I get where you’re coming from—if your car’s only worth a grand, paying extra for accident forgiveness feels like throwing money away. For me, with a minivan that’s not new but still decent value, I actually ran the numbers. The premium bump after a minor at-fault accident was less than the cost of adding forgiveness for a few years. Unless you’ve got a spotless record and a newer ride, it rarely pays off here in Ohio. Insurance companies bank on people’s fear of rate hikes, but for most family cars? Not really worth it.
I totally get what you mean, but as someone who’s had a couple dings on my record, accident forgiveness actually saved me once. My rates jumped big time after my second fender bender. If you’re already considered high-risk, sometimes that extra cost can be worth it... but yeah, for a cheap car, probably not. Just depends how much risk you wanna take on.
I hear you on the rate hikes—Ohio’s not exactly forgiving when it comes to insurance premiums after a couple of accidents. I’ve seen folks come in after a minor rear-end, thinking it’s no big deal, and then their renewal notice hits like a ton of bricks. That “accident forgiveness” add-on can feel like a lifesaver in those moments.
But I do wonder sometimes if it’s always worth it. Like you said,
I had a client with an old Civic who paid for accident forgiveness for years, never used it, and honestly, the extra premium probably outweighed what she’d have saved if she’d just taken the hit once. On the flip side, another guy with a spotless record got sideswiped in a parking lot—first accident ever—and his rates barely budged because he had that coverage.“for a cheap car, probably not.”
Guess it really comes down to how much you drive, your luck (or lack thereof), and how much you’re willing to gamble on your own driving record. For high-risk drivers or folks with bad luck? Might be worth every penny. For others, maybe not so much.
I’ve run the numbers on this a few times, and honestly, for my old Corolla, accident forgiveness just didn’t add up. I drive maybe 7k miles a year, never had a claim, and the extra $60-70 per year was like betting against myself. But my cousin with two teen drivers? She swears by it—her rates would skyrocket otherwise. Seems like it’s one of those “know thyself” deals... or at least know your luck and your car’s value.
I hear you on the “know thyself” part. I’ve got a 2018 Audi A6—nothing too flashy, but still a decent chunk of change if something goes sideways. I’m pretty cautious, but after a scare with a deer last winter (dodged it, but barely), I started looking at accident forgiveness a bit differently. My rates are already higher just because of the car’s value, and I figured one fender bender could mean a massive hike, or worse, getting dropped.
Still, I crunched the numbers like you did. For me, it was about $110 extra per year. Not pocket change, but not wild either. Thing is, I drive about 10k a year, mostly highway, and haven’t had a claim in over a decade. Ended up skipping it for now. It just felt like paying for peace of mind I wasn’t sure I needed.
But my buddy has a Tesla and his insurance is through the roof—he swears by accident forgiveness, especially with all the sensors that cost a fortune to replace. And then there’s my neighbor with his old Civic… he laughed when I mentioned it. Said he’d rather just pay out of pocket if something happened.
Guess it really does come down to your risk tolerance and what you’re driving. For something like an older Corolla or Civic, I’d probably pass too. But if you’ve got a pricier car or teenage drivers in the mix, the math starts to look different. Funny how the same product can make total sense for one person and be a waste for another. Insurance is such a weird game sometimes...
