MMD: Should I make my son pay for his mistake? 20 March 2018 at 4:37PM edited 20 March 2018 at 7:15PM in Marriage, relationships & families 41 replies 14.5K views

Former_MSE_Naomi

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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Comms69

He pays towards running costs, presumably insurance is included, he's entitled to claim on that.

onomatopoeia99

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.

Gloomendoom

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

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

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

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

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.

Tabbytabitha

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

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

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.