Cheap auto insurance for teenagers in Louisiana

All drivers in the state of Louisiana must have the minimum mandatory auto liability insurance. This law includes your teenage driver. You must carry $15,000.00 for each individual injured or killed in an accident, $30,000.00 for all the people involved in the accident, and $25,000.00 to cover all property damages. Under Louisiana law, you are not required to carry uninsured and underinsured coverage. 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 uninsured and underinsured as well as comprehensive and collision on your teen along with raising the limits on your liability insurance to more than the state requirements.

As the parent, you are required by the state of Louisiana to take financial responsibility for your teenage driver. Your teen driver must carry their proof of insurance in the vehicle at all times. You must produce proof of insurance upon request by the authorities. In Louisiana, proper proof of insurance includes your insurance card or binder, I.D. card issued by your insurance company, your declaration page, or a written statement from the insurance company. Information supplied to the DMV by the insurance company will include the name of the insurance company, the dates of coverage, and the amount of liability coverage. It also needs to include the policy number, VIN number of the vehicles covered, the make and model of the vehicles as well as the name of the policy holder. The auto insurance needs to be authorized by a qualified auto insurance company. Even if the teen is not at fault for an accident, they must provide proof of insurance to the officer on the scene. They must also have proof of insurance for any regular traffic stop.

Lack of proof of insurance will result in fines and possibly the loss of their vehicle’s registration. The penalties for not carrying current minimum liability auto insurance in the state of Louisiana will result in the confiscation of the vehicle or the placement of a yellow tag in the back window which indicates your teen did not have the proper proof of insurance to other police officers. The license plate tags will also be taken. You and your teen will have three days to present proof of insurance to the state in order to retrieve the tags, vehicle or both. If you fail to provide the proof or you do not comply with the state laws, then you or your teen will be given fines, penalties and the suspension of the vehicle’s registration. The vehicle will be taken and you will have to pay reinstatement fees of $50.00 and towing costs as well as provide proof of insurance to get the car back. Your teen will face a $75.00 to $100.00 fine the first time, $100.00 to $250.00 fine the second time and a fine of up to $700.00 for each additional time they are caught without proof of insurance.

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 or talking on their cell phone. Safety devices such as anti-lock brakes side air bags, automatic seat belts and daytime running lights may also reduce your premiums.

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 Connecticut. These cars include:

1. 2003 Dodge Ram Pickup
2. 1994 Chevrolet C/K 1500 Pickup (full size)
3. 2001 Ford F150
4. 1995 Honda Accord
5. 2003 Dodge Caravan
6. 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass
7. 2000 Dodge Intrepid
8. 1998 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
9. 1991 Toyota Camry
10. 1997 Ford Taurus

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