Does MetLife Have Accident Forgiveness?
Last Updated on April 22, 2024
Accident forgiveness helps you avoid higher insurance premiums after an accident. Unfortunately, MetLife is one of several insurers that does not offer accident forgiveness.
MetLife insures thousands of drivers across the United States, providing a range of ordinary car insurance coverages – including accident coverage, liability insurance, and comprehensive coverage. However, the company does not offer accident forgiveness as supplementary coverage or as an optional add-on.
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about MetLife’s accident forgiveness and how it works.
Key Takeaways:
- MetLife does not offer accident forgiveness, meaning that customers will face higher insurance premiums after an at-fault accident.
- Unlike some other insurers, MetLife does not provide accident forgiveness as an optional add-on or as part of any insurance package.
- For those concerned about potential rate increases following at-fault accidents, it may be worth considering insurers that offer accident forgiveness to mitigate financial impacts.
No, MetLife Does Not Offer Accident Forgiveness
MetLife does not offer accident forgiveness.
If you have MetLife auto insurance and are involved in an accident, then you’ll pay higher insurance premiums after the accident. There’s no way to avoid these higher premiums because MetLife does not offer accident forgiveness.
Some companies offer accident forgiveness as an optional add-on. You pay a few extra dollars per month to add accident forgiveness to your policy, then avoid higher premiums after a single at-fault accident. MetLife, however, is not one of those companies.
How Accident Forgiveness Works
Some insurers offer accident forgiveness, while others do not. MetLife is one of several insurers that do not offer accident forgiveness.
If you’re concerned about a future at-fault accident, then it may be worth switching to a company with accident forgiveness.
Here’s how accident forgiveness works with other companies:
- Most insurers who offer accident forgiveness offer it as an optional add-on.
- You can choose to pay a few extra dollars per month to add accident forgiveness to your policy.
- When accident forgiveness is active on your policy, your insurer will not raise rates after a single at-fault accident. Typically, insurers raise premiums 20% to 50% after an at-fault accident.
- Some insurers only forgive a single at-fault accident for as long as you remain a customer. Other insurers forgive one at-fault accident every five to seven years.
How Much Do Insurance Premiums Rise After an Accident?
Insurance premiums rise significantly after an accident. Typically, insurers raise premiums 20% to 50% after a single at-fault accident.
If you have multiple at-fault accidents within a short period (say, three to seven years), then insurance premiums could rise even higher. Some insurers raise premiums as high as 100% after multiple at-fault accidents in a short period. Some insurers even cancel insurance coverage entirely.
MetLife does not offer accident forgiveness, which means your premiums rise after a single at-fault accident.
Is Accident Forgiveness Worth It?
Accident forgiveness may or may not be worth it, depending on your driving history, aversion to risk, and budget.
Some of the things to consider when shopping for accident forgiveness include:
Can You Handle Higher Premiums? If you have a tight budget, then you may not be able to afford higher auto insurance premiums after an accident. Can you afford paying 20% to 50% higher auto insurance premiums after a single at-fault accident? Or would you rather pay a few extra dollars per month today for accident forgiveness?
Are You Likely to Cause an Accident? Are you a bad driver? Do you live in an area with high traffic density or a high risk of accidents? Do you have a long commute or spend a lot of time driving? All of these factors increase the risk of an at-fault accident.
Is Someone in Your Household Likely to Cause an Accident? Accident forgiveness is popular in households with teenage drivers, young and experienced drivers, and other drivers with an increased risk of causing an accident. If you have a higher-risk driver in your household, then accident forgiveness may be worth it.
Are You Averse to Risk? Some drivers are willing to pay a few extra dollars per month today to avoid the risk of higher insurance premiums in the future. Others are okay with the added risk of higher insurance premiums after an at-fault accident.
Accident Forgiveness Requirements
MetLife does not offer accident forgiveness. However, most insurers that do offer accident forgiveness require drivers to meet certain requirements.
Generally, you need to have a clean driving record to qualify for accident forgiveness, including zero at-fault accidents in the last three to seven years.
Some insurers have even stricter requirements – like no speeding tickets, moving violations, or citations of any type within the last three to seven years.
Some insurers allow you to have teenage or high-risk drivers on your policy for accident forgiveness, while others require all drivers in the household to have a clean, low-risk driving record.
If you pass these qualifications for accident forgiveness, however, then you could add accident forgiveness to your insurance policy to avoid the consequences of a single at-fault accident.
Final Word
Some insurers offer accident forgiveness, while others do not. MetLife does not offer accident forgiveness.
If you have car insurance with MetLife, then you’ll pay higher premiums after an at-fault accident. There’s no way to avoid these higher premiums.
Contact MetLife to explore your policy options or to check how much your rates may rise after an at-fault accident.
