Best Car Insurance with Accident Forgiveness
Accident forgiveness prevents the standard at-fault surcharge after your first at-fault accident. It is a premium benefit, not a claims benefit: it does not forgive the deductible, does not pay the other party, and does not remove the accident from your motor-vehicle record. For the full mechanics see our accident forgiveness coverage page. This page is the carrier shortlist.
Our shortlist
| Carrier | Featured for | Why it fits | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive | Direct-channel shopper with mixed record | Small Accident Forgiveness is included free in most states. Large Accident Forgiveness is earned after 5 years with Progressive and claim-free for 3 of those years. Direct-channel pricing throughout. | Large Accident Forgiveness is not available in CA, NC, or a few other states. |
| Allstate | High-risk household wanting immediate coverage | Allstate Accident Forgiveness is a paid add-on available at bind: no 5-year earning period. Part of the Platinum rewards package with Deductible Rewards and Safe Driving Bonus. | Published modeled premiums above the national average. Not available in CA. |
| Liberty Mutual | Long-tenure Liberty Mutual customer | Earned after 5 years accident-free as a Liberty Mutual customer; also available as a paid upgrade at bind in most states. | California personal auto exit limits new business there. One-tier AM Best gap vs Progressive/USAA. |
| Nationwide | Agent-channel shopper, available at bind | Paid add-on; available at bind with no earning period. Combines well with Vanishing Deductible from the same carrier. | Not available in every state; verify at bind. |
| The Hartford (AARP) | AARP-eligible senior shopper | Accident forgiveness is bundled into the AARP Platinum package alongside Disappearing Deductible, Lifetime Renewability, and RecoverCare. Named insured must be 50+. | Requires AARP membership. |
How to pick between them
- Need coverage immediately: Allstate or Nationwide (available at bind, paid add-on).
- Already with Progressive on a 5-year clean record: Large Accident Forgiveness earns automatically at year 5. Small is included free in most states from day one.
- 50+ and AARP-eligible: Hartford AARP Platinum bundles accident forgiveness with disappearing deductible for one premium.
- Long-tenure Liberty Mutual customer: free at year 5; paid upgrade earlier.
- State Farm shoppers: no named accident forgiveness product; uses a tenure-based rate-stability approach instead. For an at-fault-accident risk hedge, consider a competitor's program.
Related reading
- Accident forgiveness coverage explained
- At-fault accident
- How long does an accident stay on insurance
- Vanishing deductible (companion feature)
Sources
- Progressive, Allstate, Liberty Mutual, Nationwide, Hartford/AARP state filings and product disclosures.
- CNBC Select: accident forgiveness analysis 2026.
- Insurance Information Institute: Accident forgiveness guidance.