Totally agree with your point about prevention. Accident forgiveness always felt like one of those "nice-to-have" extras insurers push, but when you crunch the numbers, it rarely makes financial sense. I invested in a solid set of winter tires two seasons ago, and honestly, that's done way more for my peace of mind than accident forgiveness ever would. Plus, keeping up with basic maintenance—brakes, alignment, stuff like that—really does pay off in the long run... especially when Ohio roads get dicey.
Yeah, accident forgiveness always seemed a bit gimmicky to me too. Had a client last winter who swore by it until he actually had a minor fender-bender. Turns out, even with the forgiveness, his premium still went up slightly at renewal—fine print strikes again. Personally, I'd rather put that money toward better tires or brakes... prevention usually beats promises in my book.
I've wondered about this myself—does accident forgiveness really pay off in the long run, especially here in Ohio? From what I've seen, it seems to depend heavily on your insurer and your driving record. Have you checked if your insurance company specifically excludes rate increases due to accidents, or is it more of a vague promise?
A friend of mine had a similar experience. She thought she was covered after a minor accident, but her premium still crept up slightly at renewal. Turns out, accident forgiveness often only prevents the accident itself from directly impacting your rates, but insurers can still raise premiums based on overall risk assessments or market conditions. Sneaky, right?
Maybe the better question is: how often do you realistically expect to have an accident? If you're generally cautious and have a clean record, investing in safer equipment or defensive driving courses might be a smarter move. Just my two cents...
Yeah, I've been debating this too. When I got my first policy, the agent pushed accident forgiveness pretty hard, but after crunching numbers, it didn't seem worth the extra cost. I'd rather stash that money into an emergency fund just in case...
I get why you'd think that way—accident forgiveness isn't always a clear-cut win. It really depends on your personal situation. If you're a cautious driver with a clean record, you're probably better off saving that money like you mentioned. But if you've got new drivers in the household (thinking teenagers here...) or commute daily in heavy traffic, accident forgiveness can actually pay off by preventing premium hikes after just one mishap. It's all about weighing your risk factors and comfort level.
