Accident forgiveness prevents your car insurance premiums from being surcharged after your first at-fault accident in three to five years. This add-on could save you from a 20% increase in your car insurance costs, but you can’t buy it after a crash and it’s only available to drivers with a clean driving record in select states.
Accident forgiveness is optional insurance coverage
Accident forgiveness stops your auto insurance premiums from increasing after your first at-fault car accident in three to five years. By at-fault, we mean a car accident where you were more than 50% responsible for causing the accident. If your insurance company had to pay for damages, you were probably at fault.
Some providers offer accident forgiveness for sale as extra coverage, others gift it as a perk to loyal policyholders, and a few package it with their regular car insurance policies. The catch is that you must already have a clean driving record and not every provider sells it in every state. For example, California state law prevents insurers from implementing rate changes without the insurance commissioner’s approval, so they can’t drop an accident from their calculations on a whim1.
Considering the average cost of car insurance is $141 a month after an at-fault accident (about 20% higher than normal), accident forgiveness coverage presents a lot of potential savings. You can check its availability and your eligibility by calling your insurance agent.
6 Reasons to get accident forgiveness
The latest research shows high-risk drivers on a clean driving streak are most likely to benefit from accident forgiveness coverage. Consider adding it to your auto insurance policy if you’ve been accident-free for several years and:
- You’re a young driver: While your risk of getting into a car accident decreases substantially once you turn 20, it gets even better once you turn 25, and is lowest when you become a senior driver.2
- You’re male: Men generally drive more than women and are involved in more accidents.3
- You drive regularly: Non-fatal car accidents occur most frequently between noon to 8:00 PM and worsen in cities with heavy traffic.45 You’re also at risk if you travel on Christmas, Thanksgiving, or long weekends.6
- You drive an older car: Vehicles with a combination of rear automatic braking, parking sensors, and a rearview camera are 50% less likely to get into a front-to-rear crash than those without.7
- You have high-risk habits: Of all the drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2021, 18.5% were speeding, 11.2% were driving under the influence, and 7.6% were involved in careless driving.8 Using a cellphone also multiplied a motorist’s chances of getting into a car accident by two to sixfold.9
- You live in a rainy area: In low-traffic conditions, rainfall increases your chances of getting into a car accident by 500%.10
If you fall into one or more of these categories, you’re at a higher risk of being in an accident, so it’s probably worth looking into accident forgiveness.
You can’t buy accident forgiveness after an accident
Not every provider offers accident forgiveness, and the ones that do apply different limits, rules, and exclusions depending on your state. Here’s where you can get it and how:
| Provider | Minimum accident-free period | How to get it |
|---|---|---|
| AAA | None | AAA allows new customers to purchase accident forgiveness immediately, but you can qualify for the free version by remaining accident-free for five years. |
| Allstate | Three years | You can purchase accident forgiveness as an add-on, or get it included in the Gold and Platinum coverage packages. |
| Erie | Three years | You can purchase accident forgiveness from Erie once you meet the qualifications. |
| Farmers | Three years | Farmers offers customers the chance to purchase accident forgiveness once they meet the eligibility requirements. |
| GEICO | Varies | New customers can add accident forgiveness to their GEICO auto insurance policy immediately (depending on their state) or qualify for a free version by driving safely for five years. |
| Liberty Mutual | Five years | You can purchase accident forgiveness as an add-on once you qualify. |
| Progressive | None | New Progressive customers enjoy Small Accident Forgiveness for free, but only loyal customers of five years or more can buy Large Accident Forgiveness. |
| Safeco | Three years | Safeco automatically ignores your first at-fault accident if you’ve been a safe driver (and a loyal customer) for three years. |
| Travelers | Three years | Travelers offers two versions of the Responsible Driver Plant for sale to qualifying customers. |
| USAA | Five years | Go five years without an accident and USAA will add accident forgiveness to your policy for free. |
While every provider is different, there are three general rules for accident forgiveness. It doesn’t remove accidents from your state driving record, you can’t buy it after an accident happens, and it only applies to one accident per vehicle, not per driver.
If you’ve already had a car accident, here are the best ways to save:
- Compare car insurance quotes: Some car insurance companies specialize in helping high-risk drivers and your premiums could go down if you switch.
- Practice safe driving: Using an app like DriveShield can help you improve your driving skills and get insurance discounts at the same time.
- Search for auto insurance discounts: If you don’t yet qualify for accident forgiveness, you may be able to save money with a homeowners, renters, or safe driver discount.
- Take a defensive driving course: Taking a driver’s ed course can improve your premiums in some states and remove violation points from your driver’s license in others. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait three to five years for the accident to fall off your driving record and your insurance rates to improve.
FAQ
- What is accident forgiveness?
- Is accident forgiveness worth it?
- How can you lower car insurance rates after an accident?
- Can you buy accident forgiveness after an accident?
- Do you still have to pay a deductible with accident forgiveness?
Sources
- https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/150-other-prog/01-intervenor/ ↩︎
- https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/overview/age-of-driver/ ↩︎
- https://aaafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/202309_2022-AAAFTS-American-Driving-Survey-Brief_v3.pdf ↩︎
- https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/overview/age-of-driver/ ↩︎
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7068508/ ↩︎
- https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/overview/age-of-driver/ ↩︎
- https://www.iihs.org/media/290e24fd-a8ab-4f07-9d92-737b909a4b5e/HvQHjw/Topics/ADVANCED%20DRIVER%20ASSISTANCE/IIHS-HLDI-CA-benefits.pdf ↩︎
- https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-highway-safety ↩︎
- https://www.iihs.org/topics/distracted-driving ↩︎
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7068508/ ↩︎
Jasmine Kanter is a non-fiction writer specializing in comprehensive content that\\\’s accessible to beginners, experts, and everyone in between. Since joining the Jerry team, Jasmine has penned over 300 articles on car insurance requirements, driving tips, and car maintenance. Prior to joining Jerry, Jasmine worked as a graphic designer, storyboard artist, and French customer service representative. She enjoys collecting hobbies and babysitting ducks in her spare time.
Expert insurance writer and editor Amy Bobinger specializes in car repair, car maintenance, and car insurance. Amy is passionate about creating content that helps consumers navigate challenges related to car ownership and achieve financial success in areas relating to cars. Amy has over 10 years of writing and editing experience. After several years as a freelance writer, Amy spent four years as an editing fellow at WikiHow, where she co-authored over 600 articles on topics including car maintenance and home ownership. Since joining Jerry’s editorial team in 2022, Amy has edited over 2,500 articles on car insurance, state driving laws, and car repair and maintenance.
