When it comes to mishaps and unforeseen accidents, Canadians are overwhelmingly forgiving according to a new survey conducted by Leger Research on behalf of belairdirect.
The study gauged the perception of forgiveness among Canadians and found that 96 per cent of people agree with the notion that everyone makes mistakes. Canadians also desire forgiveness in return; 87 per cent of respondents indicated they would appreciate forgiveness for past mistakes.
When asked about forgiving family and friends, Canadians are most willing to give their loved ones a break. The top three incidents they are willing to forgive include a family member breaking something in their home, followed by a friend cancelling plans, and losing something lent to a friend; even though all three incidents would cause them to lose money.
"Since launching our home claim forgiveness product, we wanted to examine Canadians' feelings towards forgiveness. From the results, we learned that forgiveness is particularly important when it comes to accidents involving family and friends," said Richard Taschereau, Deputy Senior Vice President, Marketing, Communications and Business Development, belairdirect. "Similarly, we consider our clients as family and we want to make sure they receive the same consideration after an accident – whether it be related to their home or car."
belairdirect surveyed Canadians involved in either a car accident or home mishap and found that they are more forgiving than those who have been lucky enough to avoid such incidents. For example, when asked about a family member breaking something in their home which would cause them to lose money, 70 per cent of those who have been involved in an auto or home accident are more willing to forgive, compared to just 60 per cent of those who haven't been involved in such a mishap.
"We understand that being involved in a car accident or home mishap can be emotionally jarring," said Taschereau. "We're constantly working to develop solutions that best suit our clients' needs and are in line with their values – in this case, forgiveness."
Other key findings include:
- The majority of respondents believe forgiveness is essential when involved in a romantic relationship – 93%
- 92% are more likely to forgive when they believe they are dealing with an honest person
- 90% believe it is easier to forgive when the fault is not intentional
- Most Canadians believe there is no point in keeping a grudge – 81%
- Over 70% believe forgiving people helps restore their confidence
- When it comes to the most forgiving groups, findings showed that baby boomers, Ontarians, and Quebecers were more likely to agree with statements promoting forgiveness
- The survey also found that forgiveness is often met with sincerity; only 15% forgive to get something in return
