Average Car Insurance Cost for 17-Year-Old Drivers


Key Takeaways
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Car insurance for 17-year-olds is expensive, averaging $621 per month for full coverage when added to a family policy. At this age, insurers price in limited driving experience and higher crash risk.

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Adding a 17-year-old to a parent’s car insurance policy is the cheapest option. A separate policy costs $66 more per month for full coverage, making family coverage the clear cost-saving choice for most households.

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Rates for 17-year-old drivers vary by state. Monthly full coverage costs range from $203 in Hawaii to more than $1,000 in Louisiana, driven by state insurance laws, accident rates and minimum coverage requirements.

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Driving record matters immediately at age 17. A single at-fault accident raises minimum coverage costs by more than $80 per month. A DUI adds nearly $200 monthly and affects rates for years.

How Much Is Car Insurance for a 17-Year-Old?

Car insurance for 17-year-olds on a family policy averages $621 monthly for full coverage and $307 monthly for minimum coverage. These rates reflect the added cost of insuring a teen driver, not the total family premium.

An individual policy for a 17-year-old costs $687 monthly for full coverage and $352 for minimum coverage. The $66 difference for full coverage adds up to nearly $800 annually. Family policies win for affordability.

Get your teen a car model known for low premiums, such as the Subaru Outback, MINI Cooper or Honda Odyssey, to keep costs down.

Minimum Coverage$307$352$45
Full Coverage$621$687$66

Average Cost of Car Insurance for 17-Year-Olds by State

Where your 17-year-old drives makes a dramatic difference in insurance costs. The most expensive states charge more than 10 times what the cheapest states do.

Hawaii leads with the lowest rates at $203 monthly for full coverage. The state prohibits insurers from using age as a pricing factor. Seventeen-year-olds pay the same as 40-year-olds. Maine follows at $259 monthly, then Wyoming at $285, North Dakota at $293 and Vermont at $295.

Louisiana charges $1,014 monthly for full coverage, nearly five times Hawaii's rate. Florida ranks second at $897 monthly, followed by New Jersey at $843, Maryland at $809 and Nevada at $737. High population density, accident rates and insurance fraud contribute to these elevated costs.

Average Cost of Car Insurance for 17-Year-Olds by Gender

Gender affects 17-year-old insurance rates in most states. Boys average $639 monthly for full coverage on a family policy. Girls average $603 monthly. That $36 gap exists because male teens have higher accident rates during their first years of licensed driving.

The difference is smaller for minimum coverage: boys pay $316 monthly compared to $299 for girls , a $17 gap. When drivers move past their early 20s and build clean driving records, this gender-based pricing difference narrows.

Six states prohibit gender-based pricing entirely. California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina and Pennsylvania require identical rates for boy and girl 17-year-olds regardless of coverage level.

Full Coverage$603$639$36
Minimum Coverage$299$316$17

Average Cost of Car Insurance for 17-Year-Olds by Driving Record

A 17-year-old's driving record affects insurance costs right away. For minimum coverage on a family policy, a clean record averages $307 per month. One at-fault accident pushes that cost to $391 monthly. A DUI raises it to $491.

The gap widens with an individual policy. A 17-year-old with a clean record pays $352 per month for minimum coverage. After an at-fault accident, the rate jumps to $516 monthly. A DUI drives costs up to $699 per month.

Safe driving at age 17 saves money. A clean record costs $84 less per month than an at-fault accident and $184 less than a DUI. Those increases don't fade quickly. Violations at this age raise car insurance costs for several years.

Data filtered by:
Full Coverage
At Fault Accident ($1000-$1999 Prop Dmg)$790$1,004$214
Clean$621$687$66
DUI - BAC >= .08$979$1,326$347
Not At Fault Accident ($1000-$1999 Prop Dmg)$638$724$85
Speeding 11-15 MPH over limit$710$862$152
Texting While Driving$717$877$160

Average Cost Car Insurance Companies for 17-Year-Old

GEICO offers the lowest rates for 17-year-olds at $422 monthly for full coverage and $180 monthly for minimum coverage. Travelers comes in second for full coverage at $489 monthly, while Encompass ranks third at $505 monthly.

Every insurer weighs rating factors differently. The cheapest company for a 25-year-old may not be the cheapest car insurance for a 17-year-old. Age, driving experience and violation history all factor heavily into teen pricing.

GEICO$180$42293
Travelers$233$48994
National General$228$49686
Encompass$226$50592
AAA$243$51290
State Farm$253$51990
Amica Mutual$252$53094
Progressive$281$57192
Kemper$297$57280
AIG$275$78984

Why Car Insurance Is Expensive for 17-Year-Old Drivers

Teen drivers, particularly drivers aged 17 to 19, face higher insurance costs from their increased risk of motor vehicle crashes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the risk of motor vehicle crashes is highest among teens aged 17 to 19, almost three times that of drivers over age 20 per mile driven. This age group, especially male drivers, faces a higher crash death rate. The risk increases with each additional teen or young adult passenger in the car.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that teen drivers are nearly three times more likely to be in a fatal crash per mile driven compared to drivers over 20.

As teens gain driving experience and maintain safe driving records, their insurance rates decrease yearly. Several discounts and methods help reduce their insurance costs immediately.

Can a 17-Year-Old Buy Car Insurance?

Seventeen-year-olds are minors, so they can only buy individual car insurance with written consent from a parent or guardian.

But if a 17-year-old is legally emancipated, they have the same contractual rights as an adult and can purchase their own car insurance policy. If your teen driver borrows your car, add your child to your car insurance (this is more straightforward and cost-effective than the minor getting an independent policy).

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CAN A TEEN DRIVER GET ACCIDENT FORGIVENESS?

Teen drivers can't access accident forgiveness because of age and experience requirements. Insurers need the driver to have a clean record for five years and be over 25. Their best option is to enroll in telematics programs for learning safe driving habits early.

How to Get Cheap Car Insurance for 17-Year-Olds

To get cheap car insurance for 17-year-olds, add them to your family policy. Lower your teen driver's premiums using these methods:

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    Encourage good grades

    Many insurers offer "good student" discounts for teens maintaining a high GPA. Encourage your teen to keep grades up to qualify for these savings.

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    Enroll in defensive driving courses

    Have your teen take a defensive driving course. These courses teach valuable driving skills and lead to insurance discounts. Insurers like State Farm and Allstate offer teen-focused telematics programs that provide savings when your teen drives safely.

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    Select a safe vehicle

    Choose a car for your teen that's known for safety and is not high-performance. Safer, more economical cars attract lower insurance rates. Some providers let you assign a primary driver for each vehicle. Assigning your teen to a specific, budget-friendly car lowers insurance costs. The cheapest cars to insure are older, less expensive models with good safety ratings.

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    Opt for higher deductibles

    Choose a higher car insurance deductible to cut your premium. Make sure it's an amount you're comfortable paying when you file a claim. Deductibles only apply to collision and comprehensive coverages. Have a liability-only policy? No deductibles are applied.

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    Keep them on your policy

    Adding your teen to your own policy is more cost-effective than a separate policy. You take advantage of your longer driving history and potentially better credit. Minors cannot legally purchase their own policy without a parent or guardian to co-sign.

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    Limit their driving

    Lower mileage means lower premiums with specific policies. Encourage your teen to drive less by carpooling, using public transit, rideshare services or biking when possible.

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    Compare insurance options

    Shop around and compare insurance quotes from multiple providers to find your teen driver's best rates and coverage.

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    Maintain a clean driving record

    Emphasize safe driving to your teen. Traffic violations and at-fault accidents increase insurance costs.

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    Consider safe driving programs

    Many insurers offer discounts for enrolling in telematics programs that monitor driving habits. This option is relevant for 17-year-olds who may start driving unsupervised. It encourages them to maintain safe driving practices. These programs provide discounts and valuable feedback on driving habits, helping young drivers develop safer behaviors on the road.

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    Regularly review coverage

    As your teen gains more driving experience, their insurance needs may change. Review and adjust your policy to ensure it remains cost-effective.

Car Insurance Discounts for Teen Drivers

Stack all available car insurance discounts to get cheap car insurance for teens. Enroll in telematics-based programs and secure safe driver discounts to encourage responsible driving, qualifying your teen for savings. Additional discounts can provide further financial relief for teens who drive less, such as students away at college or teens with low annual mileage.

Discount
How It Works

Good Student Discount

Rewards students excelling academically, like those with high GPAs or top class rankings.

Benefits drivers who finish an accredited defensive driving program, an intelligent choice for 17-year-olds honing their skills.

Safe Driver Discount

Reduces premiums for maintaining a spotless driving record.

Student Away at College

Rewards students studying over 100 miles from home without regular access to a car.

Lowers rates for safe and responsible driving, monitored through technology. These discounts are ideal for young drivers establishing safe driving habits.

17-Year-Old Car Insurance Cost: Bottom Line

Seventeen-year-old drivers on family policies pay $621 monthly for full coverage. Location impacts this figure. Hawaiian teens enjoy rates as low as $203 monthly. Louisiana teens face costs exceeding $1,000 monthly.

Individual policies cost $66 more per month than family coverage. Family policies are the clear financial winner. Maximize savings by pursuing good student discounts, maintaining clean driving records and shopping multiple insurers annually. As your teen matures and builds driving experience, rates decrease, dropping at ages 18, 19 and especially 25.

Car Insurance Costs for 17-Year-Olds: FAQ

Whether you're a parent looking to add a teen to your policy or a young driver seeking information, we cover a range of topics to guide you through the ins and outs of car insurance for 17-year-olds.

How much is car insurance for a 17-year-old monthly?

Can a 17-year-old driver buy their own car insurance policy?

Can you buy insurance for a 17-year-old driver?

Does a learner’s permit driver need car insurance?

Best Auto Insurance for 17-Year-Old Drivers: Our Methodology

Seventeen-year-old drivers crash three times more often than drivers over 20. Informed insurance decisions are needed for families. We analyzed full coverage and minimum coverage rates from major insurers across all 50 states to identify the most affordable options for 17-year-old drivers. Our methodology helps parents find legitimate savings while understanding exactly what coverage protects their teen behind the wheel.

We collected 4,284 price estimates from 100 ZIP codes across all 50 states, using data from state insurance departments and Quadrant Information Services. This sample size captures real regional price variations that affect what families actually pay.

Car Insurance for a 17-Year-Old: Related Articles

About Mark Fitzpatrick


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Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research for insurance shoppers. His insights have been featured in CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

He writes about economics and insurance, breaking down complex topics so people know what they're buying.


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