But for careful drivers with clean records, it feels like overkill.
Wish I could say that was me. I’ve had two “oops” moments in the last five years—one was a deer, the other was my fault (don’t ask, let’s just say coffee and roundabouts don’t mix). After the second one, my rates jumped so high I nearly spit out my coffee again. Accident forgiveness would’ve saved me a ton. For folks like me who seem to attract trouble, it’s not just peace of mind—it’s damage control. Guess it really depends how lucky you feel on Ohio roads...
Coffee and roundabouts—now there’s a combo I’ve seen a few times in claim reports. Honestly, I’ve worked with plenty of folks who swear they’re magnets for mishaps, and it’s wild how fast those rates can jump after just one or two incidents. Accident forgiveness isn’t magic, but for the “oops-prone” among us, it can be a real wallet-saver. Ohio roads have a way of keeping us humble... deer included. Don’t beat yourself up—sometimes it’s just bad luck, not bad driving.
Accident forgiveness isn’t magic, but for the “oops-prone” among us, it can be a real wallet-saver.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’m not totally sold on accident forgiveness being a slam dunk for everyone in Ohio. Sure, if you’re the type who’s had a couple of fender benders (or, yeah, the classic coffee spill at the roundabout), it might save you some cash in the short term. But those programs aren’t free—most companies bake the cost into your premium somewhere, even if it’s not obvious.
I’ve seen folks pay extra for years and never use it, then feel a bit burned when they realize their rates still go up after a second or third claim. And let’s be honest, Ohio drivers aren’t all “oops-prone”—sometimes it’s just a deer with a death wish.
Curious if anyone’s actually done the math on whether the added cost is worth it over, say, five years? Or is it more of a peace-of-mind thing for most people?
And let’s be honest, Ohio drivers aren’t all “oops-prone”—sometimes it’s just a deer with a death wish.
Yeah, those deer are out for blood. I swear they wait until you’re finally paying attention to the road, then—bam—there they are.
Here’s how I look at accident forgiveness:
- If you’ve got a squeaky-clean record and drive like your grandma’s in the back seat, you’re probably just handing over extra cash for nothing.
- But if you’re the type who’s had a few “oops” moments (or, like me, lives near cornfields full of kamikaze wildlife), it might actually pay off... once.
- Most companies only forgive the first one. After that, it’s back to rate-hike city.
- And yeah, the cost is usually hidden in your premium somewhere. It’s not exactly a freebie.
I ran some numbers last year after my neighbor’s rates jumped post-fender bender. For her, the accident forgiveness basically covered what she would’ve paid in increased premiums after one accident—but only barely. If you never use it? You’re just out that money.
For me, it feels more like paying for peace of mind than a real financial win. But hey, if you sleep better knowing one mistake won’t haunt your wallet forever... maybe that’s worth something?
I get what you’re saying about the peace of mind angle, but I’ve got to admit, I’m not totally sold on the math. I’ve had two at-fault accidents in the last five years (one was a classic “didn’t see the stop sign” move, the other was a rear-ender in the rain), and accident forgiveness only helped me the first time. After that, my rates still shot up—like, not just a little, either. It was a couple hundred bucks a year, easy.
What I keep wondering is: are we just paying for a “get out of jail free” card that only works once? Because if you’re like me and have a history of, let’s call it “bad luck,” you’re still going to get dinged eventually. And if you’re a perfect driver, you’re basically just tossing money away for something you’ll never use.
I also noticed my insurer didn’t exactly spell out how much I was paying for accident forgiveness. It was just kind of baked into the premium, so it’s hard to tell if it’s really worth it unless you crunch the numbers after an accident. I tried to do that after my second one, and honestly, I think I would’ve been better off just saving the extra cash each month and using it if my rates went up.
One thing I do like, though, is not having to stress every time I get behind the wheel, especially during deer season. I live out near the edge of town, and those things are everywhere. But is that worth the extra cost? I’m not sure. Maybe if you’re super risk-averse, it makes sense, but for me, I’d rather just take my chances and hope my luck turns around.
