I actually crunched the numbers last year when I was shopping for my first policy. For me, the accident forgiveness add-on would've cost about $80 more per year. But if I switched companies after a year or two, that extra money would've just gone down the drain. Plus, my friend had a fender bender and her rate only went up like $20 a month, so it would've taken years to break even. I guess if you’re super worried about your first accident, maybe it’s worth it, but for me, I’d rather just save the cash and drive extra careful.
I actually crunched the numbers last year when I was shopping for my first policy.
I get where you're coming from. Honestly, I skipped accident forgiveness too for pretty much the same reasons. Unless you’ve got a history of accidents or really bad luck, it just doesn’t seem worth the extra cash every year. Rates here in Ohio aren’t that wild after a minor bump, at least not in my experience. I’d rather keep my money and just try not to rear-end anyone... easier said than done some days.
I totally get wanting to save a few bucks, especially if you’ve got a clean record. But I’ve seen folks blindsided by how much their rates jump after even a small at-fault accident—sometimes it’s way more than the cost of accident forgiveness over a few years. Ohio rates aren’t the worst, but they can still sting. It’s kind of like paying for peace of mind... not for everyone, but it’s saved some people from serious sticker shock. Just depends on your risk tolerance, I guess.
Title: Is Accident Forgiveness Really Worth It In Ohio?
- Here’s what I keep coming back to: the numbers just don’t always add up the way you’d expect. Seen folks pay for accident forgiveness for years and never use it—basically just handing over extra cash. On the flip side, I’ve watched someone’s premium shoot up $500+ after a fender bender, which would’ve been covered if they’d had it. Kinda feels like a coin toss sometimes.
- Ohio’s rates are middle of the road, but carriers can be unpredictable. Some will ding you hard for a single incident, others are a bit more forgiving (no pun intended). It really depends on your insurer and your own driving history.
- One thing I’ve noticed: if you’ve got a long, clean record, some companies already “forgive” your first accident unofficially. They might not jack up your rates as much as you’d think. But that’s not always spelled out in the paperwork, so it’s a gamble.
- Also, accident forgiveness usually doesn’t cover things like DUIs or major violations—just regular at-fault accidents. Some folks assume it’s a get-out-of-jail-free card for anything, but nope.
- Here’s a question I keep running into: has anyone ever actually done the math over, say, five years? Like, added up what you’d pay for the coverage versus what you’d save if you had one accident? Curious if anyone’s found it to be a clear win or loss, especially in Ohio.
- For me, I tend to lean toward self-insuring for smaller risks and only paying extra for stuff that could be financially devastating. But I get why people want that peace of mind, especially if they’ve seen friends or family get hit with big rate hikes.
- Anyone else ever had their insurer “quietly” forgive an accident without the official add-on? Or did they hit you with the full increase? Just trying to figure out how common that is around here...
- One thing I’ve noticed: if you’ve got a long, clean record, some companies already “forgive” your first accident unofficially. They might not jack up your rates as much as you’d think.
That’s a good point about some companies “quietly” forgiving an accident. I’ve actually wondered if the value of accident forgiveness changes depending on the kind of car you drive. Like, if you’re driving something higher-end, does the potential rate hike after an at-fault accident get even steeper? Or do insurers just look at your record and not care about the car’s value? I’ve never seen a clear answer on that. Anyone ever notice a difference in how their insurer handled things because of the type of car involved?
