What is accident forgiveness?

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How do you get accident forgiveness?

You will need to check with your insurer to find out if it offers an accident forgiveness program — not all companies do. In some cases, accident forgiveness is automatically added to your policy for free, usually if you’ve been with the company for a certain number of years and have maintained a clean driving record.

With some insurers, accident forgiveness is available as an endorsement on your policy, available for an additional cost if you qualify for it. To find out if this is the case, it’s a good idea to contact a licensed agent or company representative, who can walk you through what is required to add this function to your policy.

What providers offer accident forgiveness?

There are several car insurance providers that offer accident forgiveness. You can expect the major insurance providers to offer this program. However, each insurance company operates differently based on the state it is operating in. Therefore, providers may not offer accident forgiveness in every state or to every individual who is looking to be insured. The list of insurers that do offer accident forgiveness includes the following carriers:

Is accident forgiveness worth having?

Accident forgiveness may be worth adding to your policy, even if there is a cost involved. If you are generally a safe driver and rarely, if ever, file claims, accident forgiveness can offer you peace of mind in knowing that you won’t face higher premiums in the unlikely event that you are involved in an accident.

If you have marks on your license or a history of involvement in accidents, on the other hand, you may not be eligible for accident forgiveness. Your local agent can tell you if that is the case. You may also not be able to purchase accident forgiveness if your policy is with a company that does not offer this program. Again, an agent can let you know what is possible.

If you are unable to add accident forgiveness to your current policy, you may want to consider CLUE report, so a new insurer is likely to know about them before they offer you a policy.

In the end, the best way to determine if accident forgiveness is a good choice for you is to consider any additional cost as well as your driving history. If you are on a tight budget and your insurer charges for it, you may want to pass. Likewise, if you have multiple dings on your license, you may want to work to improve your driving skills so you are more likely to be eligible.

Frequently asked questions

• • Do all insurance companies offer accident forgiveness?

    Not all car insurance companies offer accident forgiveness. It depends on the state you live in, your insurance policy and whether you are eligible or not.

  • Is accident forgiveness free?

    In some cases, insurers offer accident forgiveness for free, although this is usually to policyholders who fit certain criteria. For example, you may earn it as a loyalty bonus, for being a customer of your insurer for a certain number of years. Other insurers offer it for free to policyholders who do not file any claims for a period of time — often three to five years. Even if you don’t fit in either of those categories, you may be able to pay an additional fee on top of the cost of your auto insurance policy to add accident forgiveness.

  • What is the eligibility requirement for accident forgiveness?

    Eligibility requirements for accident forgiveness vary by state and insurance policy. Most insurance companies offer accident forgiveness to drivers who have maintained a good driving record for at least a specified number of years. How long you’ve maintained the policy with the company may also factor into your eligibility. Accident forgiveness only works to cover a single at-fault accident.