Accident Forgiveness

How can an accident impact my insurance? Protect your insurance premium with Accident Forgiveness coverage.

Accidents can happen to even the most careful drivers. If you have Accident Forgiveness coverage on your car insurance policy, your first at-fault or partially at-fault accident is forgiven. Therefore, your premium won’t increase based on that accident. Also, if you decide to change your car this coverage will still apply.

You can add Accident Forgiveness coverage to cars, motorhomes, and motorcycles, subject to eligibility.

Not all drivers qualify for Accident Forgiveness coverage. Insurance companies will look to make sure you have a clean driving record. In other words, have you been accident and claims free for the preceding six years. If you have a poor driving record or have been in multiple accidents, you will not qualify for this coverage. 

Companies that have accident forgiveness may require:

• You have a car insurance policy with them.
• The primary driver to be licensed and accident-free for the preceding six years.
• All other drivers to be licensed and accident-free for the preceding six years.
• You to be using your car for personal use only. Commercial auto insurance policies are separate.

Learn how accidents impact your insurance premium.

Drivers that qualify will benefit from:

• The confidence of knowing your price won’t increase due to your first accident.
• Potential long-term savings because your premium wasn’t increased after your first accident.

Accident Forgiveness only applies to your auto insurance policy. You can still lose demerit points and be charged if you break the law. Your accident will stay on your driving record for six years, even if it’s “forgiven” by your insurance company. Since other insurance companies can see your driving record, if you decide to switch insurers, your accident can impact your future premium.

How often an insurer forgives varies. Most forgive just the first at-fault accident, while some will start the forgiveness clock again in three to six years. Each insurance policy and company is different. If you have any questions about your policy, please contact your insurance broker.

Accident Forgiveness coverage isn’t an unlimited pass. It often protects all drivers on your policy and only allows one forgiven accident per policy. For example, if both the primary and secondary drivers get in an at-fault or partially at-fault accident, both will not be forgiven. As a result, your premium will increase.

If you’re thinking about adding this coverage to your car insurance policy, there are a few things you should consider.

First, take a look at who will be on your policy. Having a high-risk driver on your policy might make it worth it. But if all drivers have clean driving records and a good amount of driving experience, forgiveness may not be worth the extra cost. Also, if you don’t drive much, you have less chance of causing an accident.

Second, if your insurance company doesn’t offer accident forgiveness coverage for free, you’ll want to make sure the cost of coverage doesn’t exceed the potential cost of a premium increase.