My first car and auto insurance
I can still remember the excitement that I felt when I passed my driving exams and got my driver’s license. It was a rite of passage for me, it finally felt that I am a grown up and I knew that I could make things start to happen because I don’t have to wait for my older brother to drive me around town. My parents know that this is such a big deal that they even made a surprise mini party for me. Well I thought that they would give me car then but I found out that they didn’t. However, they gave me the promise that one I graduate and get good grades, then I don’t have to spend a dime because they would lovingly give me one. That was good enough for me.
When I graduated high school, I got so excited because finally I can have my very first car. And as an added bonus, I get to choose which car is the one for me because of my good grades. It was then that I found out that when it comes to choosing a car for teens is not easy. Back then I already had a part time job and me and my parents made a deal. My parents would pay for the whole expense of the car but since I have a job, I would have to pay for my auto insurance. That sounds fair enough for me and thought I was getting a better end in the deal. Besides, this is a way for my parents to teach me on how to be a responsible car owner.
So there I was, excited to buy my own car only to find out that the car that I chose have an impact on how much I have to pay for the auto insurance coverage. Knowing that the money for the policy will come from my own pocket, I have to be very careful about what I chose to have a better coverage and save money. One tip that I found out from car dealers is that choosing a safe car could give me discounts for the auto insurance. That means that I should stay away from high-profile SUVs as well as trucks because they are harder to control in a vehicular accident situation. Cars that promote speeding can lead to accidents, sports car and subcompact models are also out of the league because small cars can end up severely damaged. Instead, I ended up choosing a car that has front and side airbags, anti-theft measures, antilock brakes and daytime running lights. It is a fact when they say that auto insurance provides discounts if you have one or several safety features in your car.
We also found out that I will save more money when my parents would cover me as part of their existing auto insurance policy. So we did that but I have to pay them for my share. This also opened the chances for multi-car discount. I also took some driver safety courses because that qualifies me for more discounts. As an added bonus, the higher grade that you get, the more discounts you can avail. This did not only got me discounts but it taught me how to be responsible driver. That is off course separate from my parents own lecture about avoiding driving distractions like texting while driving or drinking and driving.
A teen ager pays higher premiums for auto insurance but it would generally decrease if you have and maintain a good driving and accident free record. Having my first car did not only gave me the freedom that I longed for but it taught me how to be responsible and other life lessons that helped me be a better and responsible adult.