For many new drivers, cheapest car insurance rates are not within their reach. Most people start driving during their teenage years, even though there are some people who don’t start driving until they’re in their 20s. New or inexperienced drivers and drivers under 25 are considered a high-risk group for car insurance underwriters, with male drivers under 25 being even more high-risk. There are a number of reasons for this.

Accident rates are higher among young male drivers than young female drivers, the latter of which tend to drive more safely and slower. Overall, the accident rates for young drivers are much higher than that of older drivers. New or inexperienced may be more prone to accidents because they haven’t yet developed defensive driving skills that could help them avoid an accident. New/inexperienced and young drivers also have less years of driving experience than older drivers.

Insurance underwriters rate a policy based on criteria such as where you live, the kind of vehicle you drive and its purpose (business or pleasure), where you park your car when you’re not driving, your driving record, length of time you’ve been driving and even your credit history. If you’re a new driver who lives in the city, you’ll pay more for car insurance than a new driver living in the countryside. If you drive a sporty car, it will cost you more to insure it than it would cost to insure an SUV or 4-door sedan. Sports cars are noted as being high-risk cars because they are more likely to be wrecked in an accident.

New drivers unfortunately wouldn’t qualify for cheap car insurance rates because they haven’t been driving long enough. If you shop around, you might find an insurance company that calculates driving history from age 16 and you happen to be 20 when you apply for insurance.

If you haven’t already, start establishing good credit–or clean up baddies if you have any. A high credit score tells insurance underwriters that they can count on timely premium payments from you, and it shows you exercise sound money management. In addition, insurers won’t have to worry about canceling or not renewing your policy due to non-payment of premium.

Consider getting liability coverage only if the car you’re insuring is an older model. You really don’t need comprehensive/collision coverage on an older car. If the car gets totaled in an accident, the likelihood of the insurance company paying out what you paid for the car is very low. New or leased vehicles typically require full coverage, in which case you should consider paying a much higher deductible.

For new drivers, cheapest car insurance rates may be off the table, but not premium-reducing discounts. If your car has anti-theft device installed, as well as air bags and anti-lock brakes, you can qualify for a discount. Taking a defensive driving or driver safety course will also qualify you for a discount. If you’re a student getting straight As, you qualify for a good student discount. If you don’t drive much, you could get a low-mileage discount. You could also save on insurance by insuring more than one vehicle on a policy if you have multiple vehicles.