Don’t be too disheartened though, there ways to get discounts if you know what to do.

Insuring your teenager to drive could lead to your insurance rates doubling or even tripling, for the simple fact that they are more likely to be involved in an accident at that age. Statistics show us that a young person under 20 years old is three times more likely to be involved in an accident that someone over the age of 20. Our insurance rates are reduced when we reach 25 for a good reason; we are more mature then, and we are more aware of the risks involved with driving, which makes us safer drivers.

Teenagers just starting out make a lot of mistakes, and as the amount you pay for your insurance is directly related to the level of risk you pose, so they end up paying very high insurance rates. There are ways you can reduce the amount you have to pay; if your teenager attends an accredited drivers school or drivers education class, they can get a 10% to 20% discount with their pass certificate.

In the United States, insurance companies will also look at giving a discount to good students, if you have a ‘B’ average or better, you should be able to get another 20% discount on your policy. Keeping a clean drivers license will also help your teenager find even lower rates.

Taking some time to explain to your son or daughter exactly why car insurance rates for teenagers are so high might just save you some money, but more importantly, it might just keep them safer on the road.

Many people believe that if their teenage son or daughter wants to drive, they should at the very least be made to pay for their own car insurance policy. The reason behind this is that, as they have sole responsibility over the factors that determine the costs of their insurance, they will be incentivised to take measures to make themselves safer drivers and so reduce the costs they pay – to me this makes perfect sense.

There are a number of other things they can do to keep costs down:

1. Make sure any car they buy is equipped with modern safety features. Cars today fitted with ABS, airbags and crumple zones are much safer than they have ever been. Cars with these features have a much higher safety rating and this can help lower insurance rates.

2. Drive less – I know that might sound crazy, but the more miles you drive the higher your rates will be, so cut out any unnecessary journeys.

3. Take an advanced driving course – Programs like Pass Plus or a defensive driving course can mean a 10% saving and will make you a better driver.

4. Buy cheap used cars – when you first start driving, choose a car that is cheap to repair or replace if it ever gets damaged. Typically an expensive car will cost more to fix, so the insurance company will want more to insure it.

5. Use a number of Internet comparison websites to get as many quotes as possible. There are insurers who have a lot experience in the uk car insurance for young drivers market who should be able to offer you a better price than the high street agents.