Cheap auto insurance for teenagers in Rhode Island

All drivers in the state of Rhode Island must have the minimum mandatory auto liability insurance. This law includes your teenage driver. You must carry $25,000.00 for each individual injured or killed in an accident, $50,000.00 for all the people involved in the accident, and $25,000.00 to cover all property damages. Underinsured and uninsured coverage is not required by the state of Rhode Island. 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 and uninsured/underinsured to more than the state requirements.

As the parent, you are required by the state of Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island, this is the Insurance Identification Card provided by your 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 and all persons covered by that policy.

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. You will have 15 days to provide the proof that to the state of Rhode Island you had an active insurance policy at the time of the citation. Failure to produce the required proof will result in the loss of your license and registration for a maximum of three months. They will then be required to provide proof to the state that they have obtained the proper insurance coverage. They will be required to pay fines and penalties in the amount of $500.00 plus other fees. They will also have to purchase SR-22 coverage which will insure that they continue to carry the proper insurance coverage. Failure to maintain this insurance will result in the insurance company notifying the state and they will find you or your teen. They must also have proof of insurance for any regular traffic stop.

Make sure your teenage driver is aware of the new text messaging laws enacted on November 9, 2009. According to this new law, anyone caught driving and texting will be fined $85.00 for the first offense, $100.00 for the second offense, and $125.00 for the third offense. Likewise there are also laws in place for drivers under age 18 which prohibit the use of cell phones while operating a vehicle. Your teen will be fined $50.00 for the first and second offense. All offenses after that will result in a $100.00 fine and the loss of their driving privileges until age 18.

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, Rhode Island 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 safe driving course approved by the state of Rhode Island. 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 cars in the state of Rhode Island. These cars include:

1. 1990 Toyota Camry
2. 1992 Honda Accord
3. 1993 Honda Civic
4. 1996 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
5. 1996 Ford Taurus
6. 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass
7. 1998 Nissan Maxima
8. 1989 Toyota Corolla
9. 1993 Dodge Caravan
10. 1995 Acura Integra

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