The cheapest car insurance for teenagers is really not all that cheap, but affordable car insurance for teenagers is attainable with enough research and due diligence. Teenagers who are 16 and 17 cannot sign their own insurance contracts, so they usually are added to their parents’ existing car insurance policies. Rates for teens added as an occasional driver rather than a primary driver are typically lower, however, adding a 16- or 17-year-old male to a family auto insurance policy might double the cost. This is because male drivers 16 to 19 are considered the highest risk group of drivers.

According to the CDC, male drivers between 16 and 19 were less likely to wear seat belts, as compared with other age groups. Teen male drivers are also more likely to speed than female drivers in the same age group. Overall, 16- to 19-year-olds are four times more likely to crash than older drivers, with the risk being highest during a teen’s first year of driving.

Some parents may add their teenager who is a primary driver to their car insurance policy as an occasional driver in order to save a little money on insurance. That will be fine until the teenager gets a ticket or is involved in an accident that the teenager caused. Once the insurance company discovers the teenager involved was actually a primary driver and not an occasional one, the company can deny any claims resulting from the accident, and they may elect to cancel the family policy altogether.

Your search for the cheapest car insurance for teenagers may prove fruitless if a teenager drives a sporty 2-door or luxury model. The former has a higher rate of being wrecked in an accident and it is more expensive to replace and repair the latter, thus their higher insurance premiums. A teen is better off driving a 4-door SUV or sedan, which are cheaper to insure. Living in a large city with a lot of traffic will also make your search for the cheapest car insurance for teens more of a challenge, because heavily trafficked areas experience more accidents than rural areas. Likewise, some states have higher incidences of accidents than others, which can have an impact on your chances of finding cheap car insurance for teens.

In addition to going with an “average” car than a flashy, sporty one, you can also look into insurance discounts for teens, such as good grade discounts, discounts for completing defensive driving courses, low-mileage discounts or safety/security equipment discounts. If you can afford it, pay a much higher deductible to save money on insurance. Most importantly, drive safe. Maintaining good driving habits increase your chances of lower premiums in later years. Finding the cheapest car insurance for teenagers is possible; you just need to take the time to do your homework.