New Teen Drivers
Check with Brownell Insurance Center before your teen gets a driver’s
license, and be sure to notify us immediately when your child receives a
license. From the first day your child is behind the wheel, there needs to
be insurance on the vehicle - your financial well-being is at tremendous
risk. Any violation or accident that may occur while you are training your
young driver, is on your driver’s license and automatically covered by your
auto insurance during training.
Adding a teenager to your auto insurance policy can be costly. Insurance
companies set their premiums based upon data about teenage driving
performance, and teenagers as a group have far more accidents than adults.
The following facts make it easier to understand why auto insurance rates go
up so much when a teen driver is added to a policy.
• The frequency of insurance claims for occupant
injuries in cars insured for teenage drivers is more
than twice as high as in cars insured for older drivers.
• Overall, vehicle damage losses are more than twice
as high in cars insured for teenage drivers.
• In 2004, 3,523 drivers between 16 and 20 years old
were killed in car crashes.
• Teen drivers have four times the fatality rate of
drivers between 25 and 69 years old.
• Nearly two-thirds of teenage passenger vehicle
occupants killed in 2003 were not using seat belts.
• More than any other age group, teens are likely to be
involved in a single vehicle crash.
Here are some suggestions from the Insurance Information Institute, for
keeping cost increases to a minimum when adding a teenage driver to your
policy.
• It's usually cheaper to add a teenager to your policy
than for them to purchase their own insurance.
• Make sure Brownell Insurance Center knows if your
teenager is going away to school. If your child is at
least 100 miles from home, you’ll get a discount-
assuming they leave the car at home.
• Good grades in school may qualify for a discount.
• Choose a safe car - this can dramatically affect the
price of insurance.
A driver's license brings a taste of independence for your teenager. With
your thoughtful supervision, your teen can enjoy this new freedom safely.
Don’t Forget to
Protect Your Car
Every twenty five seconds, on average, a motor vehicle is stolen in the
United States.
• Never leave your keys in your car or ignition.
• Never leave your car running unattended.
• Always close the windows and lock the car, even in front of your house.
• Install a mechanical device that locks to the steering
wheel, column, or brake (i.e., collar).
• Consider a car security system if you live in a high crime area and drive
a theft-prone vehicle.
• If you park in a garage or leave your car at an auto repair shop, leave
only the ignition key with no ID on it.
• Carry your registration and insurance card with you - do not leave it in
the car.
• Do not hide spare keys in or on the car.
• Never leave items of value, credit cards, personal ID
where they can be seen.
• Park in busy, well-lighted areas.
• Park in the garage or the driveway, not the street.
• If you park on the street, park with the front wheels
turned to the right or left and put the emergency brake
on. This makes it difficult to tow your car.
• Consider how "theft prone" a car is when purchasing.
• Etch all glass and windows with the vehicle identification number (VIN).
This will aid law enforcement and insurance agencies in the recovery and identification of
your vehicle, as well as take profit away from the professional auto thief.
• Keep a copy of license plate and VIN numbers in your wallet. Police will need this information promptly if your vehicle is
stolen.
Theft is covered under your comprehensive coverage on your auto insurance. Your car itself is covered by this part of your policy and items that are left in your car are covered by your homeowners insurance, a theft of your car that includes both your car and items is subject to both policies’ deductibles. Please be sure to call Cindy Donohue our claim specialist to help you navigate painlessly through your claim.
