Know what to do about car insurance & college.
College is an exciting part of a young person’s life because it means living on their own for the first time, making new friends, and finally taking on some “adult” responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is likely to be their car insurance. These guidelines will help you and your college-bound child on what you’ll need to know and do when they go off to college.
- Notify the car insurance company
Unless they’ll be commuting, they must notify your insurance provider that they are moving away for college. The reasons being:
- They might be required to get their own policy when they move out. To find out if they need their own policy, contact your insurer.
- The car insurance company needs to know where the car is going to be primarily located.
- You (or your college kid) can qualify for further discounts.
- Your policy, or their own policy?
Many parents and teens are unsure about how long they can remain on their parents’ policy. The answer isn’t always so clear as it depends on the insurance company’s policies, but general they can stay on your policy if:
- They don’t own or have a title for the vehicle they currently drive.
- They still live at home.
- They’re a full-time college student, and your address is still their primary address.
If they stay on your plan (and you have them pay for their policy), they’ll likely pay lower premiums than if they have their own policy.
- Discounts for College Students and Parents
Student discounts are available for those students that prove that partying isn’t actually their major. By which we mean, they are able to maintain a 3.0+ GPA and show a transcript of their hard work. It’s important to note that not all insurers offer this discount, so check with your agent.
