How to save on your teen’s auto insurance rate

The cost to add a teen driver to an auto insurance plan in Ohio is more than the national average, but there are ways to save.

Many parents don't realize how pricey it will be, according to Bellbrook mom Tacy Keller.

Her premium jumped after her son got a ticket, and she will be adding her daughter, Olivia, to her plan this year.

"I don't think most of them take into consideration how much they'll be spending. It's more the convenience. 'I'm not going to be running them to practices and running them to work," Keller said.

Premiums jump 86 percent when a teen driver is added in Ohio, that's higher than the national average of 82 percent, according to a study by Insurance Quotes.

"The reason for that is your first year of driving, your probability of having a crash is very high," but there are ways parents can save on their teens portion of the premium, said Sharon Fife, president of D&D Driving School in Kettering.

"I would definitely not buy them a new car. I would also definitely not buy them a car in their name because many insurance companies now rate per your credit score and a new driver isn't going to have the credit rating that an experienced parent would have," said Fife.

Other costs cutters include B average or above grades, electronic driving monitors and avoiding tickets and accidents.

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Insurance expenses are a concern for driving student Helen Souder of Oakwood.

"I'm thinking about costs all the time and how much money I'll spend for driving," Souder said.

For parents of boys, the sticker shock is much higher.

Adding a male driver is about 20 percent more expensive than adding a female driver, according to the study.

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