Progressive Insurance Snapshot

[mystang52]

I recently switched my insurance coverages to Progressive. My 6 month auto policy included a discount if I subscribed to "Snapshot." This is a gizmo that plugs into the car's electronics so the car's movements can be recorded, for lack of a better word. Among the things they track are speed, mileage, and "hard braking."
I was undecided at first, but ultimately decided to NOT use it. As a result, I lost the discount of $60 over the 6 month policy period. That was worth it to me, as I was very uncomfortable with the lack of privacy, who knows what their definition of hard braking is, and my skepticism that the discount would last very long anyway.
Just curious if anyone has used it and their experience (I'm sure other insurers have a similar apparatus).

[Sojourner]

I used a Snapshot device for 6 months about 1½ years ago, and I ended up saving 10% on my policy premiums. According to the info I read and what I heard from the Progressive rep on the phone, it does NOT track your vehicle's speed, but does record "hard braking" and the amount of miles you put on the car between midnight and 5am. For me, the late-night miles category was minimal, but I did trigger the hard braking flag a number of times. If I remember correctly, hard braking was defined as something like "decelerating at more than 8 MPH per second". This happened to me mostly when I was traveling at or above the speed limit and an upcoming traffic light turned yellow unexpectedly and I didn't have quite enough time to decelerate smoothly and slowly. Thing is, though, the device would beep whenever the hard braking flag was triggered, so I quickly learned to adapt to it and to drive more cautiously when approaching a traffic light.

In the end, I felt the 10% savings was worth the minor inconvenience, and I don't think there are any real privacy concerns. It does not track your location in any sort of systematic nefarious way, to the best of my knowledge.

[grasshopper]

My experience was a 6% reduction with snapshot and a 10% annual increase on my premiums. They only did that once hello Geico. It was those sudden braking, pesky bunnies, mule deer, roadrunners, and box turtles that got me.

[Blue Collar Guy]

I would let them install a breathalyzer in my car too if i could save money.

[Alan]

I have a friend whose teenage grandson has one of those devices to greatly reduce his premiums. Recently my friend was in his grandson's car while the lad's dad was driving. He said it was hilarious to hear his grandson berating his father for accelerating and braking too hard, "You're going to cause my premiums to go up!!!!!"

[Blue Collar Guy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan I have a friend whose teenage grandson has one of those devices to greatly reduce his premiums. Recently my friend was in his grandson's car while the lad's dad was driving. He said it was hilarious to hear his grandson berating his father for accelerating and braking too hard, "You're going to cause my premiums to go up!!!!!"

[Koolau]

Seems too much like Big Brother. YMMV

[euro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koolau Seems too much like Big Brother. YMMV

My thought too - no way I trust the big corp with all that data. It seems that they can't even get their story straight as to weather they track speed or not. I'm sure they collect all sorts of data - they may not use it right now, but it exists. And if there is a profit to be made later on, then who knows.

Self-policing by commercially driven institutions has a poor track record, IMHO

[CDRE]

We have vehicles with Progressive. After much contemplation regarding the data collection, we went for it and drove like Progressive angels during the few months of device monitoring. Progressive angels don't drive between 12:00AM - 4:00AM, they don't decelerate greater than 7 miles a second per second, they never go over 70 MPH, and they don't drive a whole bunch of miles. We did have a few hard brakes for each vehicle and one of them is driven about 26,000 miles a year while one of them is driven about 7,000 mile a year. The device does not have GPS so it only knows that the maximum legal speed is 70MPH. We achieved 30% off for each vehicle and returned the devices to Progressive in their prepaid shipping box. The 30% discount transfers to replacement vehicles we add to the policy.

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDRE The device does not have GPS so it only knows that the maximum legal speed is 70MPH.

In most states, but certainly not all.

[Koolau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister In most states, but certainly not all.

Yup. In HI the highest SL is 60mph. That's only on the most expensive stretch of "Interstate" ever built - the H3 freeway. YMMV

[zinger1457]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDRE The device does not have GPS so it only knows that the maximum legal speed is 70MPH. We achieved 30% off for each vehicle and returned the devices to Progressive in their prepaid shipping box. The 30% discount transfers to replacement vehicles we add to the policy.

Seems like it worked out for you, why did you return the devices? The speed limit on AZ freeways (outside city limits) is 75, hopefully they program it by state.

[ShokWaveRider]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koolau Seems too much like Big Brother. YMMV

Only if you have something to hide.

[Mdlerth]

I would be extremely hesitant to trust anything they tell you about what they will do with data.

I signed onto Progressive many years ago because they "quoted" me the lowest price. After two months they sent me a bill, explaining they had "quoted" me the wrong rate. I explained in return that they had agreed to the contract, and their mistake wasn't my problem. They said if I didn't pay the extra money, they would simply cancel the policy.

I told them that in view of their questionable ethics, I would seek insurance elsewhere.

[CDRE]

Progressive only requires monitoring until they are satisfied. They tell you when you're done. It was about three months for us but someone told me their family was monitored for about six months.

Valid points on the speed limit. Dunno. My graph had 70MPH as the top speed which is allowed for my state.

[ShokWaveRider]

Saved me 22%

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShokWaveRider Only if you have something to hide.

This argument has frequently been used to trample privacy rights. Not to say one shouldn't take Progressive up on their offer, but everyone has something, in life, to hide.

[GrayHare]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShokWaveRider Only if you have something to hide.

"Today I made and appearance downtown,
I am an expert witness, because I say I am.
And I said, 'Gentleman....and I use that word loosely...I will testify for you.
I'm a gun for hire, I'm a saint, I'm a liar,
Because there are no facts, there is no truth, just data to be manipulated.
I can get you any result you like....what's it worth to ya?
Because there is no wrong, there is no right.'"

-Don Henley, The Garden of Allah

[ShokWaveRider]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover This argument has frequently been used to trample privacy rights. Not to say one shouldn't take Progressive up on their offer, but everyone has something, in life, to hide.

OK, but I am European and we are not as hung up about privacy as others may be. I honestly do not care what they or anyone wants to know about me, I have nothing to hide.

NOW Identity theft is something else. Keep your hands and eyes and cookies and malware OFF my Passwords and Financial Information.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDRE Progressive only requires monitoring until they are satisfied. They tell you when you're done. It was about three months for us but someone told me their family was monitored for about six months. Valid points on the speed limit. Dunno. My graph had 70MPH as the top speed which is allowed for my state.

In Texas we have some 80 MPH speed limits and many at 75. I believe there is one stretch of highway where the posted speed is 85 MPH.