My car insurance provider is offering a device to monitor driving and possibly give discounts from 10% to 40%. They say it measures your driving habits and provides feedback. My partner and I mainly drive in South Jersey and sometimes go to New York.
I’m wondering how they decide if your driving is good or bad? For example, would driving 80 on a 70 mph highway hurt my score and possibly raise my rates instead of lowering them? Has anyone tried something like this? Do you find it worth it or just a way for the company to track you?
Zan said: @Kirin
Why would they do that? We’ve had no claims, no accidents, and only one minor parking ticket. Feels unfair if they punish that.
Even if you’re a great customer, the device might flag you for speeding slightly over the limit or driving more miles than average. They could label you as ‘higher risk’ just based on data patterns and raise your rates.
@Ira
Exactly. And even if you’re a perfect driver, the device costs them money. They’ll find ways to make that money back, likely through increased rates or policy changes.
Skyler said:
A neighbor tried it. Got a small discount the first year, but their rates increased later based on driving data. They switched insurers after that.
That doesn’t sound like much of a benefit. Thanks for sharing!
If you work nights, driving late hours can make you seem risky. These devices track braking, acceleration, speed, time of day, and even phone usage. They often misinterpret normal driving situations as risky behavior.
Insurance tracking devices collect data like speed, location, and braking habits to assess risk. If someone else drives your car poorly, it still affects your profile. There are other ways to get discounts—ask about multi-policy or safe-driver discounts instead of using this device.