Had a client once who skipped accident forgiveness, then hit a deer literally the next day... talk about bad timing. But yeah, statistically, most cautious drivers don't end up needing it. Ever had a close call with wildlife yourself?
Yeah, hitting a deer right after skipping accident forgiveness is some seriously rough luck. I've seen similar situations, and honestly, it makes me skeptical about skipping coverage like that—even if statistically you're unlikely to need it. But then again, insurance is always a gamble, right? You're betting you'll need it, the company's betting you won't.
Personally, I've had a few close calls with wildlife myself. Driving home late one night, a deer jumped out of nowhere... missed it by inches. Definitely made me reconsider my own coverage choices for a bit. Still, I get why some folks pass on accident forgiveness—if you're careful and rarely drive rural roads at night, maybe it's not worth the extra cost. But in Ohio, especially during deer season, I'd lean towards playing it safe.
"insurance is always a gamble, right? You're betting you'll need it, the company's betting you won't."
Yeah, that's exactly what's making this decision tricky for me. I'm new to insurance and still figuring things out... does accident forgiveness usually bump up your premium by a lot, or is it pretty reasonable?
I'm new to insurance and still figuring things out...
Honestly, accident forgiveness is one of those things you don't fully appreciate until you need it. I skipped it for years thinking it was just another upsell... then my son backed my '69 Mustang into a mailbox. Premium shot up like crazy. Now, looking back, the slight bump in premium for forgiveness would've been peanuts compared to what I'm paying now. If you're new to insurance, I'd say it's worth considering—especially if you're accident-prone or have younger drivers around.
"Honestly, accident forgiveness is one of those things you don't fully appreciate until you need it."
Couldn't agree more. A few years back, I was in the same boat—thought accident forgiveness was just another gimmick insurance companies pushed. Then one icy morning on I-71 near Columbus, someone slid into my rear bumper at a stoplight. Technically not my fault, but the other driver took off... so it got treated as an uninsured motorist claim on my policy. Premiums jumped noticeably for a solid three years afterward.
After that experience, I sat down and actually ran some numbers. Turns out, paying a bit extra each month for accident forgiveness would've been cheaper overall than the rate hikes I faced after that single incident. If you're analytical like me, I'd suggest looking at your current premium, then estimating how much it could rise after a hypothetical claim (your agent can probably help you here). Compare that to the annual cost of adding forgiveness—it might surprise you.
Just my two cents from a fellow Ohio driver who's learned the hard way...
