Should You Make Your Teen Pay For Their Own Auto Insurance?

Handing over the car keys to your teenager for the first time can be terrifying. If they’re responsible enough to drive a car, are they responsible enough to pay for their own car insurance? Here at Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial, we’re not going to actually tell you what to do, but we are going to give you some things to think about when it comes to footing the bill for your teenager’s auto insurance.

Why they should pay for their insurance

Teenagers are inherently inexperienced drivers, making their premiums higher. Making teens pay for their own insurance can help teach them responsibility, which can lead to them being safer on the road, whether they’re driving close to home near Laurel MD or embarking on their first road trip. Also, if teens are aware that the price they are paying could go up if they get in an accident, they will be even more likely to drive safely. Making teens pay for insurance also helps them understand how insurance works so they’re not clueless when they get out into the real world.

Why they shouldn’t pay for their insurance:

Some argue that you should let kids be kids, and let teens be teens. They’ll be paying for things for the rest of their lives, so give them a few years to be more carefree. Another advantage to paying for your teen’s auto insurance is that it gives you more leverage to take away driving privileges as a punishment or consequence of irresponsible behavior.

Clearly, there are advantages for both sides of the coin. Ultimately, you need to think about what will work best for your family and for your teen. Maybe a mixture works for you, or maybe you let your teen know that they will need to start paying for their insurance if they do get in an accident that raises their rates. No matter what you choose, Mid Atlantic Insurance Financial can help you get the coverage you need for your brand new teen driver. We serve Laurel, MD, and the surrounding areas.