I totally get where you’re coming from. After my wife had a minor fender bender in a parking lot, our premium shot up even though the damage was barely noticeable. Accident forgiveness sounded tempting, but when I crunched the numbers, it just didn’t make sense for us either—especially since we try to play it safe and haven’t had many incidents. I guess if someone has a long commute or drives in tricky conditions a lot, maybe it’s worth considering, but for our family, being extra cautious seems like the better investment.
Honestly, I’ve run the numbers on accident forgiveness too, and for me it’s like paying for a spare tire when you’re driving on brand new rubber. Here’s how I look at it:
Step one: Check your driving record. If you’re racking up dings and scrapes every year, maybe it’s worth it. But if you’re like me—mostly careful, only the occasional “oops” with a mailbox—then the extra cost just doesn’t add up.
Step two: Look at your commute. If you’re stuck in Columbus rush hour every day, maybe you’re rolling the dice more than someone who just does weekend grocery runs. More risk, more reason to consider it.
Step three: Actually read the fine print. Some companies only forgive your first accident, and then you’re back to square one. Others jack up the premium for the “forgiveness” itself.
I’d rather stash that extra cash in a road trip fund. Worst case, I pay a little more if I mess up. Best case, I’m not paying for something I never use... and I get an extra tank of gas for my next adventure.
I get where you’re coming from. I’ve done a lot of cross-state drives and honestly, I’ve never bothered with accident forgiveness either. Here’s how it played out for me:
- Had a clean record for years, then got rear-ended in Cleveland traffic. My rates went up, but not by as much as the “forgiveness” would’ve cost me over time.
- I drive a lot—like, actual road trip level miles. Still, I’d rather risk a rate hike than pay extra every month for something I might never use.
- The fine print is a joke sometimes. One company told me they’d “forgive” my first accident, but only if I stayed with them for five years. Not worth it.
Honestly, I’d rather put that money toward gas, snacks, or a better playlist for the next trip. If you’re a super cautious driver, it just feels like paying for peace of mind you probably don’t need. But hey, if you’re accident-prone or have a crazy commute, maybe it makes sense. For me? I’ll take my chances and keep my road trip fund growing.
Totally get what you mean about the fine print—some of those “perks” sound good until you dig into the details. I’ve been driving around Ohio with a minivan full of kids and groceries for years, and honestly, I’ve never paid for accident forgiveness either. My husband and I looked at it once after a fender bender in a Target parking lot (not my finest moment, but hey, parking lots are chaos). The rate hike stung, but when we did the math, the forgiveness add-on would’ve cost us more over time than just dealing with the increase.
I think you nailed it with the peace of mind thing. If you’re someone who’s always worried about “what if,” maybe it’s worth it. But for us, we’d rather put that extra cash toward family pizza night or a weekend at the lake. Plus, like you said, if you’re a careful driver and not commuting through crazy traffic every day, the odds are probably in your favor.
One thing I will say—my neighbor swears by accident forgiveness because her teenage son just got his license. She figures it’s only a matter of time before he bumps into something, so for her, it’s less about saving money and more about avoiding a huge spike in their rates. Makes sense for her situation, but for most folks I know, it just doesn’t add up.
Anyway, sounds like you’ve got a good handle on what works for you. Sometimes all those “extras” are just ways to squeeze a few more bucks out of us. I’d rather spend that money on something fun or useful than on a maybe-I’ll-need-it insurance feature.
One thing I will say—my neighbor swears by accident forgiveness because her teenage son just got his license. She figures it’s only a matter of time before he bumps into something, so for her, it’s less about saving money and more about avoiding a huge spike in their rates.
That’s pretty much the only scenario where I can see accident forgiveness making sense. When my daughter started driving, we looked into it too. Honestly, the price jump for adding a teen was already wild, and the forgiveness add-on just felt like piling on more cost. We ended up skipping it and just crossing our fingers (and reminding her about parking lot etiquette constantly).
For most folks around here, especially if you’ve got a clean record and aren’t driving in downtown Cleveland every day, the math just doesn’t work out. Like you said, it’s basically paying extra for “maybe” protection. I’d rather stash that cash for car repairs or, heck, a new set of tires when the potholes hit in spring.
That said, if you’re super risk-averse or have a new driver in the house, maybe it’s worth the peace of mind. Otherwise, I think you’re spot on—insurance companies know how to market those extras, but they’re not always worth it in the long run.
