You’re studying for finals, and it is 2 A.M. You decide you need a break, and that you’re hungry. There’s nothing in the fridge, so you decide to go to a fast food restaurant that’s open late. But then you find out the hard way why driving around late at night is considered dangerous: another driver hits your car on your way home. How will such a situation effect your student car insurance rates? Keep reading to learn more.
How to Find Cheap Student Car Insurance
Students are actually one of the more expensive groups of drivers to insure. Combine lack of sleep, deadlines, and inexperience together and you get a whole heap of elements that make you a riskier driver than most. And because of these elements, insurance companies oftentimes charge students a higher premium.
Best Car Insurance for College Students
Regrettably, despite the higher prices you have to pay as a student, car insurance is mandatory. The car accident example from earlier could have been much worse. If you were at fault, not only would you have been liable for your own medical expenses and car repairs, but for the other driver’s damages as well. Car insurance helps insulate you from such a harsh financial situation, and in some cases, covers you completely.
There are ways to keep your costs down. For one, staying on your family’s car insurance plan helps. Their premiums will rise somewhat by adding you, but there are a lot of discounts that they are eligible for that you probably aren’t. Some of those include multiple policy discounts and homeowner’s discounts. It also helps to secure your car with alarms and anti-theft devices. Having these might qualify you for a discount.
Lowering Costs of Student Auto Insurance
For those of you that don’t have this luxury, fear not. There are other ways to lower your premium. Just follow these easy steps, and you can get a substantial rate reduction:
- Step #1: Take Driving Classes
There are insurance companies who offer a discount to drivers who take car accident prevention courses. It’s been statistically proven that teens die from car crashes more than anything else. Take a little extra time to educate yourself on the hazards of driving, and in addition to becoming a safer driver, you may get a discount.
- Step #2: Maintain a Decent Grade Point Average
Having a higher GPA generally means that you’re a responsible student. By extension, it usually means you’re a responsible person. So, car insurance companies are willing to give discounts to students who maintain a B average or better in their academics.
- Step #3: Adjust the Deductible
If you raise your deductible on certain sections of your policy, like collision and comprehensive, you could save a lot. Though bear in mind that there’s a trade-off. If you raise your deductible, that means you are responsible for more out of pocket expenses, before your insurance kicks in to cushion the impact of your expenses.
- Step #4: Consider Buying Used Versus New
If you plan to buy a car, it usually helps to buy an older model. These are cheaper to insure due to the fact that they have had time to depreciate. Cars begin depreciating from the moment you drive them off the lot. A less expensive car is less expensive to insure, and thus your premiums go down. Compare student car insurance rates in minutes!
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