How Much Is Car Insurance for a 17-Year-Old?
The average cost of car insurance for a 17-year-old is $737 per month.
17-year-old drivers can save on car insurance by removing coverage that's not needed, comparing quotes from multiple companies and looking for discounts for safe driving and good grades.
Find Cheap 17-year-old Car Insurance Quotes
How much does car insurance for 17-year-olds cost?
The average cost of car insurance for a 17-year-old is $737 per month. However, the cost varies widely by company.
At a monthly rate of $423 for 17-year-olds, Geico is the cheapest car insurance company widely available nationwide.
Erie, which is available in 13 states, offers the cheapest insurance quotes for 17-year-olds, at $275 per month.
USAA offers the second-cheapest rate, $360 per month. But it's only available to current and former members of the military and their families.
Find the cheapest companies for 17-year-olds in each state
Find Cheap 17-year-old Car Insurance Quotes
Average cost of car insurance for a 17-year-old
Company | Monthly cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Erie | $275 |
| USAA | $360 |
| Geico | $423 |
| State Farm | $516 |
| Nationwide | $539 |
| Farmers | $560 |
| Progressive | $735 |
| Allstate | $1,002 |
| Average | $737 |
Car insurance for teens on a family policy
Adding a 17-year-old driver to a parent's car insurance plan can be 55% cheaper than getting a separate policy.
Cost of car insurance for 17-year-olds, compared with other ages
The cost to insure a 17-year-old is an average of $458 more expensive per month than insuring a 25-year-old. A 17-year-old can expect their monthly insurance rate to decrease by $121 when they turn 18.
Why is car insurance so expensive for 17-year-olds?
Young drivers are expensive to insure because they are statistically more likely to get into a car accident and pose a greater risk for insurance companies. This may seem unfair, but older inexperienced drivers also pay higher auto insurance rates.
As drivers gain experience, they become less likely to get into accidents and could see lower rates, if they avoid traffic accidents and tickets.
How do rates differ between 17-year-old male and female drivers?
The average cost of car insurance for 17-year-old male drivers is 9% more expensive than the average for female drivers. This is due to young male drivers tending to get into more accidents than young female drivers. Male drivers who are 16 to 18 years old also pay more for car insurance than their female counterparts.
Age | Monthly cost—male driver | Monthly cost—female driver |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | $845 | $782 |
| 17 | $768 | $705 |
| 18 | $647 | $586 |
How 17-year-olds can save on auto insurance
The best way for a 17-year-old to save on auto insurance is to be added to a parent's policy, rather than getting separate car insurance. Shopping around for quotes, exploring discounts and getting less coverage can also lower rates.
Shop around
Insurance costs differ greatly by location. The best way to ensure the lowest rate is by gathering quotes from several companies in the area. For 17-year-olds, the cost varies by as much as $8,724 per year between companies for the same full-coverage policy. Getting quotes from more places likely means getting the best rate.
Find discounts for 17-year-old drivers
Most insurance companies offer discounts to offset the high cost of auto insurance for young drivers. Some, such as Progressive, even offer a discount just for having a young driver — under 18 — on a policy. Here are some common discounts for teen drivers:
- Good student discount: Most companies require young drivers to have at least a 3.0 GPA — or "B" average — to qualify for this discount. The amount depends on the company, with some, such as State Farm, offering up to 25%. Student drivers might also qualify for this discount by placing in the upper 20% of their class or being on the dean's list or honor roll.
- Driver's education discount: A driver's education training course is one of the easiest ways to lower rates for 17-year-old drivers. Often, drivers get a discount for completing a state-approved driver's education class, though some companies offer their own driver's education or defensive-driver courses. Discounts typically range from 5% to 15%.
- Distant student discount: Parents with a child who attends school far away and leaves their car at home can get a discount from some companies. This can be especially valuable for parents with kids in college or at boarding school. To qualify, the student typically has to be under 23 and attend school at least 100 miles away.
Drop comprehensive and collision coverages for cheaper cars
Insuring a cheaper vehicle can cost less by not getting collision and comprehensive coverages. Dropping full coverage is best for vehicles that are worth less than a few thousand dollars.
Cheaper or older vehicles may not qualify for many vehicle equipment discounts, such as for air bags, antilock brakes and anti-theft alarms. However, the amount saved with these discounts is usually less than the savings from skipping comprehensive and collision coverages.
How to get car insurance for a 17-year-old
If you're a parent adding a 17-year-old driver to your policy, getting them covered is usually as simple as contacting your insurance company or updating your policy online. This is the cheapest option, but it may still come with a major rate increase.
Can a 17-year-old get their own car insurance?
Most states allow 17-year-olds to own and insure their own vehicles but often require a parent to sign a certificate of consent or otherwise grant permission to register a vehicle. Some companies won't offer insurance to a 17-year-old without a parent's signature.
After getting permission, the 17-year-old should collect and compare quotes when getting an auto insurance policy. The quote tool above can be used to start comparing car insurance costs in the area.
How to get insurance for a teen with a learner's permit
Teens with a learner's permit are sometimes covered by their parent's policy and don't need to be added as a driver. This may vary by company, so the best way to be sure is to contact your insurance and let them know that a teen with a learner's permit will be driving a car covered by your policy.
If your insurance company says your policy already covers provisional drivers, your insurance rates likely won't go up.
Methodology
This analysis gathered car insurance rates from thousands of ZIP codes across nine of the most populated states in the US. Quotes were obtained for a 2015 Honda Civic EX for a 17-year-old male and a 17-year-old female with a clean driving record.
The full-coverage policies had the following limits:
Coverage | Limits |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident |
| Comprehensive and collision | $500 deductible |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | Minimum, when required by state |
The analysis covered 29 insurance companies, but rates from companies were only included in the list of average prices and recommendations if their policies were available in at least three of the nine states.
Data from Quadrant Information Services was used for this analysis. The rates were publicly sourced from insurance company filings and should be used for comparative purposes only. Your quotes may vary from the averages listed in this study.
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