RANKING & REVIEWS
BEST CAR INSURANCE FOR NEW DRIVERS
Intro: Finding the Best Insurance for New Drivers
Getting your first car can be an exciting time, but it can also be stressful. Not only does it bring freedom, but a first car also brings financial responsibility.
For new drivers, car insurance can be particularly challenging. How do you find the best car insurance for new drivers that isn’t overly complicated? Better yet, how do you find cheap car insurance for new drivers that can fit within your budget?
If you’re in the market for first-time car insurance, look no further—this article was created with you in mind.
We’ve done all the hard work to research and identify the top providers of first-time driver insurance, so that you can make the best decision for your car—and for your finances.
In the sections below, you will find a detailed list of car insurance companies offering the best insurance for new drivers to consider this year in terms of affordability, accessibility, and coverage.
Award Emblem: Best Car Insurance for New Drivers
AdvisoryHQ’s List of the Top 5 Best First-Time Driver Insurance Companies
List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the insurance companies below to go to the detailed review section for that car insurance for new drivers).
Top 5 Best First-Time Driver Insurance Companies | Brief Comparison & Ranking
Best Car Insurance for New Drivers | Highlighted Features |
| Esurance | Loan/lease gap coverage is available in case of an accident |
| Geico | Family Pricing Program provides better rates for first-time driver insurance |
| Liberty Mutual | Discounts for teens, students, and young adults |
| Nationwide | Vanishing deductible could save hundreds of dollars with safe driving |
| Progressive | Snapshot Program and Name Your Price tool help drivers find affordable car insurance for new drivers |
Table: Top 5 Best Car Insurance for New Drivers | Above list is sorted alphabetically
How to Get the Best Rates on Car Insurance for New Drivers
New drivers can face financial challenges when getting car insurance for the first time, especially since most people seeking first-time driver insurance are teens or young adults.
In many ways, car insurance for new drivers poses challenges similar to establishing credit—if you don’t have a solid history, it’s hard to get the best rates.
Still, if you’re in the market for car insurance for new drivers, there are a few ways to ensure that you get good rates on car insurance for first-time drivers.
Compare Multiple Quotes
There are plenty of options for first-time driver insurance, and while it may be tempting to choose the first good quote you find, you’ll find the best car insurance for new drivers by shopping around.
Each first-time driver insurance provider will have their own methods of analyzing risk, which means that you can find varying rates for first-time car insurance.
Additionally, the best car insurance for new drivers will have the features, discounts, and coverage options that fit your personal needs. Make sure that you choose car insurance for new drivers that matches both your driving habits and your budget.
Look for Discounts
For some, the best insurance for new drivers goes hand-in-hand with cheap insurance for new drivers. Getting low prices on car insurance for new drivers can be tricky, so a good way to get around the higher risk is to look for discounts.
Cheap car insurance for first-time drivers can be found with discounts for online billing, moving to another home, downloading an app, insuring multiple cars, bundling with another insurance policy, safe driving habits, or even getting married.
If cheap car insurance for first-time drivers is a priority, you should be checking discounts for each first-time car insurance provider on your list.
Improve Your Credit
If you can boost your credit score before signing up for first-time driver insurance, you’ll get a much better shot at cheap car insurance for new drivers.
Your credit score plays a significant role in the quotes you receive, so paying bills on time and settling any outstanding debt is a great way to get the best car insurance for new drivers.
Take a Defensive Driving Course
Along with eliminating points from your license, completing a defensive driving course is a great way to help you get cheap car insurance for new drivers.
These courses can cost anywhere between $20-$100, but they can have a solid impact on the cost of car insurance for new drivers.
According to Insurance.com, drivers between the ages of 16-25 can expect to save around 15 percent each year after completing a defensive driving course.
Specific savings will vary depending on each first-time driver insurance provider and state of residence, so you’ll want to check their policies before signing up.
See Also: Northwestern Mutual Reviews | What you Need to know about Northwestern
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AdvisoryHQ’s Selection Methodology
What methodology does AdvisoryHQ use in selecting and finalizing the credit cards, financial products, firms, services, and products that are ranked on its various top-rated lists?
Please click here “AdvisoryHQ’s Ranking Methodologies” for a detailed review of AdvisoryHQ’s selection methodologies for ranking top-rated credit cards, financial accounts, firms, products, and services.
Detailed Review – Top Ranking First-Time Driver Insurance Companies
Below, please find a detailed review of each insurance provider on our list of car insurance companies for new drivers. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these first-time car insurance providers to score so high in our selection ranking.
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Esurance Review
Backed by Allstate and with over 5.2 million vehicles insured, Esurance is a great choice for car insurance for new drivers.
There are plenty of coverage options to choose from, but their loan/lease gap coverage can be particularly beneficial when applied to car insurance for new drivers.
Many first-time drivers use a loan or a lease to cover the costs of financing a car, which makes gap coverage a smart addition to any first-time driver insurance policy.
Another reason why Esurance ranks on our best car insurance for new drivers is their collection of policy discounts. New drivers may find that multiple discounts apply to their car insurance for new drivers, including:
- Emergency Road Assistance Discount—If you have emergency road assistance from another provider (like AAA) you can save up to 5 percent on cheap car insurance for new drivers.
- Pac-12 Discount—Either attend or be a member of any Pac-12 colleges and get up to 15 percent off your premium.
- DriveSense Discount—Save 5 percent just for downloading the DriveSense mobile app.
- Good Driver Discount—Hold a valid license for at least three years with a maximum of one penalty point and receive 30-40 percent off.
- Good Student Discount—Full-time students with an average of 3.0 or better can receive up to 10 percent off.
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Geico Review
With over 75 years of industry experience, Geico is a great place for first-time driver insurance, particularly if you were previously listed on a family policy through Geico.
The Family Pricing Program from Geico helps give cheap car insurance for first time drivers by transferring family policy rates onto a first-time car insurance policy.
If you meet the requirements, it’s a great way of being grandfathered into cheap car insurance for first-time drivers, making it easy to find car insurance for first-time drivers.
Another huge benefit for new drivers comes from the award-winning Geico app. This app makes first-time driver insurance much more manageable through intuitive tools and features like:
- Digital ID Cards—View, print, and email documents from your phone
- Roadside Assistance—Schedule help directly from the app
- Virtual Assistant—Receive immediate answers to any question, 24/7
- Vehicle Care—See service history, maintenance schedules, recall notifications, and more
As one of the best car insurance for new drivers, Geico also provides a host of policy discounts, making it easy to find cheap car insurance for new drivers.
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Liberty Mutual Review
Liberty Mutual boasts over 100 years of insurance experience and plenty of insurance products, including some of the best car insurance for new drivers.
Part of what makes Liberty Mutual a good choice for cheap insurance for new drivers is their robust collection of discounts. Many of these are perfect for a first-time driver insurance policy, including:
- Teen Driver Discount—Rewards teenagers for responsible driving
- Good Student Discount—Applicable for students under age 25 with at least a ‘B’ average
- New Graduate Discount—Special savings on first-time car insurance for new graduates
- Newly Married Discount—Offers discounts for newlywed couples
- New Move Discount—Receive discounts for updating your policy with a new address
As one of the top insurance companies for young drivers, it’s worth mentioning that Liberty Mutual also provides tons of additional coverage options, including Better Car Replacement, Deductible Fund, and Accident Forgiveness.
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Nationwide Review
As one of the largest insurance and financial services companies in the world, Nationwide offers everything from first-time driver insurance to mortgages and mutual funds.
Along with being one of the largest providers of car insurance for new drivers, Nationwide also has flexible discounts for high school and college students.
Students earning a ‘B’ average or above are eligible for the Good Student Discount on car insurance for new drivers. It’s applicable for anyone between the ages of 16-24, providing long-term savings on cheap insurance for new drivers.
Drivers that routinely use safe driving methods will also find that Nationwide has some of the best insurance for new drivers. Their Vanishing Deductible could save $100 for every year of safe driving, making it easy for cheap car insurance for new drivers.
With multiple discount options, Nationwide is a great place to get affordable car insurance for first-time drivers.
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Progressive Review
With over 18 million drivers insured, Progressive is one of the most well-recognized providers of car insurance for new drivers.
For those that are still in school, Progressive offers a Good Student discount and a Distant Student discount to cut costs and provide cheap car insurance for new drivers.
If these discounts don’t apply to you, this first-time driver insurance provider has intuitive tools to help users find cheap first-time car insurance.
Their Snapshot Program offers low rates based on usage and driving habits, while the Name Your Price tool lets users set a budget and view the types of car insurance for new drives that will match their budget.
Along with providing some of the best car insurance for new drivers, Progressive also has incredibly user-friendly mobile and online interfaces. Users can access their first-time driver insurance from multiple locations, making account management both simple and convenient.
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Conclusion: Choosing the Best Car Insurance for New Drivers
Finding great first-time driver insurance takes some time, but it pays off significantly over the long run.
The best car insurance for new drivers will provide a wide range of discounts and policy options to make a first-time driver insurance policy both affordable and valuable.
As you consider the options listed above in our list of car insurance companies, make sure you look for cheap insurance for new drivers that also fits your specific driving habits and needs.
The last thing that you want is to drive without confidence, especially as a new driver. With the best car insurance for new drivers in your glovebox, however, you’ll have the confidence of knowing that you are protected through every mile.
Image sources:
- https://pixabay.com/en/people-couple-girl-man-drive-ride-2605148/
- https://www.pexels.com/photo/auto-automobile-automotive-blur-451590/
- https://www.pexels.com/photo/adult-automotive-blur-car-13861/
AdvisoryHQ (AHQ) Disclaimer:
Reasonable efforts have been made by AdvisoryHQ to present accurate information, however all info is presented without warranty. Review AdvisoryHQ’s Terms for details. Also review each firm’s site for the most updated data, rates and info.
Note: Firms and products, including the one(s) reviewed above, may be AdvisoryHQ's affiliates. Click to view AdvisoryHQ's advertiser disclosures.
