Teenage Drivers

• When you signed your parental consent form to allow your teenager to get his driver's license, you may have noticed a financial responsibility clause on the form. This clause is included on parental consent forms in some states, including Texas, Florida, Iowa and Maryland. The financial responsibility clause requires your liability for damages caused by your teenager while driving a motor vehicle until he turns 18. Adding your teen driver to your auto insurance policy can serve as a barrier to your personal liability in the event your teen is involved in an accident because your insurance company pays for damages up to the limit of your policy.
  
  

Insurance Company Reqiurements

• Your auto insurance provider may also require you to add your teenage driver to your policy if you want him to drive your car. This may also raise your monthly insurance premium since your teenage son represents an increase in the risk of an accident involving your vehicle. Failure to add your son to your policy as required by your insurance provider could cause the company to drop your auto insurance coverage if your teenager is involved in an accident with your vehicle.
  
  

Suitable Vehicles For Teens

• Your son may be added as a driver to a vehicle considered a family car. This vehicle is intended for family use and is not designed for a specific purpose such as a conversion van or a high performance vehicle like a sports car. It is illegal to add your teenage son to a vehicle that requires a certain license credential like a tow truck or commercial truck. If your son is involved in an accident while attempting to drive such a vehicle, you could incur significant financial liability.
  
  

Adult Drivers

• If your adult son drives your car on a few occasions, it's not usually necessary to add him to your insurance policy. This is especially true if your son has his own vehicle and is legally insured. If your son drives your vehicle on a more regular basis, it may be a smart financial move to add him as a driver to your insurance policy to cover any liability issues if an accident occurs. Adding him to your insurance policy may be required if your son has no auto insurance of his own and your state requires each driver to carry some form of financial responsibility. In other states where insurance follows the vehicle and not the driver, your son should still be covered under your auto insurance if he drives your vehicle once in awhile.