A few months later, Steffen (our middle son) passed the written and driving test required for the State of Washington and we drove him down to the Washington Department of Licencing, paid the $89 dollars (highway robbery!!!) and we had a licensed 16-year-old. We then went across the parking lot to our agent's office and added him as a driver in our household. We thought with him going part-time to college (Running Start) next year, it would be better for him to drive himself then for Mom or his grandparents to keep chauffeuring him and in the long run save time and gas money.
However, we were mislead. I believe Safeco pulled a bait and switch on us. Safeco said it was all a miscommunication. Instead of a $60 increase to our monthly bill, we had an $250 dollar increase. Miscommunication - my ass!!!
I had not planned on shopping for car insurance over the summer and here I am doing just that. I am super angry at Safeco, as if I had known what I know now, we would have put off Steffen getting his license. He might not have liked it, but he could have driven the bus for a few months until we sorted this all out. I am also mad at our agent, who should have been on top of things. Every time we went to her office, she would say she was working on it, yet today we received a phone call from Safeco saying that had not received a copy of Steffen's grades. I sent a copy to our agent weeks ago - so a huge rant to both Safeco and Vern Fonk Insurance. We really do not have an extra $200 a month - as we are barely keeping our hands above the water as it is.
Sadly, the insurance companies have us over a barrel. We have done some comparison shopping and not finding any good rates. Which I just do not understand. We all have good driving records. We have played by the rules; Steffen has all A's and took driver's education and all the required hours driving with an adult in the vehicle with him. He is a good kid and a good driver, yet insurance companies brush young male drivers with the same broad paint brush. Unbelievable and maddening!