A severe car accident is not only a threat to your safety but also messes up your driving record which makes it difficult for you to get car insurance in the future. It also increases the cost of premiums. Sometimes accidents are not your fault. One bad day on the road should not define your driving skills. Thankfully, there is a way out of such a misfortune.
In this article, we are going to discuss everything that you need to know about accident forgiveness to ensure that your driving record remains clean. Meanwhile, if you want to check out the best deals on car insurance you can have a look at Surex’s website to get the best market rates from one of the leading insurance providers in the industry.
However, not every insurance provider will deal with this matter in the same way. They all have different criteria for providing the accident forgiveness benefit. Not every type of accident would qualify for forgiveness. Thus, even though it is your first accident, insurers can reject your claim, if the type of accident you are involved in doesn't qualify for the policy. Also, whether you will be receiving this benefit or not also largely depends upon your previous driving record.
How Does Accident Forgiveness Work?
While some companies may automatically provide accident forgiveness along with your main policy for free, most companies sell them as an additional add-on to your main policy. After all, one at-fault accident can lead to a huge increase in your monthly or annual premium which can last for up to three years. Must visit crazeearth to get the knowledge in depth.
Even if your company offers accident forgiveness you might not qualify for it. If you do not have a clean driving record or if you have violated traffic rules several times before (whether it is for speeding or over-running traffic signals), there are high chances that you will not qualify for accident forgiveness.
Now if everything goes well and you do qualify for accident forgiveness then the process that follows depends upon the insurance company. Mostly all that you need to do is report the accident to your insurance company, take a photo of the damage for documentation and discuss the matter with them. From there on, your respective insurance company would guide you through the claims process.
So let's say your at-fault accident was seven years ago. So if you renew your premium now, you would automatically qualify for lower premiums as the accident would no longer dampen your driving record.
A lot of insurance companies offer a benefit called "disappearing deductible" Under which if you continue to drive safely without getting into an accident, the insurance company reduces part of your deductible.
There is another option called the good driver discount. Under this benefit, if you have a clean driving record for a particular period set by the insurance company, your premium can be reduced by 20% to 25%. However, the exact discount varies from company to company.
It might happen that when you get into an accident you may not be eligible for accident forgiveness or any of the alternatives mentioned above. In this case, you should always talk to your insurance provider and find out if there is an alternative option so that you can receive a discount on your premium. If you have an otherwise clean driving record your Insurance company might be able to help you.
First, you need to see if your company is providing free accident forgiveness or not. If not then you should only purchase accident forgiveness if the additional cost is not more than the potential increase in your premiums in case your accident goes on your driving record
Also if you are not confident about your driving skills or if there is someone in your family who is not a good driver, accident forgiveness is totally worth it. But if you have a clean driving record and substantial driving experience then you might not need accident forgiveness. At the end of the day, it's your call.
Also, you should know that you cannot buy accident forgiveness after an accident. And if you have a recent at-fault accident on your record you will not qualify for accident forgiveness.
Accident forgiveness insurance is completely worth it if you reside in a high accident-prone area. It would prevent any accidents from hampering your insurance rates. However, nothing can beat the value of having a clean driving record. It is important to drive safely, both for your physical and financial safety.
In this article, we are going to discuss everything that you need to know about accident forgiveness to ensure that your driving record remains clean. Meanwhile, if you want to check out the best deals on car insurance you can have a look at Surex’s website to get the best market rates from one of the leading insurance providers in the industry.
What Is Accident Forgiveness?
An accident forgiveness insurance pardons your first accident in which you are at fault so that it doesn't show up on your driving record, increases your premiums, and hampers your chances of getting a better deal on auto insurance in the future.However, not every insurance provider will deal with this matter in the same way. They all have different criteria for providing the accident forgiveness benefit. Not every type of accident would qualify for forgiveness. Thus, even though it is your first accident, insurers can reject your claim, if the type of accident you are involved in doesn't qualify for the policy. Also, whether you will be receiving this benefit or not also largely depends upon your previous driving record.
How Does Accident Forgiveness Work?
While some companies may automatically provide accident forgiveness along with your main policy for free, most companies sell them as an additional add-on to your main policy. After all, one at-fault accident can lead to a huge increase in your monthly or annual premium which can last for up to three years. Must visit crazeearth to get the knowledge in depth.
Even if your company offers accident forgiveness you might not qualify for it. If you do not have a clean driving record or if you have violated traffic rules several times before (whether it is for speeding or over-running traffic signals), there are high chances that you will not qualify for accident forgiveness.
Now if everything goes well and you do qualify for accident forgiveness then the process that follows depends upon the insurance company. Mostly all that you need to do is report the accident to your insurance company, take a photo of the damage for documentation and discuss the matter with them. From there on, your respective insurance company would guide you through the claims process.
How Long Does an Accident Show On Your Driving Record?
Since a clean driving record is important for you to qualify for lower premiums, you might be curious about how long an accident shows on your record. Well depending on your state and country, the accident can stay on your record for about 3 to 5 years. The same goes for traffic violations and speeding tickets. After a period of three to five years, you will again have a clean driving record, provided there are no further mishaps.So let's say your at-fault accident was seven years ago. So if you renew your premium now, you would automatically qualify for lower premiums as the accident would no longer dampen your driving record.
Alternatives You Can Consider
Sometimes you might not be eligible for accident forgiveness, but that doesn't mean that you cannot get discounts on your premiums. While there is nothing that you can do at that moment to prevent your accident from showing up on your driving record, there are other options to qualify for lower premiums in the future.A lot of insurance companies offer a benefit called "disappearing deductible" Under which if you continue to drive safely without getting into an accident, the insurance company reduces part of your deductible.
There is another option called the good driver discount. Under this benefit, if you have a clean driving record for a particular period set by the insurance company, your premium can be reduced by 20% to 25%. However, the exact discount varies from company to company.
It might happen that when you get into an accident you may not be eligible for accident forgiveness or any of the alternatives mentioned above. In this case, you should always talk to your insurance provider and find out if there is an alternative option so that you can receive a discount on your premium. If you have an otherwise clean driving record your Insurance company might be able to help you.
Do You Need Accident Forgiveness?
Whether you need accident forgiveness or not depends on a couple of factors.First, you need to see if your company is providing free accident forgiveness or not. If not then you should only purchase accident forgiveness if the additional cost is not more than the potential increase in your premiums in case your accident goes on your driving record
Also if you are not confident about your driving skills or if there is someone in your family who is not a good driver, accident forgiveness is totally worth it. But if you have a clean driving record and substantial driving experience then you might not need accident forgiveness. At the end of the day, it's your call.
Also, you should know that you cannot buy accident forgiveness after an accident. And if you have a recent at-fault accident on your record you will not qualify for accident forgiveness.
Endnote
Car insurance, like any major Investment plan, requires strategizing and foresight. So you have to decide what course of action you would opt for in case you get into an accident in the future.Accident forgiveness insurance is completely worth it if you reside in a high accident-prone area. It would prevent any accidents from hampering your insurance rates. However, nothing can beat the value of having a clean driving record. It is important to drive safely, both for your physical and financial safety.
