Honestly, a lot of folks are surprised when they realize accident forgiveness isn’t a magic shield.
That’s spot on. In Ohio, rates can jump after an at-fault accident, but if you’re a careful driver with a clean record, you might be paying for something you’ll never use. I usually tell people to weigh the cost against their risk—if you’ve got new drivers or a history of fender benders, it might be worth it. Otherwise, stashing that extra cash isn’t a bad idea.“there’s usually a ‘one and done’ rule—use it once, then it’s gone until you go years without another claim.”
I’ve wondered about this too, especially since my insurance quoted me a pretty hefty premium for accident forgiveness on my S-Class. I get the peace of mind angle, but I’ve never actually needed it—knock on wood. Has anyone here actually used accident forgiveness and felt it paid off? Or did the rates still creep up in sneaky ways after a claim? I keep thinking maybe it’s just better to drive extra carefully and put that money aside for a rainy day...
I keep thinking maybe it’s just better to drive extra carefully and put that money aside for a rainy day...
That’s exactly what I used to do, until my daughter backed our minivan into a mailbox last winter. Nothing major, but enough to file a claim. We had accident forgiveness on our policy, and honestly, it did save us from a big rate hike—at least for that first year. The thing is, after renewal, our premium still crept up a bit, just not as dramatically as it would’ve without the forgiveness. I guess the peace of mind was nice, especially with teenagers learning to drive.
But if you’re a careful driver and don’t have young drivers in the house, I can see why you’d just stash the extra cash instead. Sometimes I wonder if the insurance companies just find ways to get their money back anyway... Hard to say what’s really “worth it” until you’re in that spot.
I get the peace of mind thing, but honestly, I’ve been driving in Ohio for decades and never once needed accident forgiveness. Maybe I’m just lucky or maybe it’s all those years dodging potholes that sharpened my reflexes. Feels like insurance companies always find a way to sneak in a rate hike, forgiveness or not. I’d rather pocket the extra cash and just keep my fingers crossed... cheaper in the long run, at least for me.
I hear you on the “pocket the extra cash” logic. Honestly, I’ve wrestled with this myself, especially since my premiums already feel ridiculous just because of the car I drive. Here’s how I’ve looked at it over the years:
- You’re right, insurance companies always seem to find a way to raise rates. Accident forgiveness sounds good, but sometimes it’s just another line item.
- Like you, I haven’t needed it (knock on wood). Decades without a claim makes me wonder if I’m just paying for someone else’s mistakes.
- On the flip side, with a luxury car, one fender bender can get real expensive, real fast. That’s where I start second-guessing myself.
- My agent once told me accident forgiveness only “forgives” your first at-fault accident anyway—after that, you’re back to square one. Not exactly a safety net for serial pothole dodgers.
I get the peace of mind thing too, but honestly? If you’ve got a clean record and don’t drive like you’re in a Fast & Furious reboot, maybe it’s just not worth it. I tend to err on the side of saving money unless there’s a clear risk staring me in the face.
One thing that bugs me is how they market these add-ons like they’re doing us a favor. Feels more like they’re just padding their bottom line half the time.
Anyway, props for keeping your record clean all these years—Ohio roads aren’t exactly forgiving themselves. If what you’re doing works for you and your wallet, hard to argue with that logic.
