Can You Get Car Insurance With A Drivers Permit?

Congratulations! You’re taking the steps necessary to become a licensed driver. Getting a driver’s permit is one of the first important steps on a road leading towards incredible freedom. This is also a good time for you to start looking into what’s required of you as a holder of a driver’s permit, to legally drive a car. A quick answer to the question of whether you can get car insurance with a driver’s permit or not is…yes, but it’s often not necessary. Since you aren’t able to actually drive on your own, in most states, insurance companies will often extend the parent or guardian’s insurance to the teenage driver. The most important part of this equation is that there is insurance coverage on any car you are driving.

How To Get Car Insurance Depending On Who You Live With

Like many other necessities, the answer to your insurance needs will differ depending on your living situation. The differences between being a minor, being married, or living alone, will change many aspects of acquiring insurance, and it’s worth looking into every avenue if you think your living situation may be changing.

• Living With Parents

If you have a driver’s permit and are currently living with your parents, then you may already be covered by the existing insurance. This isn’t something you should assume, because the insurance company does have to be alerted to an underage driver being covered by their policy. Contact your parent’s insurance company and verify that this is true, and if it’s not then your parents may have to slightly increase their insurance payments to have you covered.

Car insurance premiums do tend to rise when a teenage driver is added to the policy. Make sure that all of the proper steps are taken to prove you are covered, so that the insurance company can’t outright deny a claim, in the case of an accident. Once you are verified as being covered by your parent’s insurance, you may stay on it indefinitely as long as you reside in the same household. Once you acquire a car of your own, you will have to apply for a new insurance policy to cover you.

• Living With Spouse Or Significant Other

If you are living with your spouse or significant other, you may already be covered under their insurance plan as a provisional driver. This isn’t to say that you are definitely covered though. Your partner should definitely check in with their insurance company to make sure you are listed as a provisional driver. If you aren’t stated in the policy, then the insurance company may deny any claims you’re involved in and may cancel your partner’s insurance.

If you are legally married, then there may be some incredible discount options for you when looking over insurance packages. Your insurance may not actually go up when adding a spouse to it, and other insurance through the same company may be offered at reduced prices. If you are married, then it’s worth looking into being on the same insurance plan. In the end, it could save you a bundle of money that could go towards a brighter future for both of you.

• Living Alone

It’s unfortunate that living alone doesn’t come with a number of bonuses when applying for car insurance, but it’s true. If you are on your own it’s harder to find any reduced rates in insurance, and if you’re a first-time driver then you’ll probably just have to accept more costly insurance. Once you’ve established a good driving record over a decent period of time it’s worth readdressing your insurance costs with your agent.

One way around higher costing insurance when you live on your own is if you’re a college student that still lives at your parent’s house when you’re not at school. Your family’s home can still be considered your permanent residence, so utilize this for cheaper insurance rates for as long as you are in school.

Can You Register A Car Without A License?

The interesting fact here is that you can purchase a car without a license, but in most of the USA, you won’t be able to register the car without proof of auto insurance. Since having a driver’s permit won’t make you eligible to get your own insurance in most cases, you’ll have to wait until you have your actual license to register a vehicle.

Ways Parents Can Lower Their Insurance Cost When Adding A Teen Driver

When adding a teenage driver to a parent’s insurance policy the insurance company will automatically see them as a higher risk. This doesn’t mean that a parent can’t get their insurance premiums lowered, it just means that you have to meet some specific criteria, that will differ for every insurance company. Here are some of the ways your parents can still acquire lower insurance costs, even though they’re adding you to their policy:

• Have your child take driving safety courses, and turn in their results to your insurance company
• Report your child’s academic achievements, good grades can get you better premiums
• Make sure you are still the main operator of the vehicle, and that your child’s use is limited
• Keep a clean driving record
• Attempting to bundle all of your insurance with one carrier can often greatly reduce rates
• Check out if there are discounts for renewing your insurance early
• Look at competing auto insurance companies, it may be time to switch for better rates
• It’s a world based on credit, improving your credit score will often grant you reduced rates
• Install an anti-theft device on your car, safety means saving money