Does Farmers Have Accident Forgiveness?

Last Updated on September 10, 2023

Farmers offers accident forgiveness to certain drivers in the United States.

If you have accident forgiveness, then Farmers will forgive one accident every three years. In fact, Farmers offers one of the best accident forgiveness perks in the insurance industry.

Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about Farmers’ accident forgiveness and how it works.

Table of Contents:

• How Does Farmers Accident Forgiveness Work?
• Farmers Offers Better Accident Forgiveness than Other Insurers
• Benefits of Farmers Accident Forgiveness
• How to Add Accident Forgiveness to Your Farmers Policy
• How Much Will Farmers Raise Rates After an Accident?
• Is Farmers Accident Forgiveness Worth It?
• Farmers Accident Forgiveness Requirements

How Does Farmers Accident Forgiveness Work?

Farmers is America’s sixth largest car insurance company, and they cover drivers across the United States.

You can add accident forgiveness to your Farmers car insurance policy in most states for an added cost. Accident forgiveness is an optional perk.

You pay a few extra dollars per month to add accident forgiveness to your Farmers policy. Then, if you’re involved in an at-fault accident, Farmers won’t raise your rates or drop your safe driving discount.

Farmers offers accident forgiveness in most parts of the United States. However, Farmers does not offer accident forgiveness in California, Hawaii, New York, or South Carolina.

Once accident forgiveness is active, Farmers ignores one at-fault accident for every three years you drive without one.

Farmers Offers Better Accident Forgiveness than Other Insurers

Most major insurance companies in the United States let you use accident forgiveness once. Farmers lets you use accident forgiveness over and over again.

With Farmers’ accident forgiveness, you can avoid the penalties of one at-fault accident every three years – not just one accident in total:

• Farmers forgives one at-fault accident every three years, and you can continue to re-add accident forgiveness to your Farmers policy as long as you meet the requirements.
• Most large insurance companies in the United States let you add accident forgiveness to your policy and use it once in the lifetime of your policy. You can forgive just one at-fault accident – and that’s it.
• After you use accident forgiveness once to get rid of an at-fault accident, you cannot re-add it to your policy.
• Farmers, however, has a different accident forgiveness policy. Farmers lets you forgive one at-fault accident every three years you drive without one.

Technically, you can get into an at-fault accident every three years without penalty with Farmers, assuming you have accident forgiveness on your policy.

Benefits of Farmers Accident Forgiveness

Is Farmers accident forgiveness worth it? Here are some of the benefits to consider before adding accident forgiveness to your policy:

Avoid 40% to 60% Higher Premiums: Farmers raises insurance premiums significantly after a single at-fault accident. Generally, you can expect to pay 40% to 60% higher premiums after your first at-fault accident. After a second or third at-fault accident, Farmers could double or even triple your premiums. With accident forgiveness, you can continue paying the same low rates after your accident.

Keep your Safe Driving Discount: After an at-fault accident, you lose your safe driving discount. With accident forgiveness, however, it’s like the accident never happened. You can keep your safe driving discount and continue paying discounted rates.

Enjoy Peace of Mind Knowing Rates Won’t Increase: Everybody makes mistakes. A single mistake, however, can cost you thousands in higher insurance premiums. Many people add accident forgiveness to their policy for peace of mind. It gives them an extra sense of security when driving. They know a single mistake won’t ruin their financial situation.

Forgive One Accident Every Three Years: Most insurers offer single-use accident forgiveness. Other insurers only let you use accident forgiveness once every five to seven years. Farmers, however, lets you forgive one at-fault accident every three years. If you or someone in your household regularly causes accidents, then Farmers’ accident forgiveness may be a smart choice.

Cover Every Driver in your House: Farmers’ accident forgiveness covers any drivers in your house permitted to drive your vehicle. You may be the world’s safest driver, for example, but your spouse or teenage child is not. Farmers’ accident forgiveness covers every driver in your household, including any at-fault accident caused by any licensed driver.

How to Add Accident Forgiveness to Your Farmers Policy

With Farmers, you must pay to add accident forgiveness to your policy. You cannot earn accident forgiveness – say, after a few years of safe driving. It’s an optional, additional benefit for which you pay a few extra dollars per month.

Contact your Farmers insurance agent or adjust your policy online to add accident forgiveness to your policy.

You cannot add accident forgiveness after an accident. You must have added accident forgiveness before your accident. Depending on your state, you may have a waiting period before accident forgiveness is activated.

How Much Will Farmers Raise Rates After an Accident?

Generally, Farmers raises insurance premiums 40% to 60% after a single at-fault accident.

Farmers adjusts rates based on driving history, the severity of the accident, the length of time since the accident, and other factors.

Generally, you can expect to pay higher premiums for three to five years after an accident. After three to five years of claim-free, accident-free driving, your rates could return to average.

Is Farmers Accident Forgiveness Worth It?

Farmers’ accident forgiveness may or may not be worth it. It depends on your budget, aversion to risk, and the likelihood of causing an accident, among other factors.

Here are some things to consider when deciding whether or not to add accident forgiveness to your Farmers’ car insurance policy:

Likelihood of Causing an Accident: Do you drive lots of hours during rush hour? Do you have higher-than-average annual mileage? Do you live in a city with high rates of accidents? All of these things increase your chances of an accident. The more likely you are to cause an accident, the more Farmers’ accident forgiveness becomes worth it.

Driving Record of You and Other Licensed Members of your Household: Do you have a perfect driving record and 30+ years of accident-free driving experience? Great! You’re less likely to get into an accident than someone with multiple at-fault accidents on their record. Consider your driving record and the driving record of other licensed members of your household to determine if Farmers’ accident forgiveness is worth it.

Cost of Accident Forgiveness: Accident forgiveness could cost as little as a few dollars per year. Or, it could cost $10 to $20 per month. Farmers charges different rates to different drivers in different states. However, if you cause one accident in the next three to five years, accident forgiveness generally pays for itself. Consider the cost of accident forgiveness and your personal aversion to risk to determine if accident forgiveness is worth it.

Whether or Not You Qualify: Some drivers may not qualify for Farmers’ accident forgiveness. You must have a clean driving record over the last three to five years, and you must have been a licensed driver for the last three years to add accident forgiveness to your Farmers’ policy.

After considering all of the above, you can make the best decision about whether or not to add accident forgiveness to your Farmers’ insurance policy.

Farmers Accident Forgiveness Requirements

Not all drivers qualify for Farmers’ accident forgiveness. Specific requirements vary from state to state, but you generally need to meet the following requirements:

• No accidents or citations in the last 3 to 5 years
• No speeding tickets or other minor violations in the last 3 to 5 years
• No major violations (like a DUI) in the last 3 to 5 years
• Licensed US driver for at least three years
• Drivers under 21 are eligible even if they have fewer than three years of US driving experience, as long as one of their parents qualifies
• Accident forgiveness is not available in California, Hawaii, New York, or South Carolina

Contact your Farmers insurance agent or check your policy online to see if you qualify for accident forgiveness with Farmers.

Final Word on Farmers Accident Forgiveness

Farmers offers accident forgiveness to most drivers across the United States who have a clean record over the last three to five years.

For a few extra dollars per month, you can add accident forgiveness to your Farmers’ insurance policy, then avoid paying higher premiums after an at-fault accident. Farmers lets you forgive a single at-fault accident every three years.

To learn more about Farmers’ accident forgiveness or to add accident forgiveness to your Farmers policy today, contact Farmers.