Teaching Your Teen to Drive and Other Terrifying Things

There are few things as terrifying as teaching a teen to drive. Sure, you’re afraid for their life. You’re also afraid for your own. As they lurch into traffic (and God help you if you have a manual transmission), there are a few things that might flash before your eyes. Your insurance coverage is probably one of them.

Let’s get down to the basics.

Is Your Kid Even Covered?

This is a more complicated question than you might think. In general, auto insurance follows your car rather than the driver. So whether you lend your car to your friend Bob or you have your kid drive it, the car itself is covered. But there’s an exception to this, which is why you should call an independent insurance agent before hitting the road.

Most insurance companies do require that you list the drivers in your household. It’s assumed the drivers in your household are going to use your car more than others. And your insurance rates can go up based on this. So it’s very possible that you at least need to notify your insurance company about your kid starting to drive.

What If Your Kid Does Something Stupid?

When kids are just learning to drive, there’s a lot of dumb things they can do. It’s perfectly normal. But many of these things will still be covered under your insurance.

• What if your teen gets into an accident with their learner’s permit? As long as they were still following the rules with a licensed driver in the car, your insurance will cover it. However, if they were alone, your insurance might not cover it.
• Are you liable if your teen gets into an expensive accident? Yup. As the owner of the auto insurance, your policy is going to be impacted by your teen’s accident.
• What if your teen damages your car? If your teen damages your car, but not in an accident (such as a parking lot mistake), you’d better hope you have comprehensive insurance. Collision only covers damage during an accident.

Even for the most conscientious, responsible teen, learning to drive is a dangerous time. Most people will have the vast majority of their auto accidents in their teen years and early 20s, just because they aren’t yet well-developed drivers. Call an independent insurance agent today to make sure you have the coverage you need.