Had the same debate myself recently—two teens at home now, and one fender-bender later, I'm glad we opted in. But if it were just me driving, I'd probably skip it and pocket the savings instead.
"Had the same debate myself recently—two teens at home now, and one fender-bender later, I'm glad we opted in."
We were on the fence too, but after my wife's minor accident last winter (icy roads, you know how Ohio gets...), our premiums would've jumped quite a bit without accident forgiveness. Still, I sometimes wonder if the extra cost balances out over the years if you never actually use it. Anyone here done the math on long-term savings vs. potential hikes after an accident?
We went back and forth on this too, and here's how I see it:
- Accident forgiveness is basically insurance for your insurance. You're paying a bit extra now to avoid a big jump later.
- If you're generally cautious, it might feel like wasted money...until that one icy morning hits (been there myself).
- Did some rough math once—one accident can spike premiums for 3-5 years, easily offsetting the extra cost over time.
"Still, I sometimes wonder if the extra cost balances out over the years if you never actually use it."
Yeah, it's a gamble either way, but peace of mind counts for something too.
I agree with most of what's been said, especially the peace of mind part. A few extra thoughts from my end:
- Ohio winters can be pretty unpredictable, and even if you're a careful driver, you can't always control what other people do on icy roads.
- I checked into this a while back and found out some insurers here only offer accident forgiveness after you've been with them for a certain amount of time without incidents. So it's worth double-checking the fine print.
- Also, keep in mind that accident forgiveness usually applies to just one accident per policy—not per driver. If you've got multiple drivers in the household, that could be something to think about.
Personally, I see it as paying a little extra for less stress if something unexpected happens. But yeah, it's definitely one of those things you question every time renewal season rolls around...
"Ohio winters can be pretty unpredictable, and even if you're a careful driver, you can't always control what other people do on icy roads."
This right here is exactly why I usually recommend accident forgiveness to my clients. A few years back, one of my regulars—super cautious driver, never had a ticket or accident—got rear-ended at a stoplight during one of those nasty Ohio ice storms. Totally not her fault, but the other driver was uninsured (of course 🙄). Without accident forgiveness, her rates would've jumped significantly at renewal, even though she did nothing wrong.
You're spot-on about checking the fine print, though. Some insurers do have waiting periods or specific eligibility requirements. And yeah, it's typically just one accident per policy, so households with multiple drivers (especially teens or newer drivers) might want to weigh that carefully.
Bottom line for me: it's like buying an umbrella—you might never need it, but when you do...you're really glad you have it.
