• Young drivers and high insurance premiums go hand in hand.The young beautiful girl standing near to the car image by Igor Sheremet from Fotolia.com
  
  Car insurance for young drivers is very expensive. Adding a young driver to a policy can double the rates in many cases. The risk that is associated with an inexperienced young driver is the main factor behind the high rates. There are ways to lower your premiums when insuring a young driver, using discounts and getting additional quotes can help keep the high cost of insuring a young driver in line.
  
  

Discounts

• Discounts are one way of lowering the premiums of a young driver. The majority of insurance companies offer discounts to young drivers who qualify. A couple of the most common discounts are:
  
  Good Student - A good student discount can save between 10-15% on your premium. Most companies require a B average and a copy of a report card or note from the principal will be necessary as proof.
  
  Defensive Driving - Passing a defensive driving course can result in a discount of five to 15 percent. These classes are fairly inexpensive and usually take less then a day to complete. In some states, you can even take the courses online. Check with your local DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) for a listing of approved courses.
  
  

Lowering Your Premiums

• Other strategies that can save young drivers money:
  
  Drive an older car - An older car is cheaper to insure regardless of who is driving it, and this goes double for young drivers.
  
  Safety Features - Insurance companies offer discounts for safety features as well. Driving a car with anti-lock brakes and airbags will be cheaper to insure.
  
  Clean Driving Record - Keep their driving record clean is extremely important for young drivers. Receiving a speeding ticket or being found at fault for an accident will send premiums skyrocketing.
  
  Carry a High Deductible - Carrying a higher deductible lowers your monthly premium. You will be out of pocket for the deductible amount if an accident does occur so keep the deductible within reasonable limits.
  
  

Shop Around

• The best way to find the right policy at the right price is to shop around. Spending the time to get lots of quotes can be well worth it when you find the right policy. When comparing policies, make sure you are comparing similar coverages. Performing an extensive search can result in a savings of hundreds of dollars a year.
  
  Insurance quotes can be found online or by contacting a local insurance agent. A few of the major insurance companies are: Progressive, State Farm, Nationwide, Geico and Allstate. Checking a consolidator site like NetQuote or InsuranceQuotes.com can save a bit of time. They provide quotes from numerous insurance companies.