Will my car insurance go up if I have a baby? (2025 Update)

Having a baby is one of the most important life-changing events a person can experience. Having a child will impact a person’s life forever, and it’s a time of both great joy and immense stress.

Like many other important life events, it may also have an effect on your car insurance.

The big question is, “Will insurance rates go up if I have a baby?” Indeed, it often has the opposite effect: Parents of young children generally pay less for car insurance than other people. We’re digging into the reasons why below.

Part of the confusion is due to the car insurance companies themselves. Many use industry jargon to confuse car insurance policyholders, as certainly you’ve seen if you’ve read through your car insurance policy. Learning the basics through Car Insurance 101 is a quick way to learn about the different types of coverages in basic, easy-to-understand language.

As long as you’re looking to expand your family, we know you want to save money for the baby. Begin shopping for affordable car insurance rates by entering your ZIP code into our free online quote comparison tool.

It’ll give you the best insurance rates for your area based on your demographic information. Now, let’s dive deep into the issue of car insurance for parents of newborn babies, so you can learn how babies affect car insurance rates.

Car Insurance Rates After Having a Baby

Will my insurance go up if I  have a baby? When it comes to car insurance, companies are looking at a variety of factors when they are setting your rates. In fact, car insurance companies determine rates by reviewing statistics about drivers and making guesses about their risks based on driving behaviors.

Drivers who are considered to be at high risk of having an accident will pay more for insurance than those who are at a lower risk. Certain behaviors are associated with high-risk driving:

— A history of accidents
— Traffic violations
— DUI convictions
— Driving a high-performance car
— Being uninsured prior to obtaining a policy

Other behaviors are associated with low-risk driving:

— Being married
— Having good credit
— Being a student
— Driving a car with safety features

In other words, save driving is often associated with other types of responsible behaviors. Drivers who are mature and responsible in other areas of their lives are usually considered to be safer drivers, and this is often statistically true as well.

This is one reason why your car insurance costs decrease after you get married, especially for men; single men get into more accidents than married ones, so they pay more for insurance as a whole.

There are many factors that affect car insurance rates and while most of it is based on risk, many may seem superfluous or just strange. Learning more about the subject, though, can set you up well for not just getting the best car insurance rate initially but finding ways to lower your car insurance rate down the road.

Why do parents pay less for insurance?

So is car insurance cheaper when you have a baby? In addition to signifying a more responsible lifestyle, having a new baby may have indirect effects on your car insurance policy:

New parents may not drive as much. Having a baby reduces your free time substantially, and you may spend more time at home, especially for the first year.

If your insurance company realizes that you’re not doing as much leisure driving, your rates will decrease. This is especially true for women who may take a long time off work or even quit the workforce in order to stay home.

Parents often buy vehicles with good safety ratings. Whether a minivan or a four-door sedan, a new parent’s vehicle is usually both safe and practical, two things that lead to low rates.

People who trade in their sports cars for minivans will see a dramatic decrease in premiums.

Parents are often homeowners. Of course, not all parents own their own homes, but many do, and owning a home helps to decrease the overall cost of a car insurance policy.

If you buy your home insurance from the same company as your car coverage, you can get a discount on both by taking advantage of a multi-policy discount.

You’ll be more likely to drive safely. Drivers with babies on board are less likely to speed or break traffic laws. They also may be more aware of the road around them and more likely to drive defensively.

Simply put, having a helpless life in your hands can inspire you to be a better driver, which will reward you in low coverages as well as general safety.

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Other Considerations for Drivers Planning to Have Children

We get it. You’ve been spending a lot of time preparing for baby. Whether that’s furnishing a new room, buying new clothes, or even getting information and support from professional doula, we know there’s a lot to keep track of.

But before you think car insurance won’t be an important factor to consider with a baby on the way, think again.

With a new family member on the way, it’s time to assess your policy and see if you need to make any changes.

Be sure to discuss your situation with your agent to see if they have any suggestions for updating your coverages.

For example, it might be a good idea to increase your first-party medical coverages when you find out a baby is on the way; after an accident, any pregnant woman should always get checked out by a doctor, and the car insurance can assist with that cost.

You should also make sure that your car insurance coverage will pay for car seats. Most insurance policies do cover the replacement of car seats that are damaged in a covered accident, but you should double-check your policy prior to bringing the baby home.

Any accident, even a very minor one, can cause stress on a car seat that will require it to be replaced, and replacing one can be very expensive if you must pay it out-of-pocket.

Frequently Asked Questions: Car Insurance and Children

Now that we’ve covered some topics related to having a baby and car insurance, here are some frequently asked questions.

They dive deep into having children and car insurance, including do you have to tell your car insurance company if you have a baby, the possible decrease in car insurance quotes amounts when you have a baby, the ramifications on car insurance when you have a child under 16, and more.

#1 – Does having a baby increase your car insurance?

Actually, having a baby can decrease your car insurance rates because, as parents, you’re seen as more responsible by car insurance companies.

#2 – Does insurance change when you have a baby?

Generally, having a baby can lower your car insurance rates. Car insurance companies look at parents as more responsible than people without kids, which means less risk of getting in an accident, therefore lower car insurance rates.

#3 – Does having children bring car insurance down?

Yes, having children can actually bring your car insurance down because the parents are seen as more responsible than they were before. It’s one of the factors (demographics) that affects car insurance rates.

#4 – What makes your car insurance go up?

There are numerous factors that can cause your car insurance rates to go up, including getting in an accident, getting a speeding ticket, or being arrested for a DUI.

#5 – Do I need to tell my car insurance company I’ve had a baby?

Wondering do I need to add my baby to my car insurance? You don’t need to tell your car insurance company that you’ve had a baby — you’re not obligated to do so — but, because it can reduce your car insurance rates, you might want to let your insurer know.

So while your car insurer probably isn’t on your list of who to inform when you have a baby, you still might want to tell them.

#6 – Is it cheaper to put your child on your car insurance?

Adding a teen driver to your car insurance policy, while a must (unless you want them to have their own), will likely add to your car insurance rates. This is because teenagers are a population that is considered high-risk for car insurance companies with a higher likelihood of getting in an accident and costing the car insurance company money.

#7 – What insurance do you need when having a baby?

Probably the most important insurance you need when having a baby is health insurance, which can help offset the costs of having a baby and all the other health-related products you might need when having a baby or after.

#8 – Should I put my child’s car in their name?

You can technically, but if you put your child’s car in their name, they are ultimately responsible for the payments. While you might pay them off in the short term, this could become a sticky issue in the future if your child reaches adult age and doesn’t want to contribute to the car payments.

Most of the discounts associated with having a baby are one-time benefits. Your rates will not be as deeply affected by subsequent children as your first infant. Nevertheless, you can enjoy many of these factors for many years, at least until your child gets their first driver’s license and your rates rise once more.

If you are planning on having a baby, find the best car insurance rates for your growing family by plugging your ZIP code into our free online quote generator. It’ll give you the best insurance rates for your area based on your demographic information.

Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.

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