Are you looking for car insurance for college students away from home? If yes then you are at the right place. When you are going to college, there are a bunch of things to think about, including car insurance. Most likely, you were on your parents’ policy in high school.
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But now, as you head to college, you might forget about it. It is important to know about car insurance for college students away from home, especially when you are driving in a new place.
You must take some time to learn about car insurance for college students. It will help you figure out where to get coverage, how much it might cost, and if you qualify for discounts.
Knowing all these things will help you get the best deal on your monthly payment. In this article, we will take a look at car insurance for students away from home. Let’s get started.
Key Takeaways
- College students pay more for car insurance because they are seen as high-risk drivers.
- Ways to get cheaper car insurance: good grades, safe driving, student discounts.
- You can stay on your parent’s insurance if you stay at their address.
- Best car insurance for college students: liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist, personal injury protection.
- Discounts for college students: good grades, leaving the car at home, usage-based insurance.
Do College Students Pay More for Car Insurance?
If you think car insurance will cost you a ton of money. Some insurance companies offer good deals for students, hoping you will stick with them.
Because of your age, insurance can be expensive. You are seen as a higher risk until you hit 25, especially if you are between 16 and 25.
There are ways to get cheaper car insurance, but you might still pay more until you have more driving experience and prove you are a safe driver.
Also, whether you are a guy or a girl can affect how much you pay. So, just keep that in mind when you are looking for car insurance.
How to Get Car Insurance for College Students Away From Home?
Getting car insurance for college students away from home is pretty much like getting it for anyone else.
- First, you will want to compare quotes from different insurance companies. This is the same as when you choose the best health insurance plan especially if you are a student with no income.
- You must think about the type and amount of coverage you need. Since you are still getting used to driving, you might want extra coverage.
- Driving in a new place can be tricky, so having more coverage could help if you are in an accident.
- Once you have some quotes, compare the cost and coverage to find the best deal.
- You get to choose things like your deductible and how much coverage you want. These choices affect how much you pay for your insurance.
- New drivers usually pay more because they are more likely to have accidents than older drivers who have been driving for a while.
What Are the Best Car Insurance Companies for College Students?
If you are a full-time student and need car insurance, there are some good options out there.
GEICO usually has the best rates for college students, according to national averages. On average, girls pay about $1,346 a year, and boys pay around $1,357 per year, based on U.S. News & World Report information.
Progressive is also a good choice. They have a program called Small Accident Forgiveness that can help keep your premiums low even if you have a small accident.
Lots of insurance companies offer discounts for students, like:
- Getting good grades
- Driving safely
- Being a student who lives at school
- Using a device to track your driving habits
- Getting a discount if you leave your car at home while you are away at school
Should College Students Stay on Their Parents’ Car Insurance?
Yes, you can stay on your parent’s car insurance, and it usually makes it cheaper for you. But please remember, it might make their insurance cost a bit more. Here are the main things you need to stay on their policy:
- The car is in your parents’ name.
- Your home address is the same as your parents’ address.
But there are some exceptions. Like, if you move to a rural area for college and your parents live in a busy city, it might be better to get your insurance.
Also, if one of your parents does not have a great driving record, it could be cheaper for you to get your policy.
Sometimes, a bad driving record can make the insurance cost even more than being a young driver.
What Is the Best Type of Car Insurance Coverage for College Students?
When you are in college and driving around in a new place, it is super important to have good car insurance. This will help cover you, your car, and others if you are ever in an accident. Here is what you should have in your insurance:
- First off, there is liability coverage. This is like the basic insurance you need to drive almost anywhere.
- Then there is collision coverage. This pays for fixing your car if you are in an accident, no matter whose fault it is.
- Next, there is comprehensive coverage. This takes care of things like if your car gets damaged by something other than a crash, like if a tree falls on it.
- You should also have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This helps if you get in an accident with someone who does not have enough insurance.
- And lastly there is personal injury protection, which helps cover medical bills if you get hurt in a crash.
Please remember, driving can be unpredictable, especially in a new place. So having the right insurance is important, especially for college students who might be driving far from home for the first time.
If you are still paying off your car, you might want to look into getting extra coverage to help pay off your loan if your car gets wrecked. Not all insurance companies offer this, so ask your agent if it is an option for you.
How To Choose the Right Car Insurance for College Students Away From Home?
Before you head off to college, it is important to pick the right car insurance. This will give you peace of mind while you are away at school. Let’s see how to do it:
- How much you drive and where you keep your car can help you decide what coverage you need. For example, if you drive to college every day, you might want more coverage.
- Some insurance companies even offer discounts for students who go to college far from home.
- You might also want to think about getting extra coverage while you are at college. This could include things like repairs and rentals if your car breaks down, or roadside assistance and towing if you get stuck somewhere.
- With this extra coverage, you can make sure you and your car are protected wherever you go.
Are There Discounts on Car Insurance for College Students?
If you are a student, there are some cool ways to save money on car insurance.
- First off, check with your college’s student association to see if they offer any discounts with local or national car insurance companies.
- Then, you can sign up for State Farm’s Steer Clear program. It helps you save money and improve your driving skills. They will keep an eye on how you drive, and if you stay incident-free for six months, you could get a discount.
- If you get good grades it can also save you some cash. State Farm, GEICO, and Metromile offer discounts if you have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- If you leave your car at your parent’s house while you are at school, you might qualify for a student-away-at-school discount.
- You can still use the car when you are home for breaks, but you will get a lower rate because you are not driving it as much.
How To Reduce Your Car Insurance If You Are a Student Away From Home?
If you are a college student who does not drive a lot, there is a new car insurance called Metromile. It lets you pay based on how many miles you drive.
Right now, it is only available in eight states like Arizona and California. With Metromile, you pay about 3.2 cents for each mile you drive. So, if you drive less, you will save more than regular insurance.
Your college might also have special deals for sororities or fraternities, through national student organizations. If you volunteer for more than 40 hours a year, you might even get a discount.
If you are under 21, signing up for a driver training program with Liberty Mutual could get you a discount too. Different insurance companies offer different discounts, so it is good to know what is out there to save money on your insurance.
How Much Is Car Insurance For College Students?
Our research showed that when a college student is added to a car insurance policy, the cost almost doubles. On average, it costs about $2,333 per year to add a college student to the policy.
This is based on our study of full coverage rates for 18-year-old college students driving an older car and included on a policy with two parents or guardians.
Car Insurance Costs For a College Student in a Two-adult Household
These are the average rates for car insurance when there are two adults and a college student driver, aged 18 to 22.
| Age | The average annual rate, college student drives an older car | The average annual rate, college student shares a family car |
| 18 | $5,044 | $5,255 |
| 19 | $4,766 | $4,858 |
| 20 | $4,602 | $4,625 |
| 21 | $4,311 | $4,026 |
| 22 | $4,211 | $3,871 |
Car Insurance Costs For a College Student in a One-adult Household
These are the average rates for car insurance when there is one adult and a college student driver, aged 18 to 22.
| Age | The average annual rate, a college student drives an older car | The average annual rate, college student shares a family car |
| 18 | $3,698 | $1,679 |
| 19 | $3,436 | $1,540 |
| 20 | $3,299 | $1,459 |
| 21 | $3,003 | $1,259 |
| 22 | $2,905 | $1,209 |
Can You Stay On My Parents’ Car Insurance If You Move Out for College?
You can usually stick with your parents’ car insurance while you are in college, as long as you have not moved out for good. It’s often cheaper because you split the costs with your family.
You both can drive each other’s cars without any fuss. It’s easier to handle just one policy instead of two, and you are still covered when you come home during breaks.
As long as your parent’s place is still your main home, you are good to go. But if you move out completely and keep your car elsewhere, then it’s time to get your insurance.
What About Car Insurance for out-of-state college students?
If you are studying away from home but your main address is still with your parents, you can usually keep using their car insurance.
But depending on where you are, who owns the car, and where it is parked, you might need your policy.
Just ask your insurance company about it. They will need to know if you are taking a car to college, where you will park it, and if you are living on or off campus. They can easily tell you what you need.
How Do Student Discounts Work For Car Insurance?
If you have a college student on your car insurance, it might change how much you pay, depending on their driving record and where they go to school. But don’t worry, some insurance companies give discounts for this situation:
If your student gets good grades, you could get a discount. If they are under 23 and have a B average or better, you might save about 10% on your Progressive auto policy.
If your student goes to a college far from home and does not bring a car, you might get a discount too. As long as they are under 22 and their school is more than 100 miles away, you could save.
You can also save money with usage-based insurance. Progressive offers personalized rates based on how safely you drive with their Snapshot® program. If your student does not drive much, you might get a big discount.
To get these discounts, your student can’t be the main person on the insurance, and they must be enrolled in a school close to where they live.
If your car is not worth much and you own it, you can save by dropping collision coverage. This can lower your insurance cost, but remember, you will have to pay for repairs if something happens to your car.
Car Insurance for College Students Away From Home Summary
| Feature | Description | Additional Notes |
| Cost | Higher for young drivers (16-25) | Especially males. Can almost double the cost for parents’ plan |
| Ways to save | Good grades, safe driving, student discounts (good grades, away-at-school, loyalty programs) | Varies by company. GPAs of 3.0 or higher typically qualify for good student discounts |
| Staying on parents’ plan | Usually cheaper | Must be the same address, a car registered to parent(s) |
| Coverage | Liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured/underinsured motorist, personal injury protection | Consider adding loan/lease coverage if applicable |
| Other options | Short-term insurance (temporary coverage), usage-based insurance (pay per mile) | Not offered in all states, may have limitations |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long can students stay on their parent’s policy?
There is no age limit for how long your parents can keep you on their insurance. As long as your car stays at your parents’ place or you both live in the same spot, you can stay on their insurance. This can help you save some cash while you are in school.
2. Can parents add a student to their policy?
If your parents are adding you to their car insurance or you are staying on their policy, they should tell their insurance agent that you will be driving while you are at college. Your insurance company will want to know where and how often you will be driving the car while you are away. Don’t forget to ask about any rules for driving out of state.
3. How much is car insurance for college students?
Adding an 18-year-old college student who drives their own older car to a policy for a two-parent household costs around $2,333 on average.
4. Can you stay on my parent’s policy if you move out of state?
If you are heading to a college in another state, make sure to inform your insurance company. Each state has its own rules, and the new one might need you to have your insurance plan.
5. Do you need to get car insurance if you don’t have a car at school?
It is important to keep your car insurance going, even if you are not taking your car to school. If you let it stop and then need insurance again later, it might cost you a lot more. If you can, stay on your parent’s insurance. If that is not possible, you could get a special type of insurance named nonowner insurance. This type of insurance covers you if you drive someone else’s car.
Conclusion
Different types of car insurance for college students away from home are available in the United States. The type of insurance and the premium that you would pay depends on multiple factors like age, gender, location etc.
Each type of car insurance plan has its merits and demerits. It comes with its perks and disadvantages. So it is important to look into every aspect before choosing a car insurance if you are far away from home.
We would advise you to take some time out and look at all the car insurance options available to you. You must choose it based on your needs and not on the cost of the car insurance.
If you choose the car insurance based on your needs while you are away from home, this will remove all the unnecessary worries and hassle that might come if you don’t choose your car insurance properly.
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