently insure multiple drivers while staying within budget.

Choosing the Right Car Insurance for Teens and New Drivers

Consider the type of car: Young drivers are inexperienced and should never be allowed to drive high-performance cars. Keep in mind, too, that insurance costs are lower on more conventional vehicles.

Review your deductible: This applies to all drivers, not just young teen drivers. Increasing deductibles, which results in sharing a greater portion of any comprehensive or collision loss, can reduce auto insurance premiums. Again, check with insurers to find out exactly how much is saved by increasing the deductible from, say, $200 to $500 or even $1,000.

Drop some coverage: Consider dropping collision and comprehensive coverage for an older car, your teenage driver might be using. Policies will only cover the current value of the car.

Educating Parents and Teen Drivers

Experience helps teen drivers stay safe on the road. Experience also helps share a responsible attitude about driving. Responsible driving could help keep your car insurance rates low. We've compiled some helpful resources to get teens and parents started.

Safety Resources for Teen Drivers

  • Teen Drivers channel on You Tube: Subscribe for safety videos for and about teens.
  • Teen Driving Resources: Find brochures, presentations, and a parent-teen contract for educating teens and parents on the challenges facing young drivers.
  • IIHS Teen Driver Info: The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has information and statistics about graduated licenses, safe cars, and more.
  • Are you a distracted driver?: From cell phones to eating your lunch, distracted driving is common and dangerous. Think you know how to drive and multi-task? Read on for tips that might surprise you.
  • Parents' Role in Teen Safety: Tips to help parents shape a responsible driving attitude for their teen driver.
  • Reducing the Cost of a Teen Driver: Recommendations to help parents watch costs with a new teen driver.

Car Insurance and Accidents

Disclaimer:

GEICO invites driver's education, law enforcement, civic and community organizations that provide education on highway and traffic safety to download a supply of our materials at no cost. For a complete list of brochures and presentations, please visit our Auto Safety Library.

GEICO contracts with various membership entities and other organizations, but these entities do not underwrite the offered insurance products.
Some discounts, coverages, payment plans, and features are not available in all states or all GEICO companies. Discount amount varies in some states. One group discount applicable per policy. Coverage is individual. In New York a premium reduction may be available. GEICO may not be involved in a formal relationship with each organization; however, you still may qualify for a special discount based on your membership, employment, or affiliation with these organizations.