Additional Drivers in Your Policy
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Adding Additional Drivers onto Your Car Insurance Policy
Car insurance policies can be a bit complicated and easily misunderstood. For example, many people are not certain who is covered on their policy and who is not. When someone applies for auto insurance, they are getting coverage for each named driver. Each person who plans on operating the vehicle needs to be named on the policy; this will allow them to legally drive the automobile and get fully covered on the insurance plan, in the event an accident occurs. Adding additional drivers onto your policy can be done quite easily. At Rodney D Young Insurance, adding motorists can be done online in just a few minutes.
Here are some common reasons you might need to add someone on:
* You just got married and needed to put your spouse onto the policy
* Your child just turned 16 and wants the keys to the car immediately
* A family member has moved in and needs to use the vehicle from time to time
* You use the car to commute with a co-worker who shares the driving duties
* A friend uses your car frequently
Adding a Driver can Cost More but not in every Case
You are probably worried that adding someone new on will cause your rates to go way up. One of the most common scenarios for a rate spike is putting your teenager on your policy. Teens have the highest premium costs for a reason because they get into the most accidents of any group of drivers.
Teenagers can often pay $300 or more per month for basic auto ins. The best way for them to get a cheaper plan is to get added onto the family policy. This will push the premiums up, no matter how good of a driver the teen is.
Car insurers have experienced a surge in distracted driving incidents by motorists under 21. This means texting, calling and even using Twitter or Facebook while on the road. If you have the money, adding a teen on can mean an additional $100 a month or more in premium costs. One way to lower this amount is to complete a certified drivers education program.
These excellent courses will show young people the dangers of distracted driving and defensive driving strategies that work. This can lower premiums by about 10%, so it is really worth the small cost of the class. Get your free Rodney D Young auto insurance quote on-line and save hundreds with direct pricing.
Other types of drivers can cause your insurance pricing to go up if they are added on and this includes:
* Motorists that have had previous DUIs
* Reckless speeding tickets
* Under the age of 25
* Multiple at-fault car collisions
In some specific cases, adding a person onto your policy can cause a rate drop. This happens if the added driver has an excellent driving record with no tickets or accidents. Also, if you are under 25 and add a parent with a safe-driving history, chances are your costs will go down. Let’s say a 23-year-old adds mom on who is 45 with a perfect record.
The premiums just might go down 10% to 15%. It is also smart to shop for better deals with sites like RodneyDYoung, to make sure you are getting the lowest price for the total ins package you need. Many factors go into pricing, and this includes the make of the automobile, the age, sex, the address and so on.
If you are on a fixed budget and can’t spend more on car insurance, then you should only consider adding additional drivers onto your policy that will not cause your premiums to go up.
Just because your friend with a past “DWI” doesn’t have a car and is always jumping into yours whenever he feels like it, does not mean you should add him on. This could spell a financial disaster for you. Also, chances are pretty good he will not chip in and help pay the bill.
Stay within your budget and only add someone who is a low-risk driver. It is just that simple, and it can save you financially. With some auto insurers, there may be a so-called amendment fee applied to add anyone new to the automobile ins policy. This usually ranges from $25 to $50. The rule of thumb here is your legal and financial protection.
If somebody jumps in your car who is not covered by your insurer and then gets into a huge at-fault accident, you could be in big trouble. You possibly could be held liable for financial damages in court and totally ruined financially. This is why you should never let anyone get behind the wheel of your automobile unless he or she is on the insurance policy.
Shop Direct and Save on Coverage
If you are considering adding a new driver to your policy, you should also take a few minutes and comparison shop online. At direct insurers like Rodney D Young auto insurance, most people save over $500 just by switching. The quote process only takes 4 or 5 minutes, and you can compare up to ten on-line rates. Get started today and start saving more on car insurance.