Adding a Teenage Driver to Your Insurance Policy
When your teen begins driving, your first (and biggest) concern is for their safety. At NJM, that's our first and biggest concern as well. We believe that safety on the roads is achieved when careful driving habits are adopted early on.
As part of our commitment to keeping drivers safe on the roads, we have developed a comprehensive Teen Driver Safety Program and are a proud sponsor of Share the Keys.
Tips for Parents of New Drivers
Parents have the biggest influence on their children when they’re learning to drive. Help your new teen driver develop safe habits by:
- Allowing lots of time for practice driving
- Exposing them to different types of terrain and adverse weather conditions when practice driving
- Evaluating their skills to determine when they are ready to drive on their own
Be sure to read all of our tips for parents of teen drivers!
Insuring a Teen Driver
Once your teen obtains a learners’ permit, they should be added to your car insurance policy. Since their driving will be limited and would only take place with a licensed driver in the car, they will not be rated until they turn 18 years old or receive a valid driver's license (whichever occurs first).
When your teen obtains a license, simply log in to add them as a driver on your policy. You can also call us at 1-800-232-6600, ext. 4511, to discuss the best coverage options for your family.
And remember: your teen driver could be eligible for several valuable discounts! Here are a few that we offer for new drivers:
- Good Student
- Driver Training
- Defensive Driving — this discount can be obtained for drivers of all ages who complete an approved course.
Your Policy, or Get Them Their Own?
Parents often ask if their teen driver can obtain a policy of their own. Absolutely! But here are some factors to consider if you’re thinking about having your teen apply for their own policy:
The policyholder (in this case, your child), would need to be an owner, or part-owner, of the car they would be insuring.
In most cases, the teen would only be insuring one vehicle. They would not qualify for the Multi-Car Discount they would receive if they were on the parents’ policy and that policy insured more than one car.
Is an Umbrella Policy Right for You and Your Family?
While we don’t like to think about it, accidents occasionally happen. And statistics show that teen drivers are commonly involved, mainly due to their inexperience behind the wheel. If you, your teen, or anyone driving your car is found to be the cause of an accident, your auto policy could provide coverage for the other driver’s damages. However, if the value of the other driver’s damages exceeds the liability limits of your policy, you could be personally responsible. NJM offers an umbrella policy, which can provide an additional level of protection above the liability limit of your auto policy.
Whether your teen is currently driving or will soon be behind the wheel, you can trust NJM to be there when you need us most.
