Adding an inexperienced driver to your automotive policy doesn’t always mean higher premiums. Most insurance companies offer a variety of discounts for teenagers, and if those fail to bring your monthly bill down, there’s another option to consider - letting your son or daughter shoulder their own car insurance coverage.

Before giving your progeny the boot from the family policy, ask your insurer about options for lowering your teen’s portion of the bill. Some companies will allow your younger wheelman to participate in driving classes to ease the premium pressure. Others will give breaks based on good grades. The point is you never know what’s out there until you ask.

You’ve done your homework and found the automotive insurance policy that’s right for you and your vehicles. You think you may be done but shopping for insurance can be trickier than navigating a gridlocked highway. Being aware of some common policy issues can save you time and, most of all, money.

While most basic policies will cover bodily injury and property damage, there are a slew of smaller levels of coverage that might be worth considering. In the event of an accident, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be provided with a rental car by the offending party’s insurance company when fenders meet. Fortunately, replacement rental coverage will get you back behind the wheel while your ride gets straightened out. At about $2 a month, it’s worth skipping a few pizza nights to know you can get to work after a wreck.

The best way to save on your automotive policy is to be a careful driver. That means obeying traffic laws and keeping an eye out for the guy who’s emailing a client, talking to his wife and not looking at the road all at the same time. The longer you drive without having a claim, the lower your car insurance premium will be.

Not everyone is a saint behind the wheel, however. If your record is less than rosy, don’t fret too much. Most states and insurance companies allow you to complete a driver education course to lower either the number of points on your driving record or the amount you pay for insurance. Expect to spend anywhere from four to eight hours suffering high school flashbacks as you watch videos and brush up on local laws. Most state department of motor vehicle web sites usually list certified courses and their phone numbers, and some even allow you to take the exam online. 

Every state requires drivers to carry some sort of auto insurance but few people know how to use their policies effectively in a panic, post-accident situation.

For those who have never suffered through a car accident, it’s a jarring experience. Loud noises, violent shaking, enduring bad memories and more than a little pain are all integral ingredients in this recipe for disaster. When the air bag dust settles, the proper way to file an auto insurance claim is probably the last thing on your mind.

Many states require drivers to contact the police if the damage to your vehicle is more than $200. That’s about the cost of a turn signal lens on most new vehicles, so it doesn’t take much to cross that threshold.

Picking a car insurance provider that’s right for you can be a daunting task, but knowing what’s out there and how they conduct business can help guide you down the path to auto insurance bliss.

There are two basic ways to get a policy. Either you can do it the way your dad, and likely his dad did, by purchasing a policy from an agent or you can pick up coverage directly from a provider. Both ways have their benefits, as well as supposed drawbacks, so knowing what you’re comfortable with may be your best guide here.

Car Insurance is unavoidable, but how much policy coverage is necessary? Depending on a few of factors, you may find dishing out a little extra money on your automotive policy every month could save you money in the long run.

When it comes to bare minimums, each state has a different level of coverage it would prefer its drivers adopt. These could range from Alaska and Maine’s substantial 50/100/25 to Oklahoma’s flimsy 10/20/10.

No, these aren’t the combinations to the insurance company’s piggy banks. The first number represents the maximum amount of bodily injury, or medical expense, the insurance company will pay per person in an accident. The second digit signifies the total amount of bodily injury the company will pay, and the final number is the amount of property damage the policy covers.

So, in Oklahoma, drivers are only required to carry $10,000 of bodily injury for a total of $20,000. That means if you are carrying liability insurance in the Panhandle State, and there are three people in the car you rear end while looking for your Beyonce CD, if each of them accrue $10,000 worth of medical bills, the insurance company will only pay $20,000. That leaves you to foot the remainder of the bill.