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MMD: Should I make my son pay for his mistake?

Former_MSE_Naomi
Former_MSE_Naomi Posts: 519 Forumite
Second Anniversary First Post I've been Money Tipped! Newshound!
edited 20 March 2018 at 8:15PM in Marriage, relationships & families
This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks...
My 19-year-old regularly borrows the family car, and contributes money to its running costs. He was recently in a small accident and badly dented the bumper. Our insurance will cover the repairs but my husband thinks we should make him pay upfront to teach him to take responsibility.

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Comments

  • Comms69
    Comms69 Posts: 14,229 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Third Anniversary Name Dropper
    He pays towards running costs, presumably insurance is included, he's entitled to claim on that.
  • onomatopoeia99
    onomatopoeia99 Posts: 7,237 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    He should pay the insurnace excess and the difference between next year's premium and this year's (plus his share of the original cost since he's paying to running costs).

    Actually, he should buy his own car.
    Proud member of the wokerati, though I don't eat tofu.Home is where my books are.Solar PV 5.2kWp system, SE facing, >1% shading, installed March 2019.Mortgage free July 2023
  • Gloomendoom
    Gloomendoom Posts: 16,551 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Comms69 wrote: »
    He pays towards running costs, presumably insurance is included, he's entitled to claim on that.

    Seems fair as long as he agrees to also pay for the excess and the increase in the premium for subsequent years.

    It might be cheaper just to pay for the repair up front.
  • Comms69
    Comms69 Posts: 14,229 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Third Anniversary Name Dropper
    Gloomendoom wrote: »
    Seems fair as long as he agrees to also pay for the excess and the increase in the premium for subsequent years.

    It might be cheaper just to pay for the repair up front.



    Excess sure, increased premium, no.


    It's why we have insurance.
  • Mojisola
    Mojisola Posts: 35,574 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    MSE_Naomi wrote: »
    My 19-year-old regularly borrows the family car, and contributes money to its running costs. He was recently in a small accident and badly dented the bumper. Our insurance would cover the repairs but my husband thinks we should make him pay upfront to teach him to take responsibility.

    Was the damage the result of irresponsibility on your son's part?

    If you had an accident, would your husband insist on the same terms so that you learned to take responsibility?
  • Marvel1
    Marvel1 Posts: 7,523 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    onomatopoeia99 wrote: »
    He should pay the insurnace excess and the difference between next year's premium and this year's (plus his share of the original cost since he's paying to running costs).

    Actually, he should buy his own car.

    Insurance goes up annually claim or no claim, will be extra wirh claim, so needs to be worked out with claim added.
  • silvercar
    silvercar Posts: 51,091 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Academoney Grad Name Dropper
    He's 19 and a relatively new driver. You knew this risk when you agreed to lend him the car.

    Be very grateful he wasn't injured.
    I'm a Forum Ambassador on the housing, mortgages & student money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.
  • Tabbytabitha
    Tabbytabitha Posts: 4,684 Forumite
    Third Anniversary
    Mojisola wrote: »
    Was the damage the result of irresponsibility on your son's part?

    If you had an accident, would your husband insist on the same terms so that you learned to take responsibility?

    Presumably it's her car just as much as her husband's, which isn't the case with the son.
  • marliepanda
    marliepanda Posts: 7,186 Forumite
    cjdavies wrote: »
    Insurance goes up annually claim or no claim, will be extra wirh claim, so needs to be worked out with claim added.

    My insurance has NEVER gone up, in the entire 12 years Ive been driving.

    Even when I wrote off my car my insurance went down (switched suppliers, but still...)
  • Marvel1
    Marvel1 Posts: 7,523 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    marliepanda wrote: »
    My insurance has NEVER gone up, in the entire 12 years Ive been driving.

    Even when I wrote off my car my insurance went down (switched suppliers, but still...)

    :( mine does and i shop around as per Martin's guide.
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