I’ve wondered about this too, especially since I drive a pretty average sedan and not a luxury car. The math gets tricky—if you’re paying an extra $60 a year for forgiveness, but your rates would jump by $500+ after one fender bender, it feels like insurance for your insurance. But then again, what if you never use it? Does anyone know if Ohio insurers actually drop the rate back down after a few years, or are you stuck with that hike forever?
I get where you’re coming from—$60 a year doesn’t sound like much, but if you’re a careful driver and never use it, it’s just another add-on. I’ve seen folks pay for accident forgiveness for years and never need it, which is kind of like buying a lottery ticket you hope never pays out. But then again, if you do get into a minor scrape, that $500+ rate hike can sting for a while.
From what I’ve seen in Ohio, most insurers will eventually drop your rates back down, but it’s not overnight. Usually takes three to five years of clean driving, and even then, it depends on the company. Some are stricter than others. I always tell people to check their policy’s fine print—some companies sneak in “surcharges” that stick around longer than you’d expect.
Curious—has anyone actually had their rates go back down after an at-fault accident here? Or did you end up switching companies to get a better deal? Sometimes loyalty doesn’t pay off as much as shopping around...
Honestly, you nailed it about loyalty not always paying off. I stuck with my insurer after a fender bender thinking they’d “reward” me for being a longtime customer. Nope—my rate stayed high for nearly four years. I finally switched and saved a chunk. Accident forgiveness feels like paying for peace of mind, but if you’re a careful driver, it’s kind of a gamble. For some folks, that $60 could go toward better things... or just coffee, honestly.
Accident forgiveness feels like paying for peace of mind, but if you’re a careful driver, it’s kind of a gamble.
I totally get this. I’m still on my parents’ policy while I learn, and they debated adding accident forgiveness after my first close call (no actual accident, thankfully). Honestly, it felt like we were paying extra just in case I messed up, which made me nervous. If you’re a super cautious driver, that $60 could cover a lot of gas or snacks for road trips instead. I guess it comes down to how much you worry about “what ifs.” For me, I’d rather focus on driving safe and not stress about the extra add-ons.
I guess it comes down to how much you worry about “what ifs.” For me, I’d rather focus on driving safe and not stress about the extra add-ons.
I can relate to feeling like accident forgiveness is just “paying extra just in case I messed up.” When I first bought my own policy in Ohio, I spent ages weighing this. Here’s what happened: my friend backed into a pole a month after getting her license, and her rate shot up for years. That made me nervous enough to add accident forgiveness, even though it felt like a “what if” tax. It’s true—if you’re careful, it might feel unnecessary, but one mistake can get expensive fast. For me, it was worth the peace of mind, but I totally get why some folks skip it and save the cash for fun stuff instead.
