Driving monitors for auto insurance???

[Deleted]

Has anyone had experience with apps or onboard monitors offered by insurance carriers such as Snapshot by Progressive or Allstate's Drivewise?  You put an app on your phone or a monitor on the car, it records driving behavior and your premium is rated up or down after a monitoring period, usually a year.   One of the guys quoting us said it can save $$ but it's a little creepy too.

[teen persuasion]

I had Drivewise on my car a few years ago. It was looking at what time of day you drive (I think nighttime was bad, rush hour medium bad, other times ok), what speed you drive (over 84 was bad), and if you had a hard braking event. It would plot them over time. We got a discount out of it, so NBD to me. It was always in the car.

We switched to Liberty Mutual and their version just did a sample - device went in my car for a month or so, and that was good enough, send the device back. Maybe that is a change because of the computer chip shortage, to spread them around?

[finnime]

My current insurance company, Geico, offered a discount if we would get and use the device. I'd rather not, so we didn't. I agree it's more instrusive than I'm willing to undergo.

[minnesotapaintlady]

Yeah, no.  My insurance rates would skyrocket.  I have a lead foot.

[Deleted]

I've never been offered it- not sure if I'd take it.  My concern would be that when they develop rates for the people who have monitors, they'll be lower on average than the people who don't have them.  The careless drivers or the households with teenagers are more likely to decline monitoring (although this group will also include those who just have privacy concerns). 

I'd like to get the feedback without it being stored by the company or affecting my rate- it could help me be a better driver.

[wvugurl26]

My aunt has an app on her and my grandma's phones. It gives some feedback on driving.

[bean29]

My Toyota Car has a phone base app that is called "Drive Pulse".  It ,measures things like Harsh Cornering, Fast Acceleration, and Harsh Braking. It says I have an "Excellent" Score, but it is also showing that there are incidents of all the above listed things.  I don't trust the insurance company not to use the information to raise my rates.  We have never consented to allow the insurance company access to this type of information.

[mollyanna58]

I am an agent for Progressive.  I tried their Snapshot plugin device to see how it worked.  I did not qualify for a discount because I braked too often.  I live 3.8 miles from my office and there are 18 traffic lights.

Some of my customers get discounts for using Snapshot, but only one received the maximum discount available.  She was a senior citizen who rarely drove.

[taz157]

Nov 14, 2022 8:29:17 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Yeah, no.  My insurance rates would skyrocket.  I have a lead foot.

Ditto…

[nidena]

SafeCo has this for the first 90 days.  It actually helped develop some better habits than I already have.  You can see your daily success (or not) and areas for improvement.  Like, I had a couple hard-braking moments.  The only part that I don't like is that you get penalized for driving in the wee hours.  I feel like there should be a setting for inputting your work hours so it wouldn't penalize you for that.  I don't work during the wee hours but I did have one trip where I left my house at 3am and that effected my overall discount.

[Deleted]

Nov 14, 2022 11:51:18 GMT -5 mollyanna58 said:

I am an agent for Progressive.  I tried their Snapshot plugin device to see how it worked.  I did not qualify for a discount because I braked too often.  I live 3.8 miles from my office and there are 18 traffic lights.

Some of my customers get discounts for using Snapshot, but only one received the maximum discount available.  She was a senior citizen who rarely drove.

I read this at lunch today.  The restaurant is about a 6 mile round trip from my home with countless stop lights and very dense stop and go traffic.  That's pretty much what Houston traffic is like so I don't think the program would be a good fit for us.  I appreciate your input.  We're likely to go with Progressive because the rates are really good even without Snapshot.  DH drives around 2500 miles a year and I drive around 3000, 99% of it on city streets during daylight. We haven't had an accident in years.

[nidena]

If you're looking for the best rates, you may have more success using a broker.  I used one last fall and switched both my homeowners and auto insurance to better coverage for a lower price.  Saved around $300 between the two.

[busymom]

Yes, I had it with my previous insurer.  It drove me CRAZY, no pun intended, because while I was very careful about following the speed limit, I would get "dinged" every time the app thought I'd slowed down too quickly for a stop sign or a red light.  My current insurer doesn't offer the option, and frankly I don't miss it.

[Deleted]

Nov 14, 2022 13:49:22 GMT -5 nidena said:

If you're looking for the best rates, you may have more success using a broker.  I used one last fall and switched both my homeowners and auto insurance to better coverage for a lower price.  Saved around $300 between the two.

I'm working with 1 independent, 1 semi-independent (affiliated with Farmers but can write others) and a State Farm agent who has my flood policy.  They all know I'm shopping with others as well.

I've been with the Hartford for 16 years so it's shopping time for sure but it's tough because many carriers no longer write in my market.  

[Pink Cashmere]

I wouldn’t use something like that, even though I don’t really drive crazy. I pretty much stopped driving so fast over 20 years ago, when I got 2 speeding tickets in 1 week. The aftermarket wheels and tires I put on new my car a few years later slowed me down some more and broke a few more bad habits, when I started busting tires and bending wheels. I drive well behind the vehicle in front of me, because I need to see the road ahead, to avoid pot holes and such. If anything, a device like that might make it look like I regularly drive drunk, with the way I drive my car, trying to avoid pot holes and such lol. The streets here are very bad as far as that goes, and that is why I kept busting tires and bending wheels. I wasn’t running into anything, jumping curbs or doing anything crazy, just potholes and stuff in the streets.

That doesn’t mean I never speed. I do, usually when I’m trying to get to work on time lol. But other than that, I tend to drive close to the speed limit.

I just don’t like the idea of my insurance monitoring my driving habits. I don’t like being monitored, period.

[NoNamePerson]

I'd never sign on for fear that they would hear me cursing the tailgateing fu##wad or see my hand gesture. 

[Deleted]

Nov 14, 2022 16:57:55 GMT -5 NoNamePerson said:

I'd never sign on for fear that they would hear me cursing the tailgateing fu##wad or see my hand gesture. 

Yeah, if they had heard me today it would be game over for sure.  

[Rukh O'Rorke]

Nov 13, 2022 16:16:00 GMT -5 soupandstew said:

Has anyone had experience with apps or onboard monitors offered by insurance carriers such as Snapshot by Progressive or Allstate's Drivewise?  You put an app on your phone or a monitor on the car, it records driving behavior and your premium is rated up or down after a monitoring period, usually a year.   One of the guys quoting us said it can save $$ but it's a little creepy too.

my guess would be if it can lower your premium, it can up it as well....

[tskeeter]

Nov 14, 2022 11:51:18 GMT -5 mollyanna58 said:

I am an agent for Progressive.  I tried their Snapshot plugin device to see how it worked.  I did not qualify for a discount because I braked too often.  I live 3.8 miles from my office and there are 18 traffic lights.

Some of my customers get discounts for using Snapshot, but only one received the maximum discount available.  She was a senior citizen who rarely drove.

I think Mollyanna’s experience points out one of the shortcomings of these systems.  The system may be designed so that normal driving conditions in your area are considered behavior that indicates a high risk driver.

I spent 10 years driving nearly 70 miles a day on LA’s 91 Freeway without an accident.  On the average, Caltrans studies show an LA driver should have a fender bender about every four years.  So my driving experience was better than average.  Despite my driving record, Progressive’s system would flag me as a high risk driver because lots of miles in bumper to bumper, stop and go traffic means you brake a lot (think about days when you brake every 3 - 5 car lengths for 30 or 40 miles).  Yes, lots of braking might indicate a propensity to tailgate, or it might indicate a route with lots of stop signs/stop lights, or a route with heavy traffic volume.

Having insurance companies use even more of what they claim is information that “predicts” your claim history is a bit like allowing the police to arrest you because your close set eyes indicate that you have an inclination to commit a crime.

Remember, it’s all about the money.  Insurance company provided driving behavior monitors aren’t a way to identify and reward safe drivers, they’re really about finding a way to justify premium increases on more drivers to the state insurance regulators.

[TheOtherMe]

I am totally amazed that I never had an accident in all of the years I commuted between Boulder and Denver in bumper to bumper traffic.

The two accidents I had were on my own time and I was rear ended twice.  I was the only driver not to get a ticket in those two accidents.

[tskeeter]

Nov 18, 2022 16:25:10 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

I am totally amazed that I never had an accident in all of the years I commuted between Boulder and Denver in bumper to bumper traffic.

The two accidents I had were on my own time and I was rear ended twice.  I was the only driver not to get a ticket in those two accidents.

The technique that I learned to avoid being rear ended involved checking behind me and easing off the brakes.

In heavy traffic, unexpected stops are not unusual.  When faced with sudden, hard braking, once I was sure I wasn’t going to hit the car ahead of me, I would check my rear view mirror to see how the driver behind me was doing.  If I had space ahead of me, I’d let up on the brakes and give the driver behind me a few more inches of room.  I’m sure that an extra six or twelve inches behind me kept my rear bumper on the car a handful of times over the 10 years.

[finnime]

A good friend was using his car less and less as his mobility issues increase. His insurance company, USAA, offered the monitor for a discount and he took them up on it. After 12 months they took it away again and the discount. He wasn't driving enough for it to give the insurance data.

[Opti]

Nov 18, 2022 4:03:09 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

Nov 14, 2022 11:51:18 GMT -5 mollyanna58 said:

I am an agent for Progressive.  I tried their Snapshot plugin device to see how it worked.  I did not qualify for a discount because I braked too often.  I live 3.8 miles from my office and there are 18 traffic lights.

Some of my customers get discounts for using Snapshot, but only one received the maximum discount available.  She was a senior citizen who rarely drove.

I think Mollyanna’s experience points out one of the shortcomings of these systems.  The system may be designed so that normal driving conditions in your area are considered behavior that indicates a high risk driver.

I spent 10 years driving nearly 70 miles a day on LA’s 91 Freeway without an accident.  On the average, Caltrans studies show an LA driver should have a fender bender about every four years.  So my driving experience was better than average.  Despite my driving record, Progressive’s system would flag me as a high risk driver because lots of miles in bumper to bumper, stop and go traffic means you brake a lot (think about days when you brake every 3 - 5 car lengths for 30 or 40 miles).  Yes, lots of braking might indicate a propensity to tailgate, or it might indicate a route with lots of stop signs/stop lights, or a route with heavy traffic volume.

Having insurance companies use even more of what they claim is information that “predicts” your claim history is a bit like allowing the police to arrest you because your close set eyes indicate that you have an inclination to commit a crime.

Remember, it’s all about the money.  Insurance company provided driving behavior monitors aren’t a way to identify and reward safe drivers, they’re really about finding a way to justify premium increases on more drivers to the state insurance regulators.

Good note about the braking. I commute down a main street of a significant town and there are always people pulling out or suddenly stopping for a parking space. My old commute was mostly highway and more monitor friendly than my current one.

[NoNamePerson]

Nov 19, 2022 3:18:57 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

Nov 18, 2022 16:25:10 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

I am totally amazed that I never had an accident in all of the years I commuted between Boulder and Denver in bumper to bumper traffic.

The two accidents I had were on my own time and I was rear ended twice.  I was the only driver not to get a ticket in those two accidents.

The technique that I learned to avoid being rear ended involved checking behind me and easing off the brakes.

In heavy traffic, unexpected stops are not unusual.  When faced with sudden, hard braking, once I was sure I wasn’t going to hit the car ahead of me, I would check my rear view mirror to see how the driver behind me was doing.  If I had space ahead of me, I’d let up on the brakes and give the driver behind me a few more inches of room.  I’m sure that an extra six or twelve inches behind me kept my rear bumper on the car a handful of times over the 10 years.

I’ve been rear ended two times in my life time! Both times I was stopped at a red light. They just decided to use me as their braking  system. To say I am paranoid about vehicles behind me is an understatement of the highest order. 

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Nov 19, 2022 7:56:13 GMT -5 NoNamePerson said:

Nov 19, 2022 3:18:57 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

The technique that I learned to avoid being rear ended involved checking behind me and easing off the brakes.

In heavy traffic, unexpected stops are not unusual.  When faced with sudden, hard braking, once I was sure I wasn’t going to hit the car ahead of me, I would check my rear view mirror to see how the driver behind me was doing.  If I had space ahead of me, I’d let up on the brakes and give the driver behind me a few more inches of room.  I’m sure that an extra six or twelve inches behind me kept my rear bumper on the car a handful of times over the 10 years.

I’ve been rear ended two times in my life time! Both times I was stopped at a red light. They just decided to use me as their braking  system. To say I am paranoid about vehicles behind me is an understatement of the highest order. 

This is what happened to me too.  Driver behind me didn’t see red light and used my car to help him stop.  I was stopped, saw him coming up too fast behind me, and all I had time to do was brace myself before he hit.

[TheOtherMe]

Nov 19, 2022 7:56:13 GMT -5 NoNamePerson said:

Nov 19, 2022 3:18:57 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

The technique that I learned to avoid being rear ended involved checking behind me and easing off the brakes.

In heavy traffic, unexpected stops are not unusual.  When faced with sudden, hard braking, once I was sure I wasn’t going to hit the car ahead of me, I would check my rear view mirror to see how the driver behind me was doing.  If I had space ahead of me, I’d let up on the brakes and give the driver behind me a few more inches of room.  I’m sure that an extra six or twelve inches behind me kept my rear bumper on the car a handful of times over the 10 years.

I’ve been rear ended two times in my life time! Both times I was stopped at a red light. They just decided to use me as their braking  system. To say I am paranoid about vehicles behind me is an understatement of the highest order. 

I have been rear ended twice.  First one was at very low speed as I was waiting for someone pulled out of a parking spot in a congested area and we were already driving slowly.  If the kid hadn't dented my bumper, I would have been fine with it.

The 2nd time was the worst one.  It was on the highway where the speed limit was 55 mph.  No left turn lanes.  There are now.  A beautiful Saturday afternoon.  

The man in front of me turns on his left turn signal.  I see oncoming traffic so I know he is going to have to stop.  I look in the rear view mirror.  The woman driving that car is turned around talking to her kids in the back seat.  I knew I was in trouble.

I braced myself for the hit as she slammed in to me.  She had no idea I had stopped behind the first car.  My car went in to his car.  

Her first words were "why did you stop on the highway".  I told her because the car in front of me was stopped to make a left turn.  She was shocked so she hadn't been paying attention.

She got a ticket and in her mind, that was my fault.  The guy in front of me got a ticket for not having his kid in a car seat.  

I never believed in whiplash until this happened.  It took some time to get my neck right again. 

My car was not driveable.  So the police drive me to the station to call a friend to come pick me up.  That was weirder than the entire accident scene, waiting in a police station on a Saturday night.  I had gotten dark by then and the weirdos were out.

[Deleted]

Thanks again to all who contributed your thoughts and experiences here. We decided against using a monitoring device or app because it doesn't make any sense with our low mileage and in-town, stop-n-go traffic. It really helped us a lot to hear from everyone here

[NoNamePerson]

Nov 19, 2022 13:28:48 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Nov 19, 2022 7:56:13 GMT -5 NoNamePerson said:

I’ve been rear ended two times in my life time! Both times I was stopped at a red light. They just decided to use me as their braking  system. To say I am paranoid about vehicles behind me is an understatement of the highest order. 

I have been rear ended twice.  First one was at very low speed as I was waiting for someone pulled out of a parking spot in a congested area and we were already driving slowly.  If the kid hadn't dented my bumper, I would have been fine with it.

The 2nd time was the worst one.  It was on the highway where the speed limit was 55 mph.  No left turn lanes.  There are now.  A beautiful Saturday afternoon.  

The man in front of me turns on his left turn signal.  I see oncoming traffic so I know he is going to have to stop.  I look in the rear view mirror.  The woman driving that car is turned around talking to her kids in the back seat.  I knew I was in trouble.

I braced myself for the hit as she slammed in to me.  She had no idea I had stopped behind the first car.  My car went in to his car.  

Her first words were "why did you stop on the highway".  I told her because the car in front of me was stopped to make a left turn.  She was shocked so she hadn't been paying attention.

She got a ticket and in her mind, that was my fault.  The guy in front of me got a ticket for not having his kid in a car seat.  

I never believed in whiplash until this happened.  It took some time to get my neck right again. 

My car was not driveable.  So the police drive me to the station to call a friend to come pick me up.  That was weirder than the entire accident scene, waiting in a police station on a Saturday night.  I had gotten dark by then and the weirdos were out.

Had to laugh at other drivers reply about you stopping. The other part of my story went like this.

Police show up. And the idiot that hit me told police “look she doesn’t even have a bumper”

Me: that’s because the body shop is waiting for replacement from where another idiot hit me from behind 2 weeks ago. 

The policeman actually laughed and shook his head.

[TheOtherMe]

If that woman is still around to tell about this accident, I'm sure her version is "this woman just stopped on the highway for no reason"