Allstate’s new DriveWise car tracking program can help you receive more car insurance discounts and will provide you with a 10% discount for enrolling. The new telematic device installs just under your dash on vehicles 1996 and newer.
Here is very short video showing how and where to install the insurance driving device:
Here are complete details on the Allstate Drivewise car insurance discount program.
Would you like to monitor your teenage driver’s driving habits? No, not with a GPS system but with Telematics devices supplied by your car insurance company. You may be entitled to new discounts to lower your teens premiums.
The new “pay as you drive insurance” discounts can not only benefit low mileage drivers but can help parents see how their teens are driving. For example, Allstate’s Drivewise website allows you to log in and view each vehicles driving performance. The Drivewise statistics will show if the car has ever gone over 80 miles per hour, the time of day the car is being used, braking and acceleration patterns.
While Drivewise and other pay as you go car insurance programs are not available in every state, it appears that they will most likely be introduced throughout the USA soon. You may pay a small fee for use of the device and tracking features. Discounts may include initial sign-up discounts up to 10 percent and driving performance discounts as high as 30 percent.
Unlike a GPS you will not be able to track your teenage driver’s location. Parents may want to install the car monitoring system to encourage teen drivers to pay better attention to their driving. In pilot tests, the best discounts are offered to teens who drive locally and operate their cars between the hours of 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. No drivers in the household will be penalized by the insurance company for poor driving. Of course, parents may want to reprimand their teenage for poor driving! You can log in daily to see your teen’s driving skills or lack thereof! Here’s to safer teen drivers!
Will my rates go up if my car insurance company tracks my driving habits with devices such as Allstate’s Drivewise, Progressive’s Snapshot or other telematic plug-in devices and I don’t drive properly? No – short of reckless driving and excessive speeding – your rates will not be adversely affected by installing your insurance companies monitoring system.
This car insurance plug-in to monitor driving habits is designed to track a few of your driving habits, such as: speed, distance traveled, time of day and braking. The insurance company programs that we have reviewed were created to increase safety, awareness and reward better drivers with lower insurance premiums. The telematic plug-ins are voluntary and can be turned back into the company at any time.
Several auto insurance carriers including online car insurance companies offer an initial sign-up bonus for participation. As your driving statistics are monitored you could be in line for additional discounts due to lower mileage use, less aggressive braking and the time of day you drive the most.
It is conceivable that in the future drivers can pay for car insurance strictly on a “Pay as you drive” basis. For now, don’t worry about your vehicle insurance rates going up because you participate in your insurance company’s new programs – in fact you stand to save money. More details about Allstate Insurance Drivewise and Progressive Snapshot.
Allstate Insurance will roll-out the new Drive Wise telematics technology to the state of Arizona on August 8, 2011 to help reward safe drivers and those that put fewer miles on their cars. The self installed wireless device uses an accelerometer to track the physical behavior of your vehicle such as movement, speed and mileage.
While open to all standard auto insurance customers, Allstate looks to focus on the adult market of 35-55 and parents of teenagers. Telematics based insurance benefits include significant car insurance discounts.
The new discounts available for Drive Wise will be a 10 percent discount for enrollment and up to a 30 percent discount for operator performance. The four main areas for measurement will be:
1. Miles driven
2. Time of Day you use your car
3. Braking and Stopping
4. Speed
Customers will be able to see their performance or driving data through a password protected site. Allstate customers can enroll online, through their personal Allstate agent and via 800 number. Once enrolled the customer will receive the Drive Wise plug in device via regular mail and installation support is provided online and from a dedicated call center.
Pay as you go car insurance is becoming more popular and is either available in your state now or will be soon. Several auto insurance companies are rolling out new discounts for customers who enroll in these new programs.
In the past the technology was not available to effectively monitor driving habits, however, now there are small non-privacy invading methods to make both drivers and insurance companies comfortable with the process. Typically an insurance company will provide you with a small plug-in device that you plug into your car’s diagnostic computer. This is the same area that auto repair shop’s use to diagnos engine light warnings and such.
For years insurance customers have said that there should be better discounts afforded to those drivers whose mileage is lower than average. Typically the top US auto insurers divide insurance customers into two mileage groups – those who driver over 7500 miles annually and those that drive less than 7500 miles per year.
The good news is that the new wireless plug-ins like Drive Wise offered by Allstate Insurance and Snapshot from Progressive Insurance, monitor exact mileage, time the vehicle is in use, braking use and speeds. Even better the programs are designed to add discounts and lower premiums – not to increase your premiums!
Pay as you drive car insurance looks like it will become a long term discount offered by insurance carriers. The car insurance companies believe that these new telematic products will help to decrease accidents and claims, and ultimately lower car insurance costs to the consumers.