Better safe than sorry.
A precaution taken unnecessarily is preferable to a precaution not taken at all.
What They Mean
Pay the small cost now to avoid the large cost later. The umbrella you carry and do not use is still a success.
Are They Right?
On balance. Most precautions are cheap and most regrets are not. The saying has the quiet authority of a risk assessment that has seen some things.
What They Left Out
A life arranged entirely around not being sorry is its own category of sorry.
They Also Say
Read the ruling: Better Safe Than Sorry vs. Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained