Reader’s Question:

What really matters when getting car insurance for college student or young drivers? I need to get one for my son.

Henna

Missoula, MT

There are a lot of factors to be taken into consideration when obtaining car insurance for college student or young drivers. One of them is location. The location where your child has your car garaged may affect your insurance premiums. If, for any circumstance, your child is included in your family car insurance policy and has been driving out of town, you could expect a rise in your monthly premiums. This is because your child’s location where he/she drives your vehicle significantly affects the risks involved where you, as the primary holder of the policy, have no absolute control. The insurance company in turn would calculate for the cost depending on statistics of accidents, thefts, and perils in that area or any significant risks involving your car and your child.

In order to lessen this sudden rise in premiums, you could try to enroll your child in a college that is in the same area as your house so he can park your car in the comforts of your home. However, this is seemingly odd considering students from different states gather around universities of great standard in order to pursue their chosen career. And it is odd, too, to find these universities next door, so students take chances of traveling far to get the best education they possibly can.

However, you can still do something to lower the cost of your car insurance premiums. One is to purchase a separate insurance policy for your child if he/she is of legal age. You could insure your child and have discounts if your child is attending school and does not take your car beyond a 100-mile radius away from your home. This way, you could insure them without compromising safety, in case your child is involved in an auto accident driving a friend’s car. Also, if your child is included in your policy and goes out of town to attend college, this would mean one less driver from your family car insurance policy. This also means that you can get discounts for every driver included in your policy that has left the country or state for a long period of time or a year.

You could also advise your child to take defensive driving courses as this could lower the cost of premiums and reduce the risk factors. But, the best thing about having a student is the eligibility of availing discounts if he/she is able to maintain a B average or greater. You can expect a reduction of 15% to 25% if your child maintains this grade.

Insuring your teen driver could prove very expensive. You could expect a 50% to 100% rise in premiums if you have a student driver in your family car insurance. This is because of the nature and risks involving teen drivers. However, your child may start to drive without your permission, so you should consider including them in your policy whether you want to or not. This is to ensure his/her safety and provide the protection they need against risks involving teenagers and especially against automobile-related accidents.

Reader’s Question:

I want to ask about car insurance for college student. My daughter is going away for college in Pennsylvania. We’ll be getting her a new car as a graduation present. Would she then be required to have her own car insurance coverage?

Matthew

Jefferson City, MO

Taking care of college kids is a costly matter, and I hope your family has prepared well enough for this, Matthew. On top of the university fees and other expenses for school, there are living costs to take into consideration. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you should expect your car insurance dues to rise significantly, as well. You may get your daughter coverage two ways.

First, you may have her insured through your own car insurance policy. Expect about a fifty percent increase in what you are now paying for premium since she is below 25 years of age. Her lack of driving experience makes insuring her rather expensive but do feel quite fortunate that she’s female. Males are charged more for car insurance premium because they are viewed to be bigger risks on the road. Second, you may also purchase a separate policy for her, which is just as costly I suppose. By the way, the farther she has to drive away for college, the higher the premium would be.

One other important thing to remember is to do research on the car insurance requirements of Pennsylvania. Car insurance for college student must concur with the rules of the state where the university is located. It is also important to inform the car insurance company that the vehicle might be garaged occasionally in Missouri and occasionally in Pennsylvania.

Reader’s Question:

In a car insurance college student can skip it?

Linda

San Diego CA

In a car insurance college student cannot miss having it since it is very important for his safety and could affect his future. Your child should have a car insurance even it means additional expenses for your family’s budget especially when your child is male and under 25. Without a car insurance, a college student is always at risk whenever he or she gets behind the wheel. If you child becomes involved in a car accident without an insurance, that incident will become a stumbling for himself in many aspects, particularly on his credit rating. Worse, without car insurance college student will be fined, lose his license or spend sometime in jail. I’m sure you don’t want this to happen to your child. If your child can go to school without bringing a car, that is preferable. But if he has to, you should get him an insurance.

If you are worried with high premiums, there are a few ways in which you can lower the premium. When you have a car insurance college student must strive for at least a B average since insurance companies look favorably on students with this average or higher. Discounts can be offered based on the college student’s average and you could save a lot on this. Also, if your child is going to study in a state where accident rates are favorable, you should inform your insurance company as it could also lower the premium of the student.

Reader’s Question:

What coverages are best to include in a car insurance for students?

Don
Memphis TN

In getting a car insurance for students, the coverages should depend on the students’ needs. In order for the person to determine what type of protection he wants, he has to understand first the different types of coverages. For every state, a liability is required and in the state of Tennessee, the minimum coverage is $50,000 for bodily injuries and $10,000 for property damages.

Aside from liability, other types of coverages include combined single limit, split limit, collision, comprehensive, and underinsured motorist. If you include combined single limit in a car insurance for students, the insured will be protected from liabilities to the other car and its driver in the event of an accident under one coverage. For split limit, the car insurance for students will be divided into two, one for body injuries while the other is for property. The collision/comprehensive insurance protects the driver and his vehicle from damages in the event of a collision or from damages not resulting from an accident. The underinsured motorist coverage is also important in case the driver of the other vehicle has no insurance or underinsured. Knowing about these coverages will tell you if you need them to be included in a car insurance for students.

Reader’s Question:

Why is car insurance for college student expensive? How do I obtain an affordable one?

Yasmin

Detroit MI

College students, particularly those below 25 years old, are considered part of a group that his high risk. Meaning, insurance companies have paid for a lot of damages wherein college students have been involved. Statistics have shown that in many road accidents, the driver is usually a person below 25 years old. Because of this, insurance companies think that when a car insurance for college student is bought, there is a high probability that he or she will get into an accident within the duration of the contract.

Even if you are a responsible driver, you will need a proven record to get a lower premium for a car insurance for college student. In your case, if you have been driving for more than two years and managed to avoid getting a lot of traffic tickets or become involved in accidents, the chance of getting a lower premium is high. There are also many sites you can see online that specialize in providing affordable car insurance for college student. You should focus your search among these insurers since they have made their programs suitable for your age group. There are also discounts you can avail of if you qualify for them. One example is a discount given to students whose average in school is at least a B.

Reader’s Question:

My child is about to enter university in another state. We are drawing out plans for her move, and part of it is to get her own car insurance. She’s eighteen and a straight A student in high school. Can she apply for a good student car insurance?

Kathleen

Portland, ME

Congratulations, Kathleen! It is best to plan ahead when it comes to moving out, and in your daughter’s case, leaving for school. Having her car insurance is a step forward. You have not mentioned where she is moving, but generally, most states would require people who move in permanently to have their cars registered within the state and to get the car insurance coverage standards for the state. I would suggest that you inquire on the car insurance requirements for the state where she will be moving. Contact your current car insurance provider. Ask them what the requirements are for driver’s license, car registration, and car insurance in the new state and if your plan could accommodate her even if she moved out.

Now, whether your daughter stays under your car insurance plan or gets her own, a good student car insurance discount is actually a very rewarding option for you. Good student certificates are issued to student drivers between ages 16 to 25, unmarried, stays in school fulltime, and, in the last academic year, able to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or B are the basic requirements. Again, different companies apply this discount on various services. Inquire with different car insurance providers and maximize the benefits of a good student car insurance.