Accident Forgiveness in Nevada: Complete Guide

No — you cannot add accident forgiveness retroactively after an accident has already occurred. It must be in place BEFORE the accident.

How It Works:

• You must purchase or earn accident forgiveness while you have a clean record
• Once it's active on your policy, it protects you from future accidents
• If you already had an accident and THEN try to add it, insurers will decline or it won't apply to the existing accident

What If You Just Had An Accident?

Your rates will likely increase at your next renewal (or immediately). The best strategy now is:

• Shop around for better rates with other carriers (some insurers are more forgiving of accidents than others)
• Consider taking a defensive driving course (may offset some rate increase)
• Add accident forgiveness NOW so your NEXT potential accident is covered
• Maintain clean record going forward — accident surcharge typically drops after 3-5 years

Bottom Line: Think of accident forgiveness like insurance for your insurance rates — buy it before you need it, not after.

Yes — accident forgiveness covers any at-fault accident, including minor parking lot incidents.

Examples That Qualify:

• Backing into car: You reverse into another vehicle in casino parking lot
• Door dings: Your door swings open and hits parked car
• Shopping cart damage: You push cart into someone's car
• Minor scrapes: Low-speed collisions while parking

Important Considerations:

Even though accident forgiveness prevents rate increases, you should still weigh whether to file a claim for very minor damage:

• Damage under $1,000: Consider paying out-of-pocket to preserve your "forgiveness" for a larger future accident
• Damage $1,000-2,000: Borderline — depends on your deductible and forgiveness status
• Damage $2,000+: File the claim — this is what forgiveness is for

Strategic Thinking:

Remember, you only get ONE forgiven accident. If you use it on a $800 parking lot scrape, you won't have forgiveness available for a potential $5,000 accident later. Save your forgiveness for larger claims when possible.

Accident forgiveness typically does NOT transfer when you switch insurance companies. Each insurer has their own forgiveness program with separate rules.

What Happens When You Switch:

• You lose unused forgiveness: If you paid for accident forgiveness with Carrier A but never used it, it expires when you leave
• Past forgiven accident still shows: The accident remains on your driving record even though the first insurer forgave it
• New insurer sees the accident: Your new carrier will see the accident on your record and may charge higher rates (unless you qualify for THEIR forgiveness)
• Must re-qualify: You'll need to purchase or earn accident forgiveness again with the new insurer

Smart Strategy Before Switching:

• If you've paid for accident forgiveness but haven't used it yet, consider staying with your current insurer a bit longer
• If you HAVE used forgiveness (had a forgiven accident), shop around immediately — new insurers may offer better "clean record" rates than your current surcharge
• Ask potential new insurers: "I have an at-fault accident from [date] that was forgiven by my current insurer. How will this affect my rate with you?"

Exception:

Some insurers offer accident forgiveness that you've "earned" through years of clean driving rather than purchased. If you earned it after 5+ years accident-free, you're demonstrating safe driving that any new insurer will value — you may qualify for similar forgiveness or good driver discounts elsewhere.

These serve different purposes — you can (and should) have both!

Safe Driver Discount:

• What it is: Ongoing discount (10-30% off) for maintaining clean record
• How you keep it: Avoid accidents and violations continuously
• What happens with accident: You LOSE the discount, and your base rate increases
• Cost: Free — automatically applied when you qualify

Accident Forgiveness:

• What it is: One-time protection preventing rate increase after first accident
• How it works: Purchase or earn it, then it's available if needed
• What happens with accident: You KEEP your current rate (including safe driver discount if you still qualify)
• Cost: $40-150/year or earned through loyalty

How They Work Together:

Best scenario: You have safe driver discount (saving 20%) PLUS accident forgiveness. If you have one accident:

• Without forgiveness: You lose 20% safe driver discount AND rates increase 30% = 50% total hit
• With forgiveness: Accident is forgiven, you keep your 20% discount, rates stay same = 0% increase

Recommendation: Maintain both. Safe driver discount saves money NOW (every year). Accident forgiveness is insurance in case something happens LATER. They complement each other perfectly.