"Guess it's one of those things you don't appreciate until you actually need it, huh?"
Yeah, that's pretty much spot-on. I've seen plenty of folks relieved they had accident forgiveness after sliding into a curb or mailbox during those icy mornings. It's like a safety net—hopefully you never need it, but man, it's nice knowing it's there just in case.
"It's like a safety net—hopefully you never need it, but man, it's nice knowing it's there just in case."
True, but I wonder if the math always works out in our favor. Has anyone actually compared the long-term costs of accident forgiveness vs. just paying a slightly higher premium after an accident? I mean, in Ohio, winters can be rough, but is it really worth the extra monthly cost if you're generally careful and haven't had incidents in years...? Curious if anyone's crunched the numbers on this.
I've actually wondered about this myself and tried to do some quick math last renewal season. From what I found, accident forgiveness usually adds around 5-10% to my monthly premium. Over a few years, that's not exactly pocket change.
"but is it really worth the extra monthly cost if you're generally careful and haven't had incidents in years...?"
Exactly. If you're a careful driver with a clean record, you're basically betting against yourself having an accident. I commute daily through Cleveland winters, and yeah, they're nasty sometimes, but I've managed to stay accident-free for almost 10 years now (knock on wood...). When I added up the extra amount I'd pay over five years vs. the estimated premium bump after a single minor accident, it didn't really seem worth it for me personally. Obviously, your mileage may vary (literally, haha), but unless you're prone to fender benders or have teenage drivers in the house, it might not pencil out in your favor.
You make a good point, but have you thought about the unpredictability of other drivers out there? I used to think exactly like you—figured I'm careful enough myself, why pay extra? Then last year someone rear-ended me at a stoplight (totally their fault, but still...). My rates jumped way more than I expected. I guess I'm just saying, even careful drivers can't control everyone else on the road. Might be worth reconsidering, especially with Ohio winters being what they are.
That's a fair perspective, but here's something I've been wondering—does accident forgiveness really help if you're already considered high-risk? I've had a couple speeding tickets (yeah, my bad...) and my rates are already pretty steep. Would adding accident forgiveness even make a noticeable difference for someone like me, or is it mostly beneficial for drivers with clean records? Curious if anyone's been in a similar boat and found it worthwhile.
