All drivers in New Jersey must have car insurance, regardless of how old they are. This means that if you’re a parent with a teenager who is just learning how to drive or recently got their license, it’s time to get them insured. Getting a teenager their own auto insurance policy is far more expensive than an adult’s, however, so you should consider putting them on your already existing policy. Those who are still on instructional permits in New Jersey cannot have their own separate insurance policies anyway. Serving the West Deptford, NJ area, Keller Insurance Services is here to help you get the information you need.

The Basics

Teen drivers on your insurance policy still are subject to the same legal requirements as other drivers in New Jersey, and therefore you need to make sure that your policy has enough coverage for both of you (for example, $40,000 per person per crash for Personal Injury Protection). All you need to do next is to talk with your insurer about adding your teen as a driver under your policy. If you are starting a new auto insurance policy, be sure to include them from the beginning but make sure you are the primary policy holder.

How to Keep Costs Low

There are actually a variety of ways to keep your insurance premiums from going up too much after you add your teen driver. For example, it is a good idea to not get them their own car right off the bat, at least not until they have another year or two of experience under their belt. After all, you will see a significant difference in cost if you classify your teen as only an occasional driver of your own vehicle vs. making them the primary driver of another. Likewise, if you have more than one car in your possession, limit them to driving the one that is lower in value and/or already has lower insurance costs. Last but not least, studies show that the more involved parents are when their teen is learning how to drive, the better a driver the teenager tends to be. Do whatever you can to help them avoid getting into an accident– once they do, insurance costs could skyrocket.

If you live in the West Deptford, NJ area and want to learn more, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Keller Insurance Services today.