It doesn’t matter how old you are when you first get your license: Being a new driver is an exciting time. It’s also a time that can be eye-opening in terms of the sheer volume of responsibility that comes with the privilege of driving—a responsibility that starts with getting new driver car insurance.
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New driver insurance is more expensive than insurance for regular drivers for one simple reason: New drivers are inexperienced drivers and inexperienced drivers are more likely to get into accidents—accidents that will cost insurance companies more money to cover.
However, even the cost of new driver insurance will vary among new drivers. Let’s look at some of the pricing differences below.
New Car Insurance for Individuals Who Are Newly Licensed
Teen drivers and older drivers who have never driven before are statistically more likely to get into accidents than any other age group and, as a result, they are the most expensive new drivers to insure.
In fact, a teen with their own car registered in their own name can expect to pay upwards of $4,000 annually for car insurance. A teen driver on a parent’s policy, on the other hand, may only cost around $621 a year to insure.
Another way to reduce the cost of car insurance for teen drivers is to have your teen take a safe driving course and maintain good grades: Many insurance providers offer discounts for a commitment to safe driving and getting a good education.
Older drivers can also take safe driving courses and take advantage of multi-car insurance discounts for vehicles at the same address, as well as bundling discounts. (More on this later!)
New Car Insurance for Foreign Nationals and Immigrants
It doesn’t matter if you had a spotless driving record in the country where you previously lived: The US only looks at domestic driving records, so you have to spend some time building a good reputation on the roads, state-side before insurance providers will reduce your rates.
Immigrants and foreign nationals can expect to pay less than teen drivers for their car insurance, however: Around $2,000 annually.
Drivers Who’ve Had a Lapse in Licencing or Insurance
Insurance companies like it when drivers have continuous insurance. This shows a level of responsibility that isn’t always reflected in drivers who allow their license or insurance to lapse. For this reason, insurance providers consider drivers with gaps in insurance or their licenses to be new drivers.
Of course, there are many completely understandable reasons your car insurance or licensing may have gaps: maybe you lived abroad for a time or are in the military. Maybe you moved to a new area and no longer needed a vehicle. If this is the case, and if you have some sort of driving history in the states, insurance companies may overlook the gap and give you more affordable rates, but others may not.
It’s always worth your while to shop around for the best quote for new driver insurance.
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The easiest way to get the best insurance for new drivers is to get a quote from a provider that specializes in new driver insurance—and not all insurance companies do this, but we can help you find the ones that do.
We’ve curated a list of the best providers that offer the most affordable car insurance for new drivers with the best service, and we’ll match you with the one that’s ideal for your needs and your budget.
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Yes, it does, but over time and with a good driving record, the cost will decrease. You can also take advantage of good student discounts, safe driving course discounts and safety feature discounts to reduce your rates right away.
Usually, within three to five years of maintaining a good driving record.
A teen driver, an older driver who has not previously held a license, a driver who is new to driving in the US, or a driver who has, for whatever reason, allowed their insurance or licence to lapse.
Margaret Huntley Margaret Huntley is a creative writing and philosophy student at Western University. She has been working as a freelance writer for over two years and has written about everything from insurance, to poker, to health and wellness for international businesses.
