Author: mymitram

Have you added a teenager or young adult to your insurance? Teen driver insurance is a tricky topic to understand

Has your insurance premium gone up significantly?

Most parents when they add their child for the first time to their policy are surprised to see their insurance premium has gone up by 100% +. If you have more than one teen driving child then your rate may go up by 250% +.

In the article below we have shared tips that can help you in reducing your car insurance premium. We have also discussed insurance discounts for teenage drivers. 

Tips for Reducing cost on teen driver insurance

1. Compare rate with multiple insurance companies: 

Most insurance buyers go to 3-4 insurance company websites they have heard on overpriced TV commercials. Then they enter the same information on those sites again and again to get insurance quotes. They compare those 3-4 quotes and buy the cheapest one.

There are 100’s of insurance companies and if you had compared with say 25 top insurance companies then you may have got a better rate. But it will take a lot of time on your side and you will have to input the same data on 25 different sites.

Hence the best option is to get an independent insurance agent who will compare rate and coverage with dozens of insurance companies.They will not only help you in getting the best rate but also help in picking the right coverage for your needs.

CoverClan can help you in finding the best independent insurance agent for you.

2.Good grade discount:

Ask your insurance company if they provide discounts to teenagers with good grades. If your teen has good grades then this can help in reducing the rate.

3.Driver training classes:

Your insurance company may offer a discount if your teen takes certain driver training classes.

4.Having car with safety features:

Many insurance companies provide discounts if your car is equipped with safety features like anti-lock brake and anti theft devices. If you are planning to buy a new car then you may want to look for a car with safety features which help in reducing insurance rate.

5.Installing a monitoring device

Nowadays many insurance companies are coming with monitoring devices which can be installed in your car. These devices measure driving behaviour and offer discounts to good drivers.

There are also pay per mile kind of insurance providers where your insurance premium depends on the number of miles you have driven. You will have to install a telematics device provided by the insurance company but this can save a significant amount on your car insurance. 

6.Increase your deductible

Deductible is the amount you pay first for a claim before insurance starts paying. Hence currently if you have deductible of say $500 then you can increase it to $1000 and reduce your monthly premium significantly.

This also prevents you from filing small claims and keeps your claim history clean. You can put some extra amount in your emergency fund to pay for this increased deductible.

7.Inform insurer if your child has moved away

If your child has moved to a school more than 100miles away from your house and has not taken a car then you should inform your insurer. Many insurers provide huge discounts and your child will still have coverage when back home for vacation.

8.Getting multiple policy discount

If you have your home/auto or any other insurance with multiple insurers then you should look at combining them with one insurer to get multiple policy discounts. 

Since teens and young adults are at high risk for accidents it is a good idea to get an umbrella policy as well. 

3 Steps to Home insurance discount for security system

What not to do when you add a teen to car insurance

1.Buying a car for teenager and putting them in their own policy

This option will cost you multiple times more than adding a teen to your car insurance. It is better to add teen to parents policy compared to having a separate policy for teens.

2.Reducing insurance coverage

Sometimes people try to reduce their insurance premium by reducing insurance coverage they have on car. Not having sufficient insurance to cover an unforeseen event is more risky compared to the amount you save on premium. You may save for example $50 on your insurance premium but in case of an accident you may end up paying $50,000 from your pocket.

3.Not having an umbrella policy

Umbrella insurance is a type of personal liability insurance that covers claims in excess of regular homeowners, auto, or watercraft policy coverage. You can get a million-dollar-plus policy for a reasonable premium. 

For example, if you or your teen is involved in multiple car accidents where you are at fault. In this situation, if your total claims exceed the auto policy limit then the umbrella policy will cover additional claim amount (up to umbrella policy limit). Without an umbrella policy, you may end up paying a huge amount from your pocket.

Some frequently asked questions

Does my teenager need insurance to drive my car?

If your teenager has a license then your teen should be added to your car insurance.

How much does it cost to add a teenage driver to auto insurance?

Cost depends on multiple factors like age of your teen, driver history, state you live in etc. But as a thumb rule for one teen your insurance cost may go up by 100% or more.

Car insurance for 16 year old

Car insurance is always expensive for young drivers and it is highest for 16 year old drivers. 16 year olds have a car accident rate which is twice as high as 17 or 18 year old drivers. You can use tips mentioned in this article to save on car insurance for 16 year olds.

Insurance for 17 year old driver

Car insurance is always expensive for young drivers and it is highest for teen drivers. You can use tips mentioned in this article to save on car insurance for 16 year olds.

Best way to save on insurance is by comparing with 20 or more insurance carriers. Since you may not have time or energy to compare with multiple carriers you should hire an independent insurance agent who can shop for you.

Try https://coverclan.com/ and start saving today. They will shop with up to 50 insurance carriers and save time and money for you.

So you have a side hustle? You spend your 9-5 making living and 5-9 doing things which make you alive, also known as side hustle.

Having a side hustle or business is a great way to make some extra cash and do things which you enjoy. But without proper insurance you may end up with headache and financial liability.

You should realize that your personal car and home insurance policy will not cover business related claims. 

Some examples where you may need insurance for your side gig

1. You drive uber or lyft using your own car
2. You bake or cook and someone may get allergic reaction by consuming your product
3. You sell real estate as side gig
4. You do taxes during tax season
5. You run a salon during evening hours in your home

Professional liability Insurance for side hustle (also known as Errors and Omissions insurance)

Professional liability insurance protects you from claims initiated by clients related to professional negligence, malpractice or misrepresentation. 

Professional liability insurance may have different names based on your profession. For example in the medical field this is called medical malpractice insurance. In professions like real estate agents or insurance agents it is called errors and omission insurance.

Professional liability insurance is a specialty coverage that is not provided under homeowners’ endorsements, in-home business policies, or business-owners’ policies. It only covers claims made during the policy period.

What does Professional Liability Insurance covers

If someone is suing you for risks covered in your professional liability policy then your policy will cover legal fees and incidentals like

• Court fees
• Attorney fees
• Cost to settle case
• Fines to be paid

Example of side business which need Errors and Omissions Insurance ( also called Professional Liability Insurance)

• Developers who do freelance work may be sued for issues in code they delivered.
• Consultants maybe sued for advice they provided to client
• Bookkeepers maybe sued for error they make 
• Real estate agents need protection against error and omissions

Using your Car for Side hustle?

Insurance for driving Uber or Lyft as your side hustle

If you drive Uber or Lyft to earn additional income by using your personal vehicle then it’s a good idea to purchase Rideshare insurance policy. Rideshare insurance can be added as endorsement to your auto policy or you can buy a separate policy.

Here is how insurance work when you are working with Uber/Lyft or any other ridesharing company as your side business.

Your app is Off : 

In this case your personal insurance will cover your car.

App is on and you are waiting for a customer : 

In this case your personal car insurance without a rideshare policy will not cover any loss. Coverage from Uber/Lyft is limited to liability protection.

App is on and you are on your way to pick a passenger: 

In this case insurance from your ride sharing company will cover you for collision and liability. Remember many rideshare companies have deductible as high as $1000 for collision claims. Which means you have to pay $1000 from your pocket before coverage applies.

App is on and you are driving a passenger: 

In this case insurance from your ride sharing company will cover you for collision and liability. 

What is Rideshare Insurance

Rideshare insurance is a type of car insurance coverage available to people who drive for a ride-sharing company such as Uber or Lyft. The insurance is designed to fill the gap in coverage provided by your personal car insurance and the commercial insurance offered by the ride-sharing company.

Do I need Rideshare insurance as Uber/Lyft already provide Insurance?

Your personal car insurance will not cover claims for accidents which occur when you are driving Uber or Lyft as your side hustle. They may even cancel your auto insurance if they find out that you are driving a personal vehicle for commercial purposes.

Insurance provided by Uber/Lyft or any other ride sharing company is maximum when you are driving a passenger with an app working. But coverage is limited when you are waiting for a passenger. Hence Rideshare insurance can cover any gap in insurance which your personal auto insurance and rideshare company does not cover or provide limited coverage.

How much does Rideshare Insurance cost?

Generally rideshare insurance should cost you around $10 – $20 per month above your personal car insurance. 

Getting teen driver insurance: Learn how to save money

Using your Home for Side hustle?

Insurance for side hustle with Airbnb

Renting your home for short duration via Airbnb and other short term renting sites is a great way to make money. Many hosts do this full time and have multiple properties rented at any point of time.

Your home insurance may cover you if you have few rentals during a year but if you are renting your home for business then you definitely need additional protection.

3 Steps to Home insurance discount for security system

What does Insurance provided by Airbnb cover?

There are two kind of protection offered by Airbnb

• Host Protection
• Host Guarantee

Airbnb Host Protection

The Host Protection Insurance program provides primary liability coverage for up to $1,000,000 per occurrence in the event of a third-party claim of bodily injury or property damage related to an Airbnb stay.

Here are some examples of what the Host Protection Insurance program should cover:

• A guest breaks their wrist after slipping on the rug and brings a claim for the injury against the host.
• A guest is working out on the treadmill in the gym of the apartment building. The treadmill breaks and the guest is injured when they fall off. They bring a claim for the injury against the host and the landlord.
• A guest accidentally drops their suitcase on a third party’s foot in the building lobby. The third party brings a claim for the injury against the host and the landlord of the host’s building.

Some examples of what the Host Protection Insurance program doesn’t cover:

• Intentional acts where liability isn’t the result of an accident.
• Accusations of slander or defamation of character.
• Property issues (ex: mold, bed bugs, asbestos, pollution).
• Auto accidents (ex: vehicle collisions).

Host Guarantee

Airbnb’s Host Guarantee is designed to protect hosts in rare instances of property damage to their own possessions, unit, or home by a guest staying in the space. The Host Guarantee is not insurance and doesn’t replace your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance.

The Airbnb Host Guarantee provides protection for up to $1,000,000 to a host for damages to covered property in the rare event of guest damages above the security deposit or if no security deposit is in place.

The Host Guarantee Program doesn’t cover cash and securities, collectibles, rare artwork, jewelry, pets or personal liability.

Do I need Insurance beyond what Airbnb provides?

Short answer is yes . 

How much and what kind of insurance you need will depend based on your home insurance provider and amount of coverage you need.

Some home insurance policies have home sharing endorsements which can provide small coverage like $10,000. 

For more information you can connect with one of our agent who can provide you proper information based on your condition.

Running a side hustle from home

If you have a side business which involves people visiting your home then you will need insurance to protect yourself from:

• Liability claims if your customer is injured 
• Protect your business property and equipments
• Professional liability or Errors and omissions

Options to get insurance for your side hustle 

You can add an endorsement to your homeowner’s policy which can increase limits on business property and equipment. According to the Insurance Information Institute, it can cost as little as $25 to increase limits from $2,500 to $5,000 for example.

Endorsements to your homeowners liability can extend your liability coverage to include occasional business visitors (which would otherwise be excluded).

You can get a business owners policy which can protect you from all business related risks.

Source:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/937/what-is-host-protection-insurance

https://www.thebalance.com/freelance-insurance-for-home-based-business-4779714