Insurance & Teen Driver?

[paullac]

Kind of an off the wall question but here goes… I am literally writing the check right now for insurance on our class C. Our oldest will soon turn 16 & be driving. I know that our car insurance rates will increase. But should I expect that on the motorhome too? State Farm has all our insurance including the car & motorhome. There's no way our 16 year old will ever drive our 32 ft class C so I don't think it should increase - but State Farm may feel differently. Thanks!

[klutchdust]

mlts22 wrote:
The only reason why I'd not exclude her on the RV (although it definitely wouldn't be her primary vehicle) is in case of an emergency, just because when stuff goes bad, it goes bad in mass quantities, so she might have to drive, then someone hits the RV.

I would go with what is obvious, excluded driver. Your scenario has a slim to none chance of happening. If you feel better put her on the insurance plan.People that over think

all possibilities are the reason why extended warranties are so popular and 72% are never used. As always, consult with your insurance agent.

[Lumpty]

LOL

This has not come up on my RV policy with Foremost, but probably because they haven't asked and I haven't mentioned it. 19 y.o. son and 17 y.o. daughter. When I bought the motorhome 4 years ago, I listed myself as the driver 99.9% of the time, with my wife the other 0.1%. She has yet to sit in the driver's seat.

My son on the other hand, drives it on occasion if absolutely warranted, has routinely parked and maneuvered it with and without the 20' enclosed trailer hitched at home to get stuff ready for a trip, and is absolutely the only other one in the household I'd trust to regularly pilot it. But this is not your average teenage driver, not even close. He does close to 40,000 miles a year on the road to and from school and "commuting" to the racing and driving schools he works at; has been a top finisher in a SCCA Pro Racing series the last three years. Those "commutes"? His "jobs" home for the summer from college are performance driving instruction gigs making $300-$400 a day, at race tracks all over the northeast and southeast.

Unfortunately, even though he teaches teen driving safety courses among stuff he does, it doesn't make a penny of difference on any vehicle insurance bill of mine. I can only imagine what it would do to the motorhome policy if I did formally add him.

[toedtoes]

Ponderosa wrote:
I went through this a couple years ago. It may vary by state but I was not required or asked to "exclude" them. They are listed as principal driver on one of the vehicles and that is the only one where the rates were changed in my case, IIRC, - and it was not that much anyway. Mine are girls though and got good student credits. It was all far less painful than I was expecting. Ins co is State Farm.

That's my experience. State Farm doesn't require you to exclude them from a vehicle (unless they become a high risk driver).

[5Mainecampers]

When I added our son to the insurance-- it only affected the rate of the vehicle which we designated as his. The other two cars and RV were not affected.

[Ponderosa]

I went through this a couple years ago. It may vary by state but I was not required or asked to "exclude" them. They are listed as principal driver on one of the vehicles and that is the only one where the rates were changed in my case, IIRC, - and it was not that much anyway. Mine are girls though and got good student credits. It was all far less painful than I was expecting. Ins co is State Farm.

[Bumpyroad]

count your blessings that you don't have to insure a teen age male.
bumpy

[mlts22]

The only reason why I'd not exclude her on the RV (although it definitely wouldn't be her primary vehicle) is in case of an emergency, just because when stuff goes bad, it goes bad in mass quantities, so she might have to drive, then someone hits the RV.

[toedtoes]

paullac wrote:
Maybe it's just me (I tend to be cautious) but I can't imagine too many people let their 16 year olds drive their class C's.

Depends on how big the C and the road traveled. My dad had me drive his truck and flatbed trailer along an old highway road when I had my learner's permit. Taught me how to use side mirrors (he had removed the rearview mirror purposely), how to size up space for changing lanes, how to adjust braking and acceleration to account for that big thing hanging off the rear, etc. A small class C would have been much easier to drive.

One thing to remember: if you exclude her now, be sure you get her un-excluded before you start letting her help drive during trips.

[toedtoes]

Insurance companies vary on how they account for household drivers. Some insurance companies (especially low cost ones) will insist that all persons living in the residence are potential drivers. This often happens to young folks who are renting with roommates - the insurance requires each roommate to be named on the insurance because "they have access to the keys".

With State Farm, they don't ask you who lives in the household and you only identify the person(s) authorized to drive that vehicle. If you have multiple drivers in the household, you can exclude any on the insurance for a specific vehicle.

As Old Biscuit said, insure your daughter as primary driver for the oldest vehicle. For any other vehicle she may drive, include her as an authorized driver. For the RV, exclude her.

[Beaker]

Yup, excluded driver.... won't effect your rates at all.

That's correct, but opens you hope to big liability possibility.

[Mmwtdh]

Yup, excluded driver.... won't effect your rates at all.

[Old-Biscuit]

paullac wrote:
It's a "she" but same thing. I would be happy to sign an affidavit or whatever that she won't drive & that I wouldn't be covered if she did. Yes, it's just another vehicle for our household. But it's not exactly a daily driver sitting in the garage. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Maybe it's just me (I tend to be cautious) but I can't imagine too many people let their 16 year olds drive their class C's.

So contact your agent, have that conversation and do what's needed...... why wait to cross that bridge, that approach can cause confusion.

[gbopp]

Interesting question. Please give us an update when you get the answer.

I have a 13 YO GS, I'll be in the same position as you in three years.

[paullac]

It's a "she" but same thing. I would be happy to sign an affidavit or whatever that she won't drive & that I wouldn't be covered if she did. Yes, it's just another vehicle for our household. But it's not exactly a daily driver sitting in the garage. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Maybe it's just me (I tend to be cautious) but I can't imagine too many people let their 16 year olds drive their class C's.