Do you wonder if you can get car insurance with a permit? It is possible to obtain car insurance with a driver’s license. In some cases, however, you may not need to be added to a policy if you are still learning to drive. Your insurance policy will cover you if you practice driving behind the wheel of a family member’s vehicle. In most cases, if you own a car already, you’ll need an insurance policy before obtaining a license.
Young and inexperienced drivers can have a hard time finding affordable car insurance. A driver with less experience usually gets the best rates if they share a policy with a family member with more driving experience. It is also important to note that not all insurers offer standalone policies to people under 18. One can also purchase or register without a driver’s license, but it is crucial to have auto insurance.
Is it Possible to Get Car Insurance With a Permit?
With a learner’s permit, also known as a provisional license, you can get affordable car insurance by adding yourself to a family member’s policy. Compared with buying their car insurance, 16-year-olds can save over $3,000 per year by sharing their insurance with their family.
If you have a car that you only drive, you can do this, whether you share a car with your parents or other family members. Getting your family member’s permission is the only potential hurdle. Sharing their policy with you means they’re taking on some of the risks: if you get in a crash, the entire cost of the policy will likely increase.
You can easily get covered by calling your current insurer and asking them to add you to the existing policy. Suppose you’re adding a new driver or vehicle. In that case, we recommend calling a few insurers to see which one offers the cheapest policy since a different insurer might offer discounts that your current insurer doesn’t. Additionally, you can get car insurance with no license by looking at regional or local insurers.
Do I Need Car Insurance With a Learner’s Permit?
In most cases, people learning to drive don’t need to purchase their insurance policy. You will practice driving in a friend’s or family member’s car with an experienced driver in the passenger seat. As you learn to drive, the owner’s insurance policy will likely cover you.
However, you should contact your insurance company to confirm that you are covered while driving. When you pass your license exam, you will need to be added to the policy if you live with the owner of that car, no matter whether they are family or just roommates.
If you own a car, you need an insurance policy. In most cases, you will need car insurance with a learner’s permit if you own your car, whether it was a gift from your parents or something you bought before you got your license.
Most states require auto insurance before you can register a car and get license plates; in most cases, you’ll need to buy one before you can.
Note that inexperienced or young drivers commonly face high car insurance rates. The cost of insurance for 16-year-olds is significantly higher than that for 30-year-olds.
How Can you Get Car Insurance With a Permit
If you live alone or cannot be added to your partner’s policy, you must purchase your policy. This will likely be very expensive due to the higher likelihood of young, inexperienced drivers being involved in crashes. An annual insurance policy for a 16-year-old can cost as much as $6,469 for an individual.
Getting as many quotes as possible may be advantageous if you find yourself in this situation. It’s the only way to ensure you’re paying the lowest price possible for your car insurance.
Do You Need To Present a Driver’s License When Registering a Car?
Since a license is not required to purchase a car, you can purchase one with just your driver’s permit. In most states, however, you must show proof of auto insurance or financial responsibility to register a vehicle. The consequence is that uninsured drivers and those with learner’s permits could purchase vehicles but would have limited use because they cannot drive them on public roads.
Having a suspended license and auto insurance does not prevent you from registering, but you cannot operate a vehicle. Depending on the state where the infraction occurred, driving with a suspended license could land you in jail or with fines.
How Parents Can Lower Their Car Insurance Cost
Auto insurance costs increase when you add a young driver to the policy. Getting quotes from at least five insurance companies is the most important thing you can do to save money when adding a provisional driver to your existing insurance plan. The cost of auto insurance can vary by hundreds of dollars per year if you have a teen driver on your policy.
Car insurance companies commonly offer discounts if you are a safe driver, have bundled other insurance policies, add a car to the policy, or have a vehicle that is considered safe. As a policyholder, you have access to dozens of discounts. Here are some of them:
- College or high school grades that are good
- Exceeding the minimum requirements for driver safety classes
- Maintaining a clean driving record
- A good credit score
- Payment of bills automatically
- Discount for students away at school
- A device that prevents theft
- Multi-car insurance
- Insuring your home and car together
- Discounts for early renewals
Cost of Permit Driver Insurance
With little driving experience, young drivers face high car insurance rates. A learner’s permit holder also has no established driving or credit history, which can impact car insurance rates.
For a 35-year-old driver with a good credit score and clean driving record, the national average price for full coverage auto insurance is $144 per month or $1,730 per year. It can be seen from the table below that the average cost of full coverage for young drivers on their car insurance policy is significantly high, with 16-year-olds paying the highest rates.
| Age | Average Monthly Cost | Average Annual Cost |
| 16 | $576 | $6,912 |
| 17 | $468 | $5,612 |
| 18 | $413 | $4,958 |
| 19 | $309 | $3,708 |
Conclusion
So, can you get car insurance with a permit? While you can get car insurance, a learner’s permit can make the policy expensive for teenagers. You can save the most on auto insurance premiums by adding a newly licensed driver to your family policy rather than purchasing a separate one. To offset the high rates associated with learner’s permits, comparing quotes and taking advantage of any available discounts is also a good idea.
