Does GEICO Have Accident Forgiveness?
Last Updated on July 8, 2022
Accident forgiveness helps you avoid rate increases after an accident.
GEICO, like many insurers, offers accident forgiveness at added cost. For a few extra dollars per month, GEICO will waive the surcharge associated with your first at-fault accident.
Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about GEICO’s accident forgiveness, including whether or not it’s worth it to add accident forgiveness to your policy.
Table of Contents:
- How GEICO’s Accident Forgiveness Works
- How Much Does GEICO Raise Rates After an Accident?
- How to Get Accident Forgiveness with GEICO
- Benefits of Accident Forgiveness with GEICO
- How to Check If You Have Accident Forgiveness On Your GEICO Policy
- Where Does GEICO Offer Accident Forgiveness?
- When Does Accident Forgiveness Expire?
- Is GEICO’s Accident Forgiveness Worth It?
How GEICO’s Accident Forgiveness Works
Typically, an at-fault accident will raise insurance premiums.
However, if you have accident forgiveness, then GEICO will ignore your first at-fault accident, helping you avoid higher premiums.
As a GEICO policyholder, you can add accident forgiveness to your policy to avoid paying higher rates after an accident.
You can also earn GEICO’s accident forgiveness for free. If you have a safe driving record or have been a loyal GEICO customer for a certain number of years, then GEICO may automatically add accident forgiveness to your policy.
GEICO’s accident forgiveness also lets you keep your good driver discounts. Typically, an at-fault accident would eliminate your good driver discounts.
GEICO’s accident forgiveness applies to all eligible drivers operating your insured vehicle. If any eligible driver gets into an at-fault accident while driving your insured vehicle, and you have accident forgiveness, then GEICO will waive the higher premiums typically associated with an at-fault accident. That means you won’t pay higher insurance rates after your first accident.
GEICO’s accident forgiveness is available in all states except Connecticut, California, and Massachusetts.
How Much Does GEICO Raise Rates After an Accident?
GEICO, like all insurance companies, raises insurance premiums after an at-fault accident.
Raises vary based on your driving history, the type of accident, the extent of damage, and the severity of the incident, among other factors.
Typically, you can expect insurance premiums to rise 30% to 60% after a single at-fault accident. After multiple at-fault accidents, GEICO could double or even triple your insurance premiums.
An at-fault accident could also cause your safe driving discounts to disappear. GEICO’s safe driving discount could be anywhere from 5% to 20%. In addition to paying higher premiums after your at-fault accident, you might pay even higher premiums by losing this discount.
How to Get Accident Forgiveness with GEICO
You can get accident forgiveness with GEICO in two ways:
- By earning it (say, as a loyalty discount or for maintaining a clean driving record)
- By purchasing it
How to Get Free Accident Forgiveness with GEICO
GEICO offers free accident forgiveness to some policyholders in certain states. You can earn accident forgiveness by being a loyal GEICO customer or by maintaining a clean driving record.
Contact GEICO to determine if you’re close to earning free accident forgiveness. The company does not disclose specific qualifications upfront. However, the longer you go without a claim or accident, the easier it will be to get free accident forgiveness.
How to Buy Accident Forgiveness with GEICO
GEICO lets you buy accident forgiveness in most states. You can add it to your policy for a few extra dollars per month.
You must meet certain qualifications to add accident forgiveness to your policy. You must have a certain amount of driving experience and meet certain driving record conditions, for example, to add accident forgiveness.
You can buy accident forgiveness with GEICO at renewal or upon the initial purchase of your policy.
Once you use GEICO’s accident forgiveness for an at-fault accident, GEICO removes the premium at the next renewal.
Benefits of Accident Forgiveness with GEICO
GEICO’s accident forgiveness comes with several benefits, including obvious and not-so-obvious benefits:
- Greater peace of mind while driving
- Less worry about paying higher insurance premiums after an accident
- Keep your good driver discounts
- Save money because your premiums won’t increase
How to Check If You Have Accident Forgiveness On Your GEICO Policy
You can determine if you have accident forgiveness on your GEICO policy by:
- Log into your GEICO policy online
- Select your auto policy
- Look for an Accident Forgiveness notification as a reward
If you purchased Accident Forgiveness, meanwhile, you can view the status of your accident forgiveness by selecting “My Policy Details” and looking for “Accident Forgiveness” as an upgrade.
Where Does GEICO Offer Accident Forgiveness?
GEICO offers accident forgiveness in 47 states and the District of Columbia.
GEICO does not offer accident forgiveness in California, Connecticut, or Massachusetts.
When Does Accident Forgiveness Expire?
You can only use GEICO’s accident forgiveness once. After an at-fault accident, the accident forgiveness perk disappears from your record. Any additional at-fault accidents will lead to greater increases in premiums.
If you have earned GEICO’s accident forgiveness for free, or if you have purchased GEICO’s accident forgiveness, then the perk only disappears after an at-fault accident.
Is GEICO’s Accident Forgiveness Worth It?
GEICO’s accident forgiveness is worth it to some drivers but not others.
Some drivers are willing to pay for peace of mind. They like the idea of knowing their rates won’t increase if they cause an accident – or if any eligible driver on their policy causes an accident.
Other drivers want to save money on their GEICO premiums and avoid adding accident forgiveness to their policy. They save a few extra dollars per month. As long as they never cause an accident, they come out ahead.
Of course, some GEICO policyholders earn accident forgiveness for free. As a free perk, accident forgiveness is a huge bonus. It gives you added peace of mind and protection from higher insurance premiums at no cost. It’s your reward for safe driving behavior.
Like all insurance decisions, adding accident forgiveness requires you to consider your budget, lifestyle, and other factors to determine if it’s worth it.
Final Word on GEICO’s Accident Forgiveness
GEICO offers accident forgiveness in 47 states.
You can earn GEICO’s accident forgiveness for free (say, by maintaining a safe driving record or being a loyal GEICO customer).
Or, you can pay to add GEICO’s accident forgiveness to your policy.
GEICO’s accident forgiveness helps you avoid paying higher premiums after a single at-fault accident. It also allows you to keep any safe driving discounts you have.
To learn more about GEICO’s accident forgiveness or to verify whether or not you have accident forgiveness, contact GEICO or log in to your GEICO account today.
