I've been looking into my car insurance options lately, and I've noticed some companies here in Ohio offer this thing called "accident forgiveness." Basically, from what I can tell, it means your rates won't skyrocket if you have one at-fault accident. Sounds pretty good, right? But then I started comparing two popular insurers—Progressive and Allstate—and there's some differences that got me thinking.
Like, Progressive seems to offer accident forgiveness as an add-on after you've been with them for a certain time and stayed accident-free. Allstate, on the other hand, has it built into certain plans already, but those plans seem pricier upfront. I'm kinda torn...is it smarter to pay a bit extra each month for built-in forgiveness or go cheaper now and earn it later?
I haven't had any accidents yet (knock on wood!), but you never know when something might happen. Curious what others around here think is the better deal or if anyone's had personal experience with either of these options in Ohio.
I've looked into this quite a bit myself, and honestly, it comes down to your comfort level and driving habits. If you're generally cautious and haven't had any accidents yet, you might be better off going the Progressive route—lower upfront cost and you earn forgiveness over time. But if you're someone who's often anxious about "what-ifs" or you drive in busy areas with higher accident risks, Allstate's built-in forgiveness could give you peace of mind right from day one.
I personally went with Progressive a few years back. Stayed accident-free for about three years and got accident forgiveness automatically added. Felt like a nice little reward. But my sister chose Allstate because she didn't want to worry about waiting to qualify. She pays a bit more monthly, but she says it helps her stress less when she's on the road.
Either way, it's worth crunching some numbers—compare the extra monthly cost vs. potential rate hikes after an accident. Sometimes the math makes the decision clearer.
I've been driving in Ohio for over 15 years now, and honestly, I've never bothered with accident forgiveness. A few things to consider:
- Accident forgiveness sounds nice, but it's basically insurance for your insurance. You're paying extra upfront for something you might never use.
- If you're budget-conscious (like me), it might make more sense to just set aside the extra money you'd pay monthly into an emergency fund. That way, if you do have an accident, you've got cash ready to cover any rate hikes.
- Also, keep in mind that accident forgiveness usually only covers your first accident. If you're unlucky enough to have a second one, you're still looking at higher rates anyway.
- Personally, I've had one minor fender-bender in all these years. My rates went up slightly for a couple of years, but overall, I still came out ahead compared to paying extra every month for forgiveness.
Not saying it's a bad idea for everyone—just that sometimes the math doesn't really add up.
"you're paying extra upfront for something you might never use."
That's exactly what's holding me back from signing up for it. I'm pretty new to insurance and I'm trying to be careful with my budget. Your idea about putting that money aside into an emergency fund seems smart—gives me peace of mind without locking me into extra payments. Glad to hear your experience backs that up... makes me feel like I'm on the right track.
I've been weighing this myself lately. With two kids and a tight budget, every dollar counts. Honestly, setting aside a bit each month into savings feels safer than paying extra for something I might never need. Seems more practical overall.
