When you thought of the ways your kids were going to drive you insane once they became teenagers, driving was probably on the list. Having a job that would exclude them from the family auto insurance policy probably wasn't! That's a pretty common problem for parents of delivery drivers, however. Here's the inside scoop on pizza delivery and auto insurance and what you can do to make sure your teen has the coverage they need.

Why Car Insurance Companies Won't Cover Pizza Delivery Drivers

Do you remember all the questions you had to answer when you first bought your auto insurance policy? It seems like you've given your insurance agent everything but your blood type by the time you're done! Your insurance company wants to know EXACTLY what you're going to be using your car for before they decide whether or not they're going to insure you (and what they're going to charge you for the privilege!) and there's a good reason for that. Drivers who spend more time out on the roads are more likely to be involved in accidents that lead to car insurance claims. More claims=higher premiums.

You can see where we're going with this.

If you're on the road during work hours instead of happily parked somewhere you're a higher insurance risk, and most car insurance companies aren't going to take on that risk for non-commercial premiums. If your teen is driving your car on a pizza delivery and they're involved in an accident you might find yourself unpleasantly surprised to discover your car insurance company isn't going to touch those damages with a ten foot pole. You could be holding the bag for thousands of dollars in repairs and no other options.

Picking Up a Commercial Auto Insurance Policy

Before handing your teen your keys and wishing them good luck in their pizza delivery career there are a few things you as a parent need to know. First and foremost, what kind of insurance is their employer offering them? Companies that employ delivery drivers are technically required to carry insurance to protect them during work hours. Some do this using company cars, which lets them keep their auto insurance rates to a minimum because they know exactly how many cars they'll have on the road at any given point in time.

Other companies buy what's known as a non-owned auto insurance policy. This gives your teen full liability coverage while they're out on the road on company business. What it doesn't do, however, is cover the damages to your vehicle. If your teen is going to be launching a delivery career and driving your car to do it you're going to want to talk to your insurance company to find out what you need to do to purchase the comprehensive and collision coverage that will keep your car safe out on the road.

To do this you might be forced to buy a commercial auto insurance policy. The cost of commercial auto insurance might make you flinch at first, but remember-it's going to cost a lot less to insure your car than it is to fix it. And if you're very lucky, your teen isn't going to be delivering pizzas forever!