Yeah, accident forgiveness can be hit or miss. In Ohio, one at-fault accident can spike your rates by around 30-40% for a few years. If you're newer to driving, might actually be worth it...depends how comfortable you are gambling on your driving skills.
I think it really depends on your personal situation. I've been driving for years without any major issues, but last winter I slid on some black ice and rear-ended someone—totally my fault, unfortunately. My rates jumped about 35%, and I was kicking myself for not having accident forgiveness. If you're a newer driver or commute daily in heavy traffic or rough weather, it might be worth the peace of mind. But if you're pretty confident (and lucky, lol), you might save money skipping it. Tough call either way...
"My rates jumped about 35%, and I was kicking myself for not having accident forgiveness."
Man, that's rough—sorry to hear about the accident. Black ice is no joke, especially around here. I've been driving classics for years, and even though I baby them and drive carefully, accidents can still happen. A few winters back, my buddy slid his '67 Mustang into a curb because of ice, and he was a super cautious driver too. Thankfully it was minor, but it still cost him a pretty penny in repairs.
Honestly, I'm usually pretty budget-conscious and try not to spend extra on things I might not need, but accident forgiveness is one of those things I've gone back and forth on a lot. For me, it came down to how much I drive my daily versus my weekend cruiser. If you're out there every day commuting in Ohio winters, dealing with unpredictable drivers and weather, the peace of mind might actually be worth the extra cost. But if you're mostly driving short trips or keeping your mileage low, it might not be as necessary.
Either way, don't beat yourself up too much over it—accidents happen to even the best drivers. And insurance companies are always quick to bump up rates, unfortunately. At least now you have some real-world experience to help you decide what's best going forward. Hang in there...
