Starting a driving journey may be exciting and thrilling. While this step in one’s life signifies maturity in age and societal role, it also highlights responsibility to oneself and others. This is because when driving, you should always practice the utmost caution for the safety of every road user.
One significant responsibility when starting to drive is to obtain car insurance. Acquiring this will help guarantee financial safety in the event of a car accident.
If your teenager is looking forward to learning to drive, this article will help you understand the importance of car insurance policies and how to acquire one.
Do Teen Drivers Need Insurance When Driving?
Every driver, including those just starting their driving journey, needs car insurance when traveling. This means that even if a driver only has a learner’s permit, they should obtain insurance before driving.
Most jurisdictions, including California, require all drivers to have auto insurance. However, the coverage requirement may vary depending on the state. In California, for example, car drivers must meet specific liability requirements, which include:
- $15,000 coverage for injury or death to one person.
- $30,000 coverage for injury or death to multiple individuals.
- $5,000 coverage for property damage.
Note that teen drivers frequently pay higher insurance rates because they are more likely to be involved in accidents and have less driving experience. It is best to seek out experts when determining which insurance best fits your teen.
How to Obtain Car Insurance for Teens
Securing insurance is the initial step in ensuring your teen driver’s safety and legal compliance while on the road. This can be accomplished by obtaining separate insurance or adding the young driver to your existing policy. Typically, a parent can include a teen driver in their current policy by calling the insurance provider.
Adding a Teen Driver to an Existing Policy
Remember that incorporating a teen driver into a current auto insurance plan typically proves more cost-effective than acquiring a new policy for them. However, when doing so, parents must ensure that the deductible and coverage limits of the existing insurance policy are adequate to protect the teen driver. If not, they may adjust the coverage based on various factors, such as their financial situation and the vehicle’s value.
Obtaining New Insurance
On the other hand, when obtaining new coverage for a teen driver, you can select the type of coverage that best suits your teenager’s needs, such as liability coverage, collision coverage, comprehensive coverage, and others. It is best to determine the optimal coverage for a teen’s driving patterns and the vehicle they will be operating when acquiring new insurance.
What Happens If a Teen Driver Gets Into an Accident?
Generally, if another driver hits a car, causing injuries and damages, the victim has the right to initiate a car accident claim. This claim is intended to pursue compensation for the expenses linked to the injuries or other damages, such as medical bills and vehicle repair costs.
So, if a teen driver gets into a car accident, the driver who caused the collision should be responsible for paying the damage expenses. This means that your teen driver can receive compensation if another driver causes the crash.
On the other hand, your teen driver can be liable for damages if the crash results from their negligent actions. So, if they are underage, you, the parent, are generally responsible for paying the damage costs.
In a car accident, you typically must demonstrate liability through the following elements:
- The driver had the responsibility of ensuring everyone’s safety.
- They failed to fulfill this crucial duty.
- As a consequence of their negligence, an accident ensued.
- This accident inflicted injuries and other associated damages.
Filing for a car accident is complicated. This usually becomes even more complicated when a teen driver is involved. What happens if your teen driver admits fault for a crash due to pressure, even if they didn’t cause it? The other driver can use this and flip the situation around, leaving you with financial responsibility.
This is why it is best to contact a lawyer for a car accident claim who can determine and prove liability in such instances. They will use their expertise and resources to collect evidence when justifying your case.
Will My Insurance Cover My Teen for a Car Accident They Caused?
If a car accident results from a teen driver’s negligence, the parent or guardian is usually responsible for the damage expenses. This means that if you have included them in your existing insurance policy, the costs can be covered by your insurance. However, if you fail to add them or secure a current policy, you’ll likely need to shed money from your pocket.
A parent or guardian bears responsibility for a crash caused by their teen driver due to the following principles:
Negligent Entrustment
When a parent or legal guardian permits a young driver known to be hazardous, unfit, or incapable of safely operating a vehicle, they may face legal consequences. This is because the individual lending the car was aware or should have been aware that the young driver’s lack of experience, incompetence, or history of reckless behavior posed a danger to others.
Vicarious Liability
The legal principle of vicarious liability holds parents or guardians responsible for their children’s actions when those actions harm others. If a teenage driver under eighteen causes a collision due to negligence, resulting in injury or damage, the parents or guardians may be held legally accountable.
Driving Privilege Application
In a car accident involving an individual under eighteen, particularly a minor, the individual who endorsed and validated the minor’s driver’s license application may also bear legal responsibility for the incident. This endorsing party, often a parent or legal guardian, typically assumes joint and several liability with the minor for any damages resulting from the minor’s negligent driving.
What Damages Can My Teen Driver Claim in an Accident?
The compensation you receive hinges on the severity of the damages and how they impact your life. When computing the overall settlement, consider the following damages to optimize your payout:
Economic damages are tangible losses determined by examining invoices, receipts, and other pertinent documents. These may encompass past, present, and future medical expenses, vehicle repair or replacement costs, and out-of-pocket expenses.
Conversely, non-economic damages signify intangible losses stemming from an accident that lack a direct monetary value, such as anxiety, emotional distress, depression, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Moreover, punitive damages are additional expenses the court imposes when it deems the responsible party’s actions exceptionally severe or intentional.
While calculating economic damages is relatively straightforward, assessing the worth of non-economic losses can be complex. Car accident attorneys possess the expertise to effectively evaluate and quantify these non-monetary damages, ensuring you receive the maximum financial compensation possible.
Do I Need a Car Accident Lawyer for My Teen Driver’s Case?
Seasoned drivers may exploit your teenager’s inexperience by leveraging their superior knowledge and authority. They could coerce your teen into admitting fault for the accident, irrespective of whether they are truly responsible. Even a simple apology from your teen can be grounds for admission of fault.
In such a situation, a car accident attorney can evaluate the circumstances and ascertain liability in a car crash involving your teenage driver. With the gathered evidence, they can establish the other driver’s negligence and quantify the overall damages to optimize your compensation. They will staunchly advocate against the opposing driver’s insurance provider to safeguard the legal rights of your teenage driver.
