I've actually looked into this before, and here's my take:
- Accident forgiveness helps your wallet long-term by preventing premium hikes, but you're right—it's not gonna save you from the immediate headache of repairs and deductibles.
- Premium winter tires, on the other hand, can significantly reduce your chances of an accident in the first place. Less risk overall means fewer hassles down the road.
- Ideally, you'd have both...but if budget's tight, I'd prioritize good tires first. Like you said:
"prevention beats dealing with an accident any day."
Just my two cents from years of Ohio winters...
Good points, but I'm wondering...does accident forgiveness really hold up if you switch insurers later on? Like, is it worth paying extra now if you might not stick with the same company long-term? Curious if anyone's had experience with that.
I've wondered the same thing myself. From what I've seen, accident forgiveness is usually tied to your current insurer, so once you switch companies, your new insurer will probably still factor in any past accidents—even if your old company "forgave" them. Had a friend who switched after an accident, and his new rates definitely reflected it. Personally, I'm skeptical about paying extra for something that might not carry over... but I guess if you're planning to stay put long-term, it could be worthwhile.
I feel you on this one. I had accident forgiveness with my old insurer here in Ohio, thinking it was a smart move—until I actually had a minor fender-bender (totally my fault, sadly). Sure enough, they "forgave" me, and my rates didn't budge... at first. Fast forward about a year later when I decided to shop around for better rates, and every single quote I got from other companies factored in that accident like it was yesterday's news. Felt like the insurance equivalent of your mom saying she forgives you for breaking her favorite vase, but then bringing it up every Thanksgiving dinner afterward.
Honestly, if you're planning to stick with one insurer long-term, maybe it's worth the peace of mind. But if you're like me—always chasing the best deal—it might not be as valuable as it sounds. Just my two cents from someone who's been there and done that (and still cringes at renewal time).
Yeah, I totally get where you're coming from. Accident forgiveness sounds great on paper, but it's definitely not the magic bullet some insurers make it out to be. The thing is, even if your current insurer "forgives" the accident, it still goes on your driving record. And guess what? Every other company sees that record when you shop around, and they're not exactly in a forgiving mood.
Plus, something else to consider—accident forgiveness usually isn't free. Most insurers bake the cost into your premium upfront, so you're essentially paying extra every month for something you might never use. If you're a careful driver with a clean history, you're probably better off skipping it and pocketing the savings.
On the flip side, if you've got a teen driver or someone accident-prone in your household, it might actually be worth the peace of mind. But for most of us average drivers, it's more marketing than meaningful benefit... just my take after seeing how these claims play out behind the scenes.
