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Unlike most major car insurance companies, State Farm doesn’t offer accident forgiveness.

Auto insurance companies sometimes offer accident forgiveness to loyal customers as a way to avoid a rate increase for a single accident—but not State Farm. Instead, State Farm customers can reduce the cost of

car insurance

coverage with

safe driving discounts

based on real-time data or their long-term driving record.

If you’re a State Farm policyholder (or considering buying a policy), here’s what you need to know about accident forgiveness.

Does State Farm have accident forgiveness for auto insurance?

No, State Farm does not offer accident forgiveness for any customers.

You may find articles online claiming that State Farm offers accident forgiveness to loyal customers with at least nine years of no claims or accidents—but it isn’t true. In fact, State Farm is one of the only major insurance companies that doesn’t offer any form of accident forgiveness to its policyholders.

That’s not to say that there’s no benefit to staying accident-free with State Farm. Drivers who go at least three years without any accidents or claims may qualify for an accident-free discount on their State Farm car insurance policy.

For more information, check out our complete

State Farm car insurance review

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How much will your car insurance rates go up after an accident with State Farm?

If you do end your accident-free streak, you can expect your insurance rate to

go up

—especially if you were at fault.

Exactly how much your State Farm car insurance premiums increase after an accident varies depending on a variety of factors including the nature of the accident, the degree of fault, whether there were any injuries, and your location. In general, State Farm customers see their auto insurance rates increase by 56% to 59% after a car accident.

But you won’t have to pay those higher rates forever—at least if you’re able to keep your record clean after the accident. In general, a car accident only stays on your driving history for three to five years, after which it won’t affect your insurance rates.

MORE:

Does a no-fault accident go on your record?

What other car insurance companies have accident forgiveness?

State Farm may not have accident forgiveness, but most of its competitors do. In some cases, this perk is an optional add-on, and in other cases, it’s added to your policy automatically once you reach the eligibility threshold (typically three to five years with no accidents or insurance claims).

Some of the best car insurance companies for accident forgiveness include:

Allstate

: Optional coverage after three to five years without accidents

Erie

: “First accident forgiveness” for customers of at least three years

Farmers

: Permits one at-fault accident for every three years of a clean driving record

GEICO

: Available for free by maintaining a clean driving record for five years or as additional coverage option for purchase

Liberty Mutual

: Available as additional coverage for drivers with no accidents or traffic violations for five years

Nationwide:

Available as an optional upgrade

Progressive:

Available as an optional add-on for small accidents (all customers) or large accidents (must be a Progressive customer for five years and accident-free for three)

Travelers

: Optional coverage with forgiveness for one accident and one minor violation every three years

USAA

: Optional coverage if all household members have been free of at-fault accidents for five years

If you’re looking for an insurance provider that offers accident forgiveness, be sure to compare at least three car insurance quotes from different companies before settling on a policy.

MORE:

9 questions to ask when comparing car insurance quotes

How much does accident forgiveness cost?

Accident forgiveness typically adds between $15 and $60 to your annual car insurance costs. Of course, those average rates vary from state to state, so be sure to check with an insurance agent before adding this coverage to your auto insurance policy.

If your provider offers it, accident forgiveness is often worth the added cost. Analysts at Forbes found that if you compare the annual cost of accident forgiveness to the average rate increase for an accident with injuries, you’d have to pay for 8 to 63 years of accident forgiveness before you equal the cost of a rate increase!

But keep in mind—an accident only stays on your driving history for three to five years, which means that surcharges from the accident are temporary.

MORE:

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What to do if your State Farm rate goes up

If your State Farm rate has gone up after an accident, consider adjusting your coverage limits, raising your deductible, or looking into discounts to account for the temporary rate increase.

Coverage limits

For instance, if your policy includes

full coverage

(e.g. comprehensive and collision coverage), you may be able to

drop some coverage

or opt for a lower limit. Just be sure that you’re meeting

your state’s requirements

for bodily injury and property damage liability, along with any other required coverage such as uninsured motorist coverage.

If you have full coverage, raising your comprehensive or collision

deductible

can help to temporarily reduce the month-to-month cost of your policy.

MORE:

How much do car accidents cost?

Good driver discounts

Although State Farm doesn’t offer accident forgiveness, practicing good driving habits could still help you save money. Here are a few of the safe driver discounts State Farm offers:

Good driver: New customers who have gone three years without at-fault accidents or moving violations (including

speeding tickets

) qualify for a discounted rate.

Accident-free: Existing State Farm customers who maintain an accident-free record for a specific period of time can get a discount on their premium.

Drive Safe and Save™: State Farm’s

usage-based telematics program

allows insurance agencies to track customers’ driving habits in return for savings.

Steer Clear®: Young drivers can complete safe driving modules in exchange for a discounted rate on coverage.

Defensive driving: Depending on your state, you may be able to take a

defensive driving course

in exchange for a discount. Talk to a State Farm agent to find out about your options.

MORE:

How to find a defensive driving course in California

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Loyalty discounts

State Farm also offers loyalty discounts to customers who bundle multiple insurance products (such as auto and

renters

or auto and

homeowners insurance

) or those who insure

multiple vehicles

with State Farm.

The bottom line

State Farm might not offer accident forgiveness, but policyholders can still improve their rates by maintaining safe driving habits. If you do get into an accident with State Farm coverage, you’ll see a temporary increase in your premium—but with some

smart insurance hacks

, you can lower that rate to keep the coverage you need.

“Amazing! I’ll admit, I’m young with 2 accidents. This spiked my insurance rates and every quote I found.
Jerry
, though, helped me find affordable insurance. It truly helped me!” —Marcus F.