[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"/blog/5-mistakes-new-drivers-make":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"body":7,"category":298,"ctaHref":299,"ctaLabel":299,"dateModified":300,"datePublished":301,"description":302,"draft":303,"extension":304,"featured":303,"image":299,"meta":305,"navigation":306,"path":307,"readingTime":308,"seo":309,"stem":310,"tags":311,"theme":299,"__hash__":316},"blog/blog/5-mistakes-new-drivers-make.md","5 Auto Insurance Mistakes New Drivers Make","Premier Auto Savings",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":288},"minimark",[10,19,22,27,30,45,50,70,74,77,83,89,93,100,156,170,174,177,182,220,229,233,236,241,255,268,272,283],[11,12,13,14,18],"p",{},"Getting your first car is exciting, but navigating auto insurance for the first time is anything but. New drivers overpay by an average of ",[15,16,17],"strong",{},"$1,200 per year"," simply because they don't know the landscape.",[11,20,21],{},"Here are the five most expensive mistakes — and how to avoid every single one.",[23,24,26],"h2",{"id":25},"_1-accepting-the-first-quote-you-get","1. Accepting the First Quote You Get",[11,28,29],{},"This is the single most expensive mistake a new driver can make. Insurance companies know that first-time buyers often don't shop around, and they price accordingly.",[31,32,34],"info-box",{"type":33},"warning",[11,35,36,37,40,41,44],{},"The difference between the cheapest and most expensive quote for the ",[15,38,39],{},"same driver"," can be ",[15,42,43],{},"$1,500+ per year",". Always compare at least 5 quotes before committing.",[11,46,47],{},[15,48,49],{},"What to do instead:",[51,52,53,61,64,67],"ul",{},[54,55,56],"li",{},[57,58,60],"a",{"href":59},"/","Get quotes from at least 5 different insurers",[54,62,63],{},"Use comparison tools to see rates side-by-side",[54,65,66],{},"Re-quote every 6 months as rates change frequently",[54,68,69],{},"Don't assume big-name insurers are always cheapest",[23,71,73],{"id":72},"_2-choosing-the-minimum-coverage","2. Choosing the Minimum Coverage",[11,75,76],{},"State minimums exist to keep you legal — not to keep you protected. In most states, minimum liability limits won't even cover a fender bender's medical bills.",[11,78,79,80],{},"Consider this scenario: You cause an accident with $80,000 in medical bills. Your state minimum covers $25,000. ",[15,81,82],{},"You're personally liable for the remaining $55,000.",[84,85,86],"pro-tip",{},[11,87,88],{},"A good starting point for most drivers is 100/300/100 coverage (100k per person, 300k per accident, 100k property damage). The jump from minimum to solid coverage often costs less than $30/month.",[23,90,92],{"id":91},"_3-skipping-uninsured-motorist-coverage","3. Skipping Uninsured Motorist Coverage",[11,94,95,96,99],{},"About ",[15,97,98],{},"1 in 8 drivers"," on the road has no insurance at all. If one of them hits you, uninsured motorist (UM) coverage pays your bills. Without it, you're on your own.",[101,102,103,119],"table",{},[104,105,106],"thead",{},[107,108,109,113,116],"tr",{},[110,111,112],"th",{},"Coverage Type",[110,114,115],{},"What It Covers",[110,117,118],{},"Avg. Monthly Cost",[120,121,122,134,145],"tbody",{},[107,123,124,128,131],{},[125,126,127],"td",{},"UM Bodily Injury",[125,129,130],{},"Your medical bills from uninsured driver",[125,132,133],{},"$8–15",[107,135,136,139,142],{},[125,137,138],{},"UM Property Damage",[125,140,141],{},"Your car repairs from uninsured driver",[125,143,144],{},"$3–8",[107,146,147,150,153],{},[125,148,149],{},"Underinsured Motorist",[125,151,152],{},"Gap when at-fault driver's limits are too low",[125,154,155],{},"$5–12",[31,157,159],{"type":158},"danger",[11,160,161,162,165,166,169],{},"In hit-and-run accidents — which account for ",[15,163,164],{},"11% of all crashes"," — uninsured motorist coverage is often your ",[15,167,168],{},"only"," path to compensation.",[23,171,173],{"id":172},"_4-not-asking-about-every-discount","4. Not Asking About Every Discount",[11,175,176],{},"Insurance companies offer dozens of discounts, but they rarely volunteer them. You have to ask — or better yet, know what's available.",[11,178,179],{},[15,180,181],{},"Discounts new drivers commonly miss:",[51,183,184,190,196,202,208,214],{},[54,185,186,189],{},[15,187,188],{},"Good student discount"," (3.0+ GPA) — saves 5–15%",[54,191,192,195],{},[15,193,194],{},"Defensive driving course"," — saves 5–10%",[54,197,198,201],{},[15,199,200],{},"Low mileage discount"," (under 7,500 miles/year) — saves 5–15%",[54,203,204,207],{},[15,205,206],{},"Bundling"," with renters insurance — saves 5–25%",[54,209,210,213],{},[15,211,212],{},"Paperless billing & autopay"," — saves 3–8%",[54,215,216,219],{},[15,217,218],{},"Telematics/safe driver programs"," — saves 10–30%",[84,221,222],{},[11,223,224,225,228],{},"Even if you rent, bundling a $15/month renters policy with your auto insurance can save you ",[15,226,227],{},"more than the cost of the renters policy itself",". It's essentially free coverage.",[23,230,232],{"id":231},"_5-setting-deductibles-without-doing-the-math","5. Setting Deductibles Without Doing the Math",[11,234,235],{},"Many new drivers default to a $500 deductible without thinking about it. But the right deductible depends on your financial situation and driving habits.",[11,237,238],{},[15,239,240],{},"The trade-off is simple:",[51,242,243,249],{},[54,244,245,248],{},[15,246,247],{},"Higher deductible"," = lower monthly premium, but more out-of-pocket if you file a claim",[54,250,251,254],{},[15,252,253],{},"Lower deductible"," = higher monthly premium, but less financial shock at claim time",[31,256,258],{"type":257},"info",[11,259,260,263,264,267],{},[15,261,262],{},"Rule of thumb:"," If you can comfortably cover a $1,000 emergency expense, raising your deductible from $500 to $1,000 typically saves ",[15,265,266],{},"$150–300/year",". You'd break even in under 2 years of claim-free driving.",[23,269,271],{"id":270},"the-bottom-line","The Bottom Line",[11,273,274,275,278,279,282],{},"New drivers face some of the highest insurance rates on the road. But that doesn't mean you have to overpay. By ",[57,276,277],{"href":59},"shopping around",", choosing smart coverage, and asking for every discount, you can cut your premium by ",[15,280,281],{},"30–40%"," without sacrificing protection.",[84,284,285],{},[11,286,287],{},"Set a calendar reminder to re-shop your insurance every 6 months. As you build a clean driving record, your rates should drop — but only if you actively seek better quotes.",{"title":289,"searchDepth":290,"depth":290,"links":291},"",2,[292,293,294,295,296,297],{"id":25,"depth":290,"text":26},{"id":72,"depth":290,"text":73},{"id":91,"depth":290,"text":92},{"id":172,"depth":290,"text":173},{"id":231,"depth":290,"text":232},{"id":270,"depth":290,"text":271},"tips",null,"2026-07-22","2026-02-28","New to driving? Avoid these common auto insurance mistakes that could cost you hundreds — or leave you dangerously underinsured.",false,"md",{},true,"/blog/5-mistakes-new-drivers-make","6 min read",{"title":5,"description":302},"blog/5-mistakes-new-drivers-make",[312,313,314,315],"new drivers","mistakes","savings","coverage","0jIu71uJDtlfb11QBcTpOMD-SUFkO8oNZ0qrN6lkaxA"]