Taxes & Insurance

Adding a teenaged driver to a parent’s auto insurance policy is costly. According to Insurance.com, adding one teen driver increases annual auto insurance premiums by 44 percent, for a one-car family. For a two-car family, adding a teen driver will increase premiums by an average of 58 percent and a teen driver boosts the bill for a three-car family by 62 percent.

Buying a car for your teen isn’t the solution: the average annual rate for a car with one teenaged driver is $2,267, compared with an average cost increase of $621 for adding a teen to the parents’ policy. There are better ways to hold down costs.

* Get quotes from multiple companies. There can be large differences in price from one insurer to another.

* If your teenager has a superior academic record in school, ask your car insurance company for a good student discount.

* Encourage your child to take driver training classes, which also might lead to discounts.

* When you choose a new vehicle, pick a car with safety features such as anti-lock brakes and anti-theft devices. They’ll lower your auto insurance rates.

Most of all, insist that your child drive carefully. A clean driving record is the best way to hold down auto insurance costs.