Does Travelers Have Accident Forgiveness?
Last Updated on February 5, 2026
Travelers offers accident forgiveness for qualifying drivers—typically through its Responsible Driver Plans.
If you’re new to the concept, accident forgiveness is designed to help protect you from a rate increase after a first covered at-fault crash. It’s a “peace of mind” feature, not a replacement for solid coverage limits and deductibles.
In this guide, you’ll learn how Travelers’ forgiveness works, who typically qualifies, what’s included in its Responsible Driver Plans, and how to decide if paying extra makes sense for your household.
- Typically Packaged, Not Automatic: Travelers accident forgiveness is usually added through Responsible Driver Plans and isn’t included by default on every policy.
- One “Forgiven” Incident, Within Limits: The benefit is generally aimed at a first covered accident (and sometimes a first minor violation), within a specified time window.
- State Availability Matters: Travelers notes these features aren’t offered in all states, so availability can be a deal-breaker depending on where you live.
- Clarify the Fine Print Before You Pay: Ask whether forgiveness is per driver or per policy, what counts as a minor violation, and what events are excluded.
- Does Travelers Offer Accident Forgiveness?
- How Travelers Accident Forgiveness Works
- Where It’s Available and Who Can Qualify
- Travelers Responsible Driver Plans Compared
- What Accident Forgiveness Does and Doesn’t Do
- Is Travelers Accident Forgiveness Worth It?
- How to Add It to Your Policy
- Final Word on Travelers Accident Forgiveness
- FAQs on Travelers Accident Forgiveness
| Travelers Forgiveness At a Glance | What to Know |
|---|---|
| How it’s offered | Usually bundled in Travelers Responsible Driver Plans (optional add-ons) |
| What it can do | Help prevent a premium increase after a first covered accident (and a first minor violation, depending on plan) |
| Big limitation | Not available in all states (Travelers notes it’s unavailable in California) |
| Best next step | Ask an agent to confirm availability, cost, and eligibility based on your household’s record |
Does Travelers Offer Accident Forgiveness?
Yes—Travelers offers accident forgiveness for drivers with good records, but it’s typically tied to optional protection packages rather than automatically included in every policy. In practice, you’ll usually add it by purchasing one of Travelers’ Responsible Driver Plans.
Accident forgiveness is one of several optional auto insurance add-ons that can reduce the financial sting of a mistake behind the wheel. Think of it as protection against a rate shock at renewal—especially when you’ve been a clean driver for years.
Quick tip: Ask whether forgiveness is “per driver” or “per policy” and what Travelers considers a “covered accident.” Those details can change how valuable the feature is for families with multiple drivers.
How Travelers Accident Forgiveness Works
Travelers describes accident forgiveness as forgiving one accident over a specified period to help protect you from a premium increase due to that accident. Travelers also offers minor violation forgiveness as part of its Responsible Driver Plan. (You can review Travelers’ overview here: Accident Forgiveness – Travelers.)
In plain English: if you have the feature and you have a first covered at-fault accident (or a first minor ticket, depending on the plan), Travelers may treat it as “forgiven” for pricing purposes—so you’re less likely to see a surcharge tied solely to that incident at renewal.
Where It’s Available and Who Can Qualify
Availability and eligibility depend on your state and underwriting guidelines. Travelers notes that accident forgiveness and related features (minor violation forgiveness, decreasing deductible, and total loss deductible waiver) are not available in all states, including California. If you’re shopping there, start with our guide to car insurance in California.
Eligibility is also tied to driving history—Travelers typically looks at the driving record of the drivers on the policy and may review prior accidents and violations in the household. If you’ve been claim-free for a long stretch, you’re more likely to be a fit than someone with recent claims or serious violations.
Remember: accident forgiveness doesn’t change how accidents are recorded by the DMV or on claims databases. It’s mainly about how your insurer treats a qualifying incident for pricing.
Travelers Responsible Driver Plans Compared
Travelers markets forgiveness as part of two packages: the Responsible Driver Plan and the Premier Responsible Driver Plan. Here’s the practical difference.
| Plan | What It Includes | Who It’s Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Responsible Driver Plan | Accident forgiveness + minor violation forgiveness (for a first covered accident or first minor violation over a specified period) | Drivers with clean records who want rate protection without extra bells and whistles |
| Premier Responsible Driver Plan | Everything in the Responsible Driver Plan + decreasing deductible + total loss deductible waiver | Drivers who want forgiveness plus added out-of-pocket protection after a covered loss |
What “Decreasing Deductible” Means in Practice
With the Premier plan, Travelers’ decreasing deductible can reduce what you pay out of pocket after a covered claim. Travelers describes it as a credit earned for each claim-free renewal period (for example, a credit earned every six months on a six-month policy, up to a maximum credit). If you want a deeper explanation of how these programs generally work, see our guide to disappearing/decreasing deductibles.
Total Loss Deductible Waiver
This feature can waive your deductible if your vehicle is declared a total loss on a covered claim. Total-loss rules vary, and the “totaled” decision depends on your state and the insurer’s process. If you’re not sure how that works, start with what happens when a car is totaled and our breakdown of total loss thresholds by state.
What Accident Forgiveness Does and Doesn’t Do
Accident forgiveness can be valuable—but it’s easy to misunderstand. Here’s a clearer picture of what it typically does (and what it doesn’t).
| It Can Help You… | But It Usually Won’t… |
|---|---|
| Avoid a surcharge tied solely to a first covered at-fault accident (within the plan’s rules) | Erase the accident from your driving record, police report, or claims history |
| Keep certain pricing benefits you’ve earned, such as a safe driving discount, depending on policy terms | Stop your premium from changing for other reasons (inflation, repair costs, mileage changes, rate filings, etc.) |
| Get peace of mind for a “one-time mistake” scenario | Forgive multiple accidents, major violations, DUIs, or reckless driving |
Also note: even with forgiveness, your premium can still change at renewal for factors unrelated to that forgiven incident. That’s one reason it’s smart to review your policy annually and understand the rating factors insurers use (NAIC overview: Auto Insurance – NAIC).
Is Travelers Accident Forgiveness Worth It?
It depends on your risk profile and budget. Here’s a practical way to think about it.
If your household has higher “exposure,” it can be more valuable. Long commutes, dense traffic, teen drivers, and frequent driving raise the chance of an at-fault claim. If your driving history is strong but your day-to-day risk is high, forgiveness can be a sensible hedge.
Mileage matters. The more you drive, the more opportunities there are for a claim. If you’re far above typical U.S. annual driving levels (or far below), use that as a gut-check—see our explainer on average annual mileage and how insurers view it.
Think about the “rate shock” scenario. Many drivers see premiums rise after an at-fault accident, but the size of the increase varies by state, carrier, and loss severity. If you want the details on how this typically plays out, read whether car insurance goes up after an accident.
Weigh it against other ways to protect your wallet. Sometimes increasing your deductible and keeping a dedicated emergency fund is a better financial move than paying for extra features—especially if you’re already a consistently safe driver.
Quick tip: If your main worry is a ticket, ask whether the plan’s “minor violation forgiveness” would apply to something like a first speeding ticket—and which violations are excluded.
How to Add It to Your Policy
- Confirm availability in your state. Travelers doesn’t offer these features everywhere.
- Ask about eligibility for your household. Underwriting typically considers drivers on the policy, not just one person.
- Get the price in writing. Cost varies by driver, vehicle, and location—so compare the added premium to your risk tolerance.
- Clarify the fine print. Ask about the “specified period,” what counts as a “minor violation,” and whether forgiveness is per driver or per policy.
If you need help reaching the company, use our directory to contact Travelers customer service or work with your local agent to review plan availability.
Final Word on Travelers Accident Forgiveness
Travelers does offer accident forgiveness for qualifying drivers, most commonly through its Responsible Driver Plans. When it’s available in your state and you meet eligibility guidelines, it can reduce the chance of a painful premium jump after a first covered accident (and potentially a first minor ticket).
Just make sure you understand what’s forgiven (and what isn’t), how often it applies, and how it’s priced for your household. Coverage rules and availability vary by state, and the actual policy contract controls.
