In-Drive auto insurance device

[Tom52]

For Progressive you are not paying them for the device... from what they say they are not getting GPS info unless you are told...

I have looked at the data they provide... they keep track of the time you are driving and miles.... they split the days into 3 categories on I guess the likely hood of having an accident... they also keep track of how many 'hard stops' you make... the big problem I have with this is that I get a beep from the device when I am coming to a light and it changes yellow... some of the yellows around here are short and you stop 'quickly'.... and get a beep... I have now started to run the yellow so I am now a 'safer' driver....

Another beep that gets me is you are slowing down at a yield... turn a corner and hit the gas... they think you are in stop and go traffic and you get a beep...



If you insurance is pretty cheap already, I would not do it... but mine has gone up 4X due to teen and totaling out a car... (me, not the teen)....

+1 We recently moved from Chicago suburb to rural Iowa. I was shocked at how much higher the insurance is in Iowa. I got a Progressive policy and in hopes of the potential 30% premium savings agreed to the Snap Shot. I figured the six month test Oct thru March wouldn't show many miles being driven since most of our driving is during the summer months.

We have about 5 weeks to go before we send the devices back to Progressive but I can tell you it will not be worth the effort. The device will beep at even a very normal braking as described by Texas Proud. I have so far not had a single panic stop but the device will beep if you require normal braking at a stop light due to the short yellow.

I checked on line the other day and it shows a 6% discount on one vehicle and no discount on the other. Complete waste of time in my opinion.

 

[Texas Proud]

+1 We recently moved from Chicago suburb to rural Iowa. I was shocked at how much higher the insurance is in Iowa. I got a Progressive policy and in hopes of the potential 30% premium savings agreed to the Snap Shot. I figured the six month test Oct thru March wouldn't show many miles being driven since most of our driving is during the summer months.

We have about 5 weeks to go before we send the devices back to Progressive but I can tell you it will not be worth the effort. The device will beep at even a very normal braking as described by Texas Proud. I have so far not had a single panic stop but the device will beep if you require normal braking at a stop light due to the short yellow.

I checked on line the other day and it shows a 6% discount on one vehicle and no discount on the other. Complete waste of time in my opinion.

LOL... yep, I was looking for somewhere in the 20% to 30% discount... but I looked and the anticipated discount is about 4 to 6%.... for how high my insurance is now that is some money... but before getting the higher rates it was a few dollars... it is not like you are getting the discount on all of your coverage....

 

[38Chevy454]

NFW I am letting any big brother action by any insurance company.

 

[grasshopper]

I had progressives device, I can drive 50 miles in any direction and only stop at one stop sign. But I was always getting dinged for quick stops by jackrabbits, deer, javelina, box turtles, but not rattlesnakes.

 

[jfn111]

I use my car for my Real Estate business and I deduct the mileage. For my taxes I have to report total miles driven as well as business and commuting miles. Every time I turn around someone or some entity wants more and more information about what I do and where I drive.

 

[ERD50]

I had progressives device, I can drive 50 miles in any direction and only stop at one stop sign. But I was always getting dinged for quick stops by jackrabbits, deer, javelina, box turtles, but not rattlesnakes.

But doesn't the need to make quick stops like that indicate that it could cost more to insure people like that on average? Deer do some real damage to cars (and occasionally occupants) around here. I assume your rates are already low if there is so little traffic around you. Maybe deer collisions and swerving to avoid, and people swerving to hit rattlesnakes are a major cost for them?

It also seems to me this won't go far, at least in the current implementation. The cautious drivers will self select this, the pedal-to-the-metal types won't.

At least twice, I've avoided an accident by making an aggressive move (once I intentionally blew a stop light, after looking both ways and honking my horn and flooring it, to avoid some guy rear-ending me). Seems wrong to ding me for that, but OTOH, the fact that I had to make that aggressive move is evidence of the dangerous situations I face (that may or may not be more dangerous than average, but it still is data).

-ERD50

 

[ERD50]

I use my car for my Real Estate business and I deduct the mileage. For my taxes I have to report total miles driven as well as business and commuting miles. Every time I turn around someone or some entity wants more and more information about what I do and where I drive.

But isn't that reasonable? You shouldn't be able to deduct non-business use. Why are you mad?

-ERD50

 

[FUEGO]

Here's a funny story. I participated in a research study that paid me $600 to stick a black box in my car for a year. It recorded what these insurance companies record. It also had a camera recording my face and the road to measure my reaction and eye movement.

It probably caught me picking my nose a time or three, otherwise I don't really care. I don't drive a lot anyway, so it roughly offset my auto operating costs for the year.

 

[Nunthewiser]

I looked into it when we still had Progressive. I didn't mind it in principle as I am a very safe driver ( or so me and my record think). However, they would have penalized me for driving too early in my commute (before 6). Heck, the only reason I left home at 5 was to miss the idiotic traffic in the first place and be able to get on the road home at 3:30-4 before the evening commute. That, and we don't own any cars that have OBD-II ports (everything is diesel and/or pre-1991)

 

[unno2002]

[FONT=&quot]Has your computer, or any other electronic device, ever malfunctioned, or done something weird? Do you really want a potential criminal and/or civil trial based on an electronic recording device?[/FONT]

 

[samclem]

[FONT=&quot]Has your computer, or any other electronic device, ever malfunctioned, or done something weird? Do you really want a potential criminal and/or civil trial based on an electronic recording device?[/FONT]

The privacy agreement for Progressive Insurance notes that the data from their Snapshot device would be released under subpoena or in other cases. So, yes, the data in any of these devices could be used against you. Or, I suppose it could help you.

 

[Texas Proud]

[FONT=&quot]Has your computer, or any other electronic device, ever malfunctioned, or done something weird? Do you really want a potential criminal and/or civil trial based on an electronic recording device?[/FONT]

From what I see it is only recording your speed.... heck, your car records that and much more info.... it might only be a few minutes or seconds, but if you have a wreck it is there...

 

[aja8888]

From what I see it is only recording your speed.... heck, your car records that and much more info.... it might only be a few minutes or seconds, but if you have a wreck it is there...

I'd rather have a dash camera for recording my real-time driving.

 

[ERD50]

From what I see it is only recording your speed.... heck, your car records that and much more info.... it might only be a few minutes or seconds, but if you have a wreck it is there...

I think they also record g-forces to track quick stops, swerves and acceleration. But of course, different systems may have different capabilities, I'm just going from memory of when I looked into the State Farm option a few years back.


-ERD50

 

[OBXretire]

I've been using the In-Drive device for 9 months now. No issues. It measures, mileage, braking, acceleration, turn signal usage, but not certain about g-force (swerving/cornering). I beginning to think they weight scoring heavily on turn signal usage.

Last 6 month renewal was reduced just short of $120.00. We have a Armada and Genesis Coupe.

 

[Alan]

No way would I want my insurance company to know how far or how fast I drive.

I believe in the U.K. this system has allowed insurance companies to raise rates because of the data they see. I don't have any links, but read several articles in print when I was in England last year.

Got me wondering, as we spend a lot of time in the UK, and will be looking to insure a car over there next year. Looks like about 300,000 installed devices, and recent research by Towers Watson shows a typical cut of 20% for young drivers, aged 17 - 23.

Black box telematics drives down car insurance for young drivers*by £500 a year | This is Money


ETA

For reference, there are 30 million drivers in the UK according to the RAC

 

[Texas Proud]

I think they also record g-forces to track quick stops, swerves and acceleration. But of course, different systems may have different capabilities, I'm just going from memory of when I looked into the State Farm option a few years back.


-ERD50

From what I have read they say you get the beep if you decelerate at 7 mph or greater... but I would bet that it really is a g-force tracker since I have heard the beep when I have made quick turn.... going out one way from my house there is a 90 deg left, a straight the length of a house and a 90 deg right. If you do it quickly... slow down but not fast enough, make the turn, make the next turn and hit the gas it will think that is 'bad driving'.... since the speed has not changed much I think it is measuring the g-force....

but heck, I have an economy car.... my son asked what would happen if someone owned a Corvette or some other sports car I know when I had mine (Firebird) I would take turns about 10 mph faster (or more) than my current car...

 

[splitwdw]

I think they also record g-forces to track quick stops, swerves and acceleration. But of course, different systems may have different capabilities, I'm just going from memory of when I looked into the State Farm option a few years back.
-ERD50

I would be in big trouble cause when I'm in the newer vette, alone and an open road, I drive stupid. The vette has a G-force gauge. I "test" it to make sure it's working. Most people don't know I have a "need for speed" side. I sometimes test my trucks cornering ability. lol

 

[Walt34]

What is this "state vehicle inspection" of which you speak?

I'm so happy to be in a place that dispenses with that foolishness.

Perspectives differ of course. Granted your neighbor was, as my grandma used to say, "not very bright".

However, I'm retired law enforcement and most people on this board have (I hope!) better sense than to drive a car in the conditions that I've seen. I'm talking about four bald tires with cord showing. Wheels held on with only three of the five lug nuts in place. Windows so fogged and crazed/cracked you could hardly see through them. Fenders missing so that in the rain everyone's vision is compromised by wheel spray. Electrical systems so shot not one light worked (and this idiot was driving a flat black car on a country road at night!). Steering so loose the wheel could make an entire turn before it took effect. And the list goes on.... These vehicles were the proverbial "accident going someplace to happen". And half the time someone else got hurt too.

Inevitably the whine was "But I can't afford to fix it!" And my response was that "Then you can't afford a car".

And I am glad we have an annual inspection in WV.

 

[aja8888]

Got me wondering, as we spend a lot of time in the UK, and will be looking to insure a car over there next year. Looks like about 300,000 installed devices, and recent research by Towers Watson shows a typical cut of 20% for young drivers, aged 17 - 23.

Black box telematics drives down car insurance for young drivers*by £500 a year | This is Money


ETA

For reference, there are 30 million drivers in the UK according to the RAC

When I was in England a year or so ago, one of the big newspapers had a front page article condemning the tactics by insurers that were raising people's rates based on seeing speeding, etc on these devices. In your link, read the comments to the Watson article. I don't know what papers there are like the Enquirer here, but I may have been reading its sister.

I'm not saying driver monitoring by insurance companies is all about the negative aspects of what they can do to you if they interpret the data their way, but I personally don't wish to have any insurance company monitor my activities 100% of the time (or even 10% of the time).

Routinely, I travel to west Texas where speed limits are 80 - 85 MPH. Sometimes I run it up, so to say, in order to stay with the traffic. I don't wish to be monitored for speed, stopping, whether or not my turn signal is on, etc. I also drive about 25,000 + miles per year.

 

[samclem]

However, I'm retired law enforcement and most people on this board have (I hope!) better sense than to drive a car in the conditions that I've seen. . .
And I am glad we have an annual inspection in WV.

It would be interesting to see a "life-years saved per $" calculation for annual vehicle inspections. I've got to think the payback is very poor compared to other potential uses of that money (seat belt enforcement, speed enforcement, drunk driving enforcement, etc.) And, it would seem many of the more flagrant problems (no fenders, driving at night with one light, etc) could be picked up on the road--you can see a lot of the biggies as a car sits waiting for a light, etc-- thus affecting only the 2% of idiots rather than the 98% of people who know that having all the lug nuts is more than just a "good idea". When I see 4 officers inspecting vehicles, I just think they'd be saving more lives if they were responding to calls about impaired/texting drivers, etc.
How many people get injured in accidents driving their perfectly safe cars to/from inspection stations? How many life-hours dithered away waiting for the car at the inspection shop?
At the very least, we could target cars most likely to be in unsafe condition. For example, any car can get unsafe quickly, but a 15 year old car is more likely to be unroadworthy than one that is 5 years old. (I can hear the screams of protest already -- profiling the poor!)

 

[aja8888]

It would be interesting to see a "life-years saved per $" calculation for annual vehicle inspections. I've got to think the payback is very poor compared to other potential uses of that money (seat belt enforcement, speed enforcement, drunk driving enforcement, etc.) And, it would seem many of the more flagrant problems (no fenders, driving at night with one light, etc) could be picked up on the road--you can see a lot of the biggies as a car sits waiting for a light, etc-- thus affecting only the 2% of idiots rather than the 98% of people who know that having all the lug nuts is more than just a "good idea". When I see 4 officers inspecting vehicles, I just think they'd be saving more lives if they were responding to calls about impaired/texting drivers, etc.
How many people get injured in accidents driving their perfectly safe cars to/from inspection stations? How many life-hours dithered away waiting for the car at the inspection shop?
At the very least, we could target cars most likely to be in unsafe condition. For example, any car can get unsafe quickly, but a 15 year old car is more likely to be unroadworthy than one that is 5 years old. (I can hear the screams of protest already -- profiling the poor!)

A lot of state inspections focus on emissions certification as a primary goal. In Texas, it's not a rigorous safety inspection from my years of getting them done. But we don't use law enforcement to run the inspection shops either.

Who we use are technicians that know how to run the emissions machine and do a quick "once over" safety check (lights, tires, does the car stop, windshield condition, wipers, horn, etc).

 

[Alan]

When I was in England a year or so ago, one of the big newspapers had a front page article condemning the tactics by insurers that were raising people's rates based on seeing speeding, etc on these devices. In your link, read the comments to the Watson article. I don't know what papers there are like the Enquirer here, but I may have been reading its sister.

I'm not saying driver monitoring by insurance companies is all about the negative aspects of what they can do to you if they interpret the data their way, but I personally don't wish to have any insurance company monitor my activities 100% of the time (or even 10% of the time).

Routinely, I travel to west Texas where speed limits are 80 - 85 MPH. Sometimes I run it up, so to say, in order to stay with the traffic. I don't wish to be monitored for speed, stopping, whether or not my turn signal is on, etc. I also drive about 25,000 + miles per year.

I don't doubt you at all about reading the article in one of the newspapers, like here many of them like sensational headlines to sell papers, but we know and speak to lots of family and friends and I listen to a BBC podcast twice a week on all these personal finance issues including finding the best deals in car insurance etc. I'd never heard of what you say and couldn't find a link while Googling. With less than 1% of drivers using the devices and a LOT of insurance companies to chose from I think it will be some time before those devices transform from a carrot to a stick when it comes to pricing.

Having one of those devices is not something I would consider for myself, but if they had been an option when my son was 17 to cut the price by 20% on the car he drove then I think I would have gone for it.

 

[meierlde]

A lot of state inspections focus on emissions certification as a primary goal. In Texas, it's not a rigorous safety inspection from my years of getting them done. But we don't use law enforcement to run the inspection shops either.

Who we use are technicians that know how to run the emissions machine and do a quick "once over" safety check (lights, tires, does the car stop, windshield condition, wipers, horn, etc).

In Tx the content of the inspection depends on the county you live in. In Houston and Dallas and vicinity it includes emmissions, but in the country, more than 1 county away from a major metro its just a safety inspection, checking for example that the lights, turn signals, horn etc, that the brakes will skid tires not worn out, windshield wipers are not shot, etc.
In particular one thing that gets caught that you don't catch is the license plate lamp. (but the inspection station just happens to have bulbs in stock)

 

[aja8888]

I don't doubt you at all about reading the article in one of the newspapers, like here many of them like sensational headlines to sell papers, but we know and speak to lots of family and friends and I listen to a BBC podcast twice a week on all these personal finance issues including finding the best deals in car insurance etc. I'd never heard of what you say and couldn't find a link while Googling. With less than 1% of drivers using the devices and a LOT of insurance companies to chose from I think it will be some time before those devices transform from a carrot to a stick when it comes to pricing.

Having one of those devices is not something I would consider for myself, but if they had been an option when my son was 17 to cut the price by 20% on the car he drove then I think I would have gone for it.

I wish I would have saved the U.K. paper as I brought it home to show it DW.

Having raised two daughters, who were not the best teenage drivers, I understand your comment about your son. I guess I am one of those damn Yankees that likes his privacy and maybe that's why I'm so against the monitoring device.