I'm feeling kind of guilty - tell me what you think. My son is a senior in high school. He has had his license for about 6 months.
We told him before he got it that he would have to pay his own auto insurance, which was about $75 a month. We also told him if he got into an accident or got a ticket, he'd have to pay the additional charges. He had a wreck about a month after getting his license. His portion went up to about $160 a month, but I have him paying $120 of it..... This is HIS portion alone - you don't even want to know what the total premium is now. :( lol
Is it wrong to make him pay his own insurance? I feel kind of bad because that is a whole paycheck for him, but I also want him to learn what it's like to be responsible for at least one bill before he moves out and has to take on a BUNCH of bills.
Your opinions please?
2007-10-29 05:42:12 · 18 answers · asked by nite_angelica 7 in Family & Relationships ➔ Family
Let me also say (before someone takes it the wrong way), that when I say 'before his moves out', I don't mean as soon as possible.
I want him to stay home while he's going to college, so I'm not trying to get him out of the house. lol
2007-10-29 05:43:52 · update #1
I'm sure you feel bad about him having to work to pay his insurance bill. However, at a very young age you are teaching him the lesson of a lifetime, there are sometimes uncomfortable consequences to his actions.
Was the accident his fault? If it was, then a deal is a deal. If not, then maybe you can renegotiate the deal with him, so that he has alittle spending money.
In all honesty, if it was my child, I would slip him some spending money "just because" and make him pay the insurance bill. That way we both win. You are absolutely not wrong in making him pay for his own insurance.
2007-10-29 05:54:02 · answer #1 · answered by tjnstlouismo 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Well, I don't have kids yet, but when I was living at home, I had to pay for my auto insurance - i also paid for my own cars as well; by the time I moved out at 18, I had owned 5 cars because I had bought them, fixed them up with the help of my dad, and sold them to make a profit!! Fortunately my parents let me keep all the profit though obviously a lot of it should have gone to them hehe.
In my opinion, you have no reason whatsoever to feel guilty. Good for you! You are doing what too many parents nowadays are afraid to do: make your child stand on his own two feet and take responsibility for his actions. I am nearly 28 and though I wouldn't say that my finances have been flawless since I moved out at 18, I have done considerably better than most of my peers whose parents handed them everything on a silver platter. Don't feel bad, you are doing the right thing. I know it sucks to have to turn over all of your paycheck when you are that age, but that is life!
If you feel really bad about it, you could do something like my parents did for my little sister (never for me though lol): she had racked up a *lot* of legal fees with accidents and tickets and such and my parents had her paying for pretty much all of them; she would give them her portion of the fees and they would help out with the remainder like you are doing. However, they sneakily deposited the money she turned over to them into a seperate bank account and once she moved out, they gave it to her as a good luck gift! If you are in a position that you can afford to do that, then more power to you! If not, no problem, he will still turn out to be a model citizen like me haha! Good luck!
2007-10-29 05:56:08 · answer #2 · answered by isaacsprincess79 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
we have a 16 almost 17 yr old daughter... we got her a car. she paid nothing, we even paid her insurance for the 1st year... shes been told all year that she needs to get a job that we will not renew her insurance..we have told her that her check would be hers. we wont make her buy her own clothes or charge her for anything. but she must pay her car insurance and her cell phone bill. lets see its going on 10 months and still no job..lol we dont even give her gas money... she babysits when she needs the money and she has a boyfriend that pays for everything. guess she will learn in 2 months that we are for real. we arent doing it to be mean but to teach her. she will be grown and on her own soon.
2007-10-29 07:03:01 · answer #3 · answered by kitttkat2001 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're doing the right thing by making him pay for his own insurance, but you are doing him a dis-service by allowing him to escape the consequences of having an accident. If he can't pay the entire cost of his increased premium, then make him meet you half way. His accident should result in more burden and inconvenience for HIM, not you.
2007-10-29 05:59:11 · answer #4 · answered by mt75689 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well i'm seventeen so you're getting a teens point of view, hehe. I think it's good that you're teachhing him responsibility, and having him asume responsibility for his actions. I'm a senior in high school myself, but my dad pays for my insurance. On the other hand, I'veneverbeen in an accident and I don't work, but i do have other responsibilities at home. I think it's important to know what is out there, specially when alot of us will be going out on our own for the first time since we might be dorming and stuff
2007-10-29 05:50:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
I tried that same thing. He let his insurance lapse, had an accident, and because I had co-signed the loan on his car, it ended up costing me $5000. I learned an important lesson. NEVER co-sign your child's auto loan. He didn't pay that off either.
2007-10-29 05:57:25 · answer #6 · answered by thor_torkenson 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not rich and money doesn't grow on trees. Getting to drive is a privilege in our home. So it was made clear to my children that they would have to pay the difference, when the insurance went up when they started to drive. They also have to give so much for gas etc.., I believe it is teaching them responsibility and money management.
For graduation we are getting her a used car and she will have to pay her own insurance and her own gas. That's the breaks.
2007-10-29 05:52:45 · answer #7 · answered by wondermom 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Ok when my mom bought my 1st beamer I still had to pay my own insurance to teach me responsibility! I thank her for that because I was so terrified that if it was damaged I would have to PAY BIG! Therefore, teaching me to park far away from others... and to be a defensive driver! When someone else like yourself for example as a mother carries the insurance payment you are setting yourself up for trouble because then they never learn the value until you are being sued!
2007-10-29 05:50:17 · answer #8 · answered by TootsiePop 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
My parents make me pay and I really don't have a problem with it, I also have have to pay all my own tickets and damage repairs, I have defenitely made some mistakes that cost me and now I am more careful and responsible
2007-10-29 05:48:50 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
yes my child pays for her own i bought her a car she can pay her car insurance all i say is get a job and she did now she pays for her own with no problem
2007-10-29 05:45:32 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋