The thought of your teen driving can be scary — but finding insurance doesn't need to be.
The average teen pays $1,838 for car insurance on their parent's policy. If you're a male teen driver, you should expect to pay more than a female teen driver — $1,949 for a six-month insurance policy for a male teen versus $1,726 for a female teen, so a difference of about $223 in insurance premiums. Let's outline why males pay more, how to save, and the cheapest car insurance companies for teens. Spoiler alert: it's GEICO with an average 6-month premium of $987 for a family of 3.
Male teen drivers typically pay more in premiums than female drivers because of the comparative risk they present. On average, adding your son to your policy will raise your car insurance rates $987.
Historically, male drivers are more likely to get into an accident and file a claim than female drivers. Because of this, an insurer will charge higher insurance premiums to protect themselves from future losses. On average, a male driver pays $37 more per month than a female teen driver. For a standard six month policy, this comes to over $200 in a premium difference between a male and a female teen.
| Car Insurance Provider | Average 6-Month Premium |
| State Farm | $3,200 |
| Allstate | $2,447 |
| GEICO | $1,022 |
| Progressive | $1,289 |
| Liberty Mutual | $1,787 |
While not as expensive as teenage male drivers, adding a young daughter on your policy can still increase your premium an average of $435. The cheapest car insurance company for female teens is, again, GEICO — with an average six month premium at $952.
Car Insurance Provider | Average 6-Month Premium |
$2,799 | |
$2,143 | |
$952 | |
$1,174 | |
$1,564 |
Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to avoid paying significantly more for coverage for teen drivers. As they age and get more driving experience, their risk will lower. However, there are a few steps you can consider to lessen the financial blow. Let's get started.
If your driver has the grades, typically over a 3.0, you might want to consider the Good Student Discount. Your insurer would require proof, such as a transcript, every six months in order to qualify. On average and combined with a good driver discount, you can expect an average savings of $283!
For more information on student discounts for top car insurance companies, see here.
| Age | Male | Female |
| 16 | $439 | $248 |
| 17 | $348 | $222 |
| 18 | $338 | $197 |
| 19 | $278 | $160 |
Another option is what’s called a defensive driver discount. Young drivers who have taken a professional driving course are less likely to receive a citation or get into an accident. The exact requirements and specifications for this discount vary, so consult your insurance company for details to get a cheaper rate.
| Program | Average Savings |
| Progressive's SnapShot | Average of $130 |
| Allstate's Drivewise | Average of 10-25% |
| State Farm's Drive Safe & Save | Up to 15% |
| Esurance's DriveSense | Varies |
| Nationwide's SmartRide | Up to 40% |
| Liberty Mutual's RightTrack | Average of 5-30% |
| GEICO DriveEasy | Varies |
Other programs to consider are Root and Metromile.Rootis a purely telematics-based insurance program. They only use the way you drive to price your policy.Metromileuses driving and non-driving factors (such as your age) but also considers your mileage. AKA, a pay-as-you-go insurance program. These companies are not available in every state.
If you're looking for additional information related to usage-based car insurance and telematics, see our guidehere.
Insurance companies not only use you as a rating factor for determining premiums but also your vehicle. If you’re interested in keeping your premium down it makes financial sense to chose a cheaper vehicle for less experienced drivers. Save the new trucks or luxury vehicles for more experienced drivers.
You can find more information related to vehicles, see here.
Although there are some reasons to exclude your teen drivers from your policy, the most cost-efficient solution is to keep them on your policy. Experienced drivers will help reduce the risk presented by a young driver and thus reduce your insurance bill.
If you're not totally convinced by your teen's driving abilities, you may want to consider what's called accident forgiveness to your policy. While it varies by insurer and your state, this would "forgive" the first accident on your insurance policy — meaning, your rate wouldn't be raised just because you had an auto accident. There are some age and location restrictions to this policy.
If your new driver will be using an older vehicle, make sure you're not paying for coverage you do not need. Collision and comprehensive coverage are really only designed for leased, financed, or vehicles worth more than $4,000.
The logic behind this is simple; if your vehicle isn't worth much to begin with, paying for coverage you do not need is a waste of money. You can determine the value of your vehicle by using online resources such as Kelley Blue Book and NADA online.
We encourage drivers of all ages to shop for car insurance every six months. As you can see with the data we presented above, there is a lot of price variation amongst car insurance companies. Plus, we didn’t even show all the companies! Only by comparing and getting rates from companies can you guarantee you’re getting the best rate.
By shopping with The Zebra, you can see local and national companies for your teen driver. Enter your zip code below to get a hassle and spam-free car insurance quote!
If you're looking for more information regarding car insurance with teens, see our related articles below.
| State | 16-19 |
| Alabama | $5,972 |
| Alaska | $4,465 |
| Arizona | $5,302 |
| Arkansas | $5,782 |
| California | $6,641 |
| Colorado | $6,118 |
| Connecticut | $6,686 |
| Delaware | $7,193 |
| District of Columbia | $5,809 |
| Florida | $5,861 |
| Georgia | $5,504 |
| Hawaii | $1,149 |
| Idaho | $4,104 |
| Illinois | $4,441 |
| Indiana | $4,197 |
| Iowa | $3,069 |
| Kansas | $5,074 |
| Kentucky | $7,776 |
| Louisiana | $9,348 |
| Maine | $3,420 |
| Maryland | $4,426 |
| Massachusetts | $4,594 |
| Michigan | $8,436 |
| Minnesota | $5,068 |
| Mississippi | $5,768 |
| Missouri | $5,174 |
| Montana | $4,798 |
| Nebraska | $4,448 |
| Nevada | $8,164 |
| New Hampshire | $4,842 |
| New Jersey | $6,334 |
| New Mexico | $5,394 |
| New York | $5,553 |
| North Carolina | $2,093 |
| North Dakota | $4,783 |
| Ohio | $3,927 |
| Oklahoma | $6,003 |
| Oregon | $5,218 |
| Pennsylvania | $3,944 |
| Rhode Island | $8,180 |
| South Carolina | $4,848 |
| South Dakota | $4,582 |
| Tennessee | $5,773 |
| Texas | $5,857 |
| Utah | $5,057 |
| Vermont | $4,174 |
| Virginia | $3,225 |
| Washington | $4,999 |
| West Virginia | $5,286 |
| Wisconsin | $4,795 |
| Wyoming | $4,461 |