10 Insurance Tips for young and new drivers in Ontario

Life in The Abroad
7 min readNov 19, 2022
Top 10 Car Insurance 101 For New Drivers & Young Drivers

As a new or young driver, you may not know the basics of car insurance. Finding the right kind of coverage for your needs can be difficult if you don’t have any experience with car insurance companies and their policies.

However, by learning about these common mistakes people make when signing up for their first policy — and how to prevent them — you can put yourself in a better position to save money on your monthly premiums and get more out of your coverage overall.

1. Get a cheap car insurance quote to start off

  • Get a reasonable car insurance quote to start off

The first step in finding the best car insurance is getting an idea of what you’re looking at. To do this, you need to get a quote from an insurance company. You can use the internet or call your local agent, who can provide you with some quotes for various companies and plans. Once you’ve saved a few quotes on your phone, it’s time to compare them!

  • Compare quotes from different companies and see which one matches your needs best
  • Get the cheapest quote possible while still keeping covered for everything necessary (e.g., theft)

2. Attending a driver’s education course

Driver’s education is a must for new drivers. It’s not only an opportunity to learn valuable driving skills, but it may also help lower the cost of your car insurance.

At the very least, you should take a course that covers defensive driving techniques and how to handle yourself in emergencies. These are essential lessons for every driver, and having them under your belt is a great way to get safely started on the road!

Driver’s education courses can be taken in high school or community college settings, online, or at private schools funded by the state or federal government. They usually last around 10 hours total and include classroom time and real-world training behind-the-wheel lessons (these will vary depending on which course you take). The cost varies depending on where you go and how long it takes for your certificate/diploma from each program; prices range from roughly $500 up to thousands depending on whether you want specialized training like defensive driving or advanced driver education courses such as those taught at most universities today.”

3. Get a quote with a low-risk vehicle

  • A low-risk vehicle is a car with a good safety rating and is less likely to be stolen.
  • There are two types of low-risk vehicles: cars with electronic stability control (ESC) and electronic brake force distribution (EBD). If your car has both, you’ll have the best possible rating in terms of insurance.
  • The benefits include lower rates than you’d get with other cars, which can help save you money on your monthly bill.
  • With that said, there are some drawbacks as well — you may not have as many options when it comes time to purchase a new vehicle as someone who drives a regular or sports model may have had available at their local dealership. Also, consider that EBD doesn’t always mean your car will be eligible for discounts if it isn’t equipped with ESC; the insurer usually decides whether or not they want to give customers these perks based on their individual needs.

4. Bundle your car insurance with your home policy

You can save money by bundling your home and car insurance policies. Bundling means that you buy multiple policies from the same company. You may also bundle your home and life insurance or other insurance policies, such as disability insurance or renters’ insurance.

The more policies you purchase from a single company, the better chance they have to give you a discount on all of them since they make more money from fewer clients overall. This is why it’s essential to shop around for different companies and find out which offers the best deals on each type of policy before deciding who should take care of what.

5. Compare rates routinely

Now that you’re an adult, it’s time to start thinking about all the little things that will add up over time. One of these is your car insurance rates.

Like most people, you probably already have some homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. If that policy is through a reputable company (like TD Insurance), chances are they’ll also offer car insurance for teens or young drivers. While there may be other companies offering better deals, having TD’s name behind your policy can help ensure that you’re getting good coverage at a reasonable price — the same goes for Belairdirect and Onlia.

Now let’s say you want to compare rates with another provider to see what else might be out there on the market: here are some steps you can take:

  • Go online and search for “car insurance rates” plus whatever city or state where you live (e.g., “car insurance rates Toronto Ontario”).
  • When comparing different companies’ quotes online, remember not just their monthly rate but also how much each deductible costs — this will affect how much money is covered by their policies, so keep this in mind as well before deciding which car insurer works best with your budget at any given time

6. Have the proper coverage

  • Have the proper coverage

It would be best to have liability, collision, comprehensive, and uninsured motorist insurance coverage for your car. It would be best to consider personal injury protection (PIP), medical payments coverage (MedPay), and compact car insurance. PIP is required by law in some states but not others; check with the ministry of transport to see what’s required by law.

7. Drive safely and avoid tickets and accidents

  • Avoid tickets and accidents

Driving safely is the best way to avoid getting a ticket or an accident. A few simple tips can help you drive more safely:

  • Don’t speed significantly if you exceed the speed limit by ten mph or more. Speeding increases your risk of getting hit from behind, sideswiped, or rear-ended in traffic congestion (the most common type of car accident). It would be best to avoid aggressive driving and tailgating as they can lead to road rage incidents that end with someone getting hurt or killed.
  • Stay focused on the road, so you don’t get distracted by your phone or other things happening around you while driving — especially when making turns! It’s essential not to text while driving because it takes your eyes off the road for several seconds at a time which could lead to an accident if another vehicle runs into yours while one hand is occupied with holding onto your smartphone instead of keeping both hands firmly on top of both steering wheels at all times during these types situations where even just one second can mean everything between life vs. death situations out there!”

8. Be insured on the right car

If you’re considering insuring your car, be sure to do so with a well-known company with a good reputation. You should also get a quote from them before making the purchase. Most insurance companies will have some discount for new drivers with a G License and those who are over 25 years old. The more deals you can get, the less money it will cost you to insure your car.

If possible, try not to drive in areas with many accidents or where there could be an accident (such as on freeways). Finally, always wear your seatbelt!

9. Choose a high deductible

In the event of an accident, your deductible is the amount of money you need to pay before your insurance company begins paying for repairs. For example: if your car’s damage costs $2000 and you have a $1000 deductible, you will have to pay $1000 before receiving any compensation from your auto insurance company.

The higher your deductible, the lower your premiums will be each month. However, it’s important to note that when you choose a higher deductible — which means more out-of-pocket expenses — you’ll be responsible for covering these costs without help from an insurance provider. That’s why it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons of this decision carefully before making one.

10. Drive less, save more!

Another great way to save money on car insurance is by driving less. Your insurance company will charge you more if you drive a lot and in risky areas, so keeping track of how much time you spend behind the wheel will help you save money in the long run.

If this sounds like it’ll be hard for you, try using an app that tracks how often and where you’re driving. Doing this regularly over several months or years gives you a better idea of what number works best for your situation. Then all it takes is a few minutes every week to see if there’s any room left to cut back — and watch as those savings start rolling in!

A list of tips for a new driver and young drivers

As a new or young driver, you’re probably looking for tips on getting the best car insurance for your money. Here are ten tips for making sure that happens:

  • Get a free quote online or over the phone from three different carriers.
  • Getting appropriate tires for each season.
  • Avoid using addresses in the GTA area or areas with high risks.
  • Attend a driver’s education course if you haven’t already done so (check with your insurance company to see if they offer discounts).
  • Choose a low-risk vehicle, such as one with anti-theft features and automatic door locks.
  • Bundle your auto and home policies to save money on both premiums.
  • Transfer no claim bonus.
  • Get only the required coverage for your car.
  • Get anti-theft devices or tracking devices on your vehicle.
  • Compare rates every year or two, even if you don’t plan on switching companies. We encourage this because rates can change over time, and it never hurts to get another quote just in case something changes! Also, keep in mind that all quotes expire after 30 days. If yours does expire before you’ve had time to shop around again, call back later on when it has been renewed (or check out some other sites first). Just remember not to let any reservations about switching insurers prevent them from saving money by shopping around!

Conclusion

We hope this list of tips has helped you better understand car insurance for new and young drivers. If you have any questions about the process, please feel free to reach out!

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