If you own a car, you’re likely very familiar with how much it costs to insure. While there are a lot of different things that can change the amount you pay each month for that insurance — including the type of car, what type of coverage you purchase, and even your zip code — most people don’t expect their insurance premiums to change all that much when they make a single change.
That’s likely why one Threads user said she was shocked to see how much her insurance premiums increased when she asked about adding a teen driver. “Who has a 16-year-old on their insurance policy,” @k_ben1021 asked in an Oct. 8 Threads post. “I was just quoted $1,130 a month for insurance when she turns 16.”
But it wasn’t just the initial sticker shock of how much her new policy would cost that had this mom reaching out for advice; it was the massive jump her monthly premium was set to see as a result of the newly insured driver.
Fortunately, many Threads users seemed to have experience with this very topic, and they were quick to jump in and share their own stories. Not only that, but some people also offered good advice to the mom, telling her how they saved a few bucks on their policies when their own kids started driving.
The Mom Said the New Price Added $800 a Month to Her Premium
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That $1,130 bill was going to tack an extra $800 a month onto the family’s plan, according to @k_ben1021, which was something she said was “definitely not feasible.”
A lot of people questioned the huge increase, including one person who said they paid less than $100 a month extra when adding a new driver. “My son was only $80 for my State Farm policy. For full coverage on the older vehicle he drives,” one person wrote. “My 19-year-old is $180 for a brand new vehicle he drives. Shop around.”
Some Questioned What Kind of Car the Teen Would Be Driving
As we said, there are lots of things that can influence the price of your insurance premium, which includes the type of car you drive. “Do you own a Porsche? That increase is way more than it should be (unless you have a household of sports or high-end cars),” one person wrote.
People Suggested Ways to Save Money on the Policy
While “shop around” was probably the most frequently offered advice, there were others who had more specific suggestions for the Threads user. “My daughter is 18 now, and she gets good grades and gets the good grades discount,” one person wrote in part.
“You need to make sure the car assigned to your child is on ‘liability only’ and is not something they can cause a lot of damage with,” another person wrote, adding that they should opt to get their kiddo a “beater” if they only have high-end cars on their current policy.
While it sounds like this was a frustrating experience for mom, it does offer a little insight into all of the different factors that can change your insurance premiums, and a few little-known tricks that may help others save some money when they add their new drivers to their policies.