Can a teenager get their own car insurance policy?

In some situations, letting a teenager buy their own insurance seems like the best choice, but 16 and 17-year-old teens usually aren’t allowed to buy their own car insurance policy, and standalone car insurance policies for teens are typically much, much more expensive than adding a teen to an existing car insurance policy.

There are some exceptions, however, so young drivers who need to buy their own insurance do have some options.

What age can you get your own car insurance?

Teenagers who are 18 or older are allowed to buy a car insurance policy on their own in almost every state. 

But some states have a higher age of majority (which is a legal term that explains when a teenager is considered a legal adult) while some states may allow younger teens to purchase their own car insurance in some situations. 

Because car insurance requirements vary by state, teens and parents may want to look into the laws where they live to find out exactly when they are allowed to buy their own car insurance policy. Reaching out to your state’s DMV or your state Department of Insurance is a good place to start.

➞ Learn more about how long you can stay on your parents’ car insurance

What is the age of majority in my state?

While the age of majority in most states is 18, two states (Alabama and Nebraska) set their age of majority at 19 years old. 

The age of majority is not necessarily the same as the age requirement for getting your driver’s license, so teen drivers can be licensed years before they are able to buy their own car insurance policy.

State	Age of majority	Minimum age for a learners permit	Minimum age for a full driver's license
Alabama	19	15	17
Alaska	18	14	16 and a half
Arizona	18	15 and a half	16 and a half
Arkansas	18	14	18
California	18	15 and a half	17
Colorado	18	15	17
Connecticut	18	16	18
District of Columbia	18	16	17
Delaware	18	16	18
Florida	18	15	18
Georgia	18	15	18
Hawaii	18	15 and a half	17
Idaho	18	14 and a half	16
Illinois	18	15	18
Indiana	18	15	21
Iowa	18	14	17
Kansas	18	14	16 and a half
Kentucky	18	16	17
Louisiana	18	15	17
Maine	18	15	16 and 9 months
Maryland	18	15 and 9 months	18
Massachusetts	18	16	18
Michigan	18	14 and 9 months	17
Minnesota	18	15	17
Mississippi	18 (21 for the purpose of their parent paying child support)	15	16 and a half
Missouri	18	15	18
Montana	18	14 and a half	16
Nebraska	19	15	17
Nevada	18	15 and a half	18
New Hampshire	18	15 and a half	18
New Jersey	18	16	18
New Mexico	18	15	16 and a half
New York	18	16	17
North Carolina	18	15	16 and a half
North Dakota	18	14	16
Ohio	18	15 and a half	18
Oklahoma	18	15 and a half	16 and a half
Oregon	18	15	17
Pennsylvania	18	16	17 and a half
Rhode Island	18	16	17 and a half
South Carolina	18	15	16 and a half
South Dakota	18	14	16
Tennessee	18	15	17
Texas	18	15	18
Utah	18	15	17
Vermont	18	15	16 and a half
Virginia	18	15 and a half	18
Washington	18	15	18
West Virginia	18	15	17
Wisconsin	18	15 and a half	18
Wyoming	18	15	16 and a half

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Can an emancipated minor buy their own car insurance policy?

Yes, an emancipated minor can buy their own insurance policy, but they may need to work directly with an insurance expert to get a policy (instead of shopping online like most drivers would). 

People under 18 (usually) aren’t legally allowed to enter into a contractual agreement, but an emancipated minor is permitted to do things like buy a car or sign an insurance policy.

There are three ways a minor may become emancipated, including:

• Getting a court order from a judge

• Getting married (which typically requires parental consent)

• Joining the military (which typically requires parental consent)

A minor can prove to an insurance agent that they are emancipated by presenting a court order, marriage certificate, or their military enlistment paperwork.

➞ Learn more about removing your children from your car insurance policy

Can my teenager buy their own insurance policy if I exclude them from my insurance coverage?

Probably not. Each state has its own rules and regulations when it comes to car insurance, so whether or not your teen is eligible for their own insurance policy depends on the laws in your state.

Additionally, each insurance company will have their own rules regarding who is eligible to purchase insurance. For example, GEICO doesn’t provide car insurance quotes to drivers under the age of 18.

If your child is 18 or older, they are likely old enough to purchase a car insurance policy on their own. That said, buying an individual car insurance policy for an 18-year-old driver is much more expensive than adding them to your family coverage. 

Adding a teenage driver to your policy lets them take advantage of bundling discounts, multi-car discounts, and loyalty discounts they wouldn’t otherwise be able to use.

➞ Learn more about excluding a driver from your policy

Cost of insurance for a teenage driver

Car insurance rates are higher for teenage drivers than any other group, and for good reason. Teens are more likely to be in an at-fault accident or file a claim than older drivers, which means teen drivers pay a much higher rate for car insurance.

The table below shows the rates for standalone policies for teen drivers with some of the top insurance companies:

Company	16-year-old female	16-year-old male	18-year-old female	18-year-old male
Allstate	$8,215	$8,788	$5,015	$5,916
Farmers	$10,164	$10,812	$7,682	$8,155
GEICO	$4,341	$4,803	$2,911	$3,182
Nationwide	$5,099	$6,111	$4,427	$5,328
Progressive	$9,478	$10,343	$7,138	$7,942
State Farm	$3,422	$4,222	$2,718	$3,327
USAA	$4,414	$4,792	$2,659	$2,860

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Some of these rates are incredibly high, but keep in mind that these are the rates for an individual policy for a single teenage driver. The average rates to add a teen to your family insurance plan are much more reasonable, as you can see in the chart below:

Car insurance rates for young drivers and college students tend to go down over time, so the best way for young drivers to lower their rates is to keep their driving record clean.

➞ Learn more about when car insurance rates go down

Frequently asked questions

Should my 18 year old have his own car insurance?

If your 18-year-old owns their own car and doesn’t live in your home, they are required to have their own car insurance policy. However, if they live in your home and drive your car, they should stay on your family car insurance policy.

Can I insure my son or daughter's car if they own it?

Yes! In many cases, if your teen lives in your house and parks their car on your property, you are able to insure it even if you aren’t the legal owner of the vehicle.

Should a teenager pay for their own car insurance?

Whether or not a teenager pays for their own car insurance depends on your particular needs as a family. Some people really want their children to pay for their own insurance to teach them responsibility and encourage them to drive carefully, while others don’t want to burden their child with the high cost of car insurance for a teenage driver.

Should I put my 17-year-old on my car insurance?

It is usually a good idea to put your 17-year-old driver on your insurance policy. It is almost always more affordable to put them on your family insurance plan and most states don’t allow a 17-year-old to purchase a car insurance policy on their own.

Methodology

Policygenius has analyzed car insurance rates provided by Quadrant Information Services for every ZIP code in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C. 

For full coverage policies, the following coverage limits were used:

• Bodily injury liability: 50/100

• Property damage liability: $50,000

• Uninsured/underinsured motorist: 50/100

• Comprehensive: $500 deductible

• Collision: $500 deductible

In some cases, additional coverages were added where required by the state or insurer.

Rates for overall average rate, rates by ZIP code, and cheapest companies determined using averages for single drivers age 16 and 18. Our sample vehicle was a 2017 Toyota Camry LE driven 10,000 miles per year.