Cheap auto insurance for teenagers in Illinois

All drivers in the state of Illinois must have the minimum mandatory auto liability insurance. This law includes your teenage driver. You must carry $20,000.00 for each individual injured or killed in an accident, $40,000.00 for all the people involved in the accident, and $15,000.00 to cover all property damages. Since statistics show that the first year behind the wheel of a car is the prime time for teenage automobile accidents, your insurance company may recommend that you carry comprehensive and collision on your teen as well as raising the limits on your liability insurance to more than the state requirements.

As the parent, you are required by the state of Illinois to take financial responsibility for your teenage driver. Your teen driver must carry their proof of insurance in the vehicle at all times. Their proof of insurance should be kept in the car at all times. This proof will usually be the insurance identification card supplied to them by the insuring company and needs to include the name of the insurance company and the policy holder’s name. It also needs to have the make, model, and year of the vehicle being covered. The vehicle’s VIN number and the dates of coverage are also required to assure the law enforcement officer that the insurance is current. If for some reason your teen does not have an insurance card, contact the insurance company to obtain another card. Meanwhile, have your teen carry their insurance binder, a current declaration page for the policy, a certificate of insurance, or the receipt for the last insurance purchase as proof that they have up to date coverage.

Failure to provide proof of insurance can result in fines, and loss of the vehicle’s license plate and registration. Your teen may also be ticketed for lack of insurance proof. The fines can range from $500.00 for driving without valid proof of insurance. Your teen will be required to pay a reinstatement fee of $100.00 to get their registration back for the first offense. If they drive without a valid license plate, the fine will be $1,000.00. Individuals who continue to drive without proof of current insurance coverage will face a 4 month suspended registration and license plate and the vehicle cannot be driven by anyone. If your teen violates the mandatory proof of minimum insurance three times they will be required by the courts to have proof of financial responsibility (SR-22) for three years. If they do not comply, their driver’s license will be suspended.

Adding your teen to your policy will generally be less expensive than putting them on their own auto insurance policy. Even then, the cost of adding your teen to your insurance policy will raise your premiums from $1200.00 to $4900.00 per year. On average, the premium will raise approximately $2,171.00 per year.

For each successive year that your teen maintains a good driving record, the premiums will most likely go down. To maintain a good driving record, your teen cannot have any traffic violations or accidents on their driving record. They cannot be picked up for a DUI. Even being involved in an accident that was not their fault can be a mark against their record just as it is for an adult. Insurance companies view this as an indication that the driver may not have been paying close attention to the circumstances around them and therefore could have possibly avoided the accident.

In addition to a clean driving record, teens who maintain a “B” grade point average will also receive a discount on insurance premiums. Another discount available for teens will be given when the teen has successfully completed a state approved safe driving course. The type of car your teen drives will also affect your insurance premiums. Don’t put your teen in a luxury car or sports car. It may also help lower your premiums if you avoid the top 10 stolen cares in the state of Illinois. These cars include:

1. 1991 Toyota Camry
2. 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass
3. 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
4. 1992 Chevrolet Van
5. 1989 Chevrolet Caprice
6. 1993 Ford Taurus
7. 1990 Buick LeSabre
8. 1994 Dodge Caravan
9. 2004 Pontiac Grand Am
10. 2000 Dodge Intrepid

Following these guidelines will save you between 10 to 15% on your auto insurance premiums for your teenage driver.