{"id":10381,"date":"2024-07-22T16:22:40","date_gmt":"2024-07-22T16:22:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/?p=10381"},"modified":"2024-07-22T16:23:59","modified_gmt":"2024-07-22T16:23:59","slug":"telematics-insurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/auto\/telematics-insurance\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigating the World of Telematics Insurance: How Your Driving Habits Can Save You Money\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Traditionally, car insurance premiums are calculated using a variety of risk factors, such as your age, driving history, the type of car you drive, and the estimated number of miles you drive each year. Telematics insurance takes this idea to the next level by directly tracking your driving behaviors to create a much more accurate risk profile. Tracking programs work by keeping an eye on your actual habits behind the wheel instead of making generalizations based on your personal information. That way, if you drive safely, you can earn a lower rate due to your decreased likelihood of getting into an accident. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you’re curious about how you can save money on your car insurance<\/a> by simply keeping up with your safe driving habits, get started by exploring the basics of telematics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Telematics is the process of remotely monitoring the way vehicles move. In the world of insurance, telematics allows carriers to observe their customers’ driving habits. They can track different aspects of your behavior on the road, including: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Based on those factors, your insurer will assign you an overall score or risk level. If your data indicates that you’re a safe driver overall, your insurer can cut you a deal on your coverage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Insurers have been using telematics since the late ’90s. It began with pay-as-you-drive or usage-based coverage models, where you would plug a telematics device into your car’s diagnostic port for a set period of time. The device would collect information about how much you drove, along with other details about your driving habits. Then, you’d return the device to your insurer, and they would calculate a custom rate based on how much you drove and your general risk level as a driver. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, many insurers have developed more convenient insurance tracking programs that track your behaviors by the minute. Instead of having to regularly recheck your driving habits, you can keep a device in your vehicle that will communicate with the insurer in real time. Some companies will even use your phone as the tracking device, so all you have to do is download a telematics app for car insurance and calibrate it to your vehicle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some examples of these types of apps include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Insurers calculate your premium based on your potential cost as a client. For example, if you’ve caused several accidents and gotten multiple tickets, your carrier would probably assume you’re likely to get into an accident and make a claim in the future. As a result, you’d likely have a high premium. Similarly, insurers may look at a driver with a clean record and assume they won’t make a claim, then give them a lower premium. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, this is just a guess based on the available information. There are plenty of unsafe drivers who have never made a claim and plenty of safe drivers who have been in an accident. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With telematics, insurers don’t have to guess. They can look at your driving habits in real time and determine if you’re driving safely or not. This helps them accurately adjust your risk level and give you a safe driver discount<\/a> whenever possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you drive safely, telematics is a no-brainer. However, some people may wonder if telematics might increase their rates. Typically, these programs are designed to reward safe drivers, not punish unsafe drivers. Additionally, one instance of unsafe driving is unlikely to increase your rates because telematics programs will consider your driving behavior over a certain stretch of time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, it is possible for you to get a rate increase if you don’t drive safely for an extended period of time. If you know you regularly speed, take sharp turns, and brake at the last minute, you may want to practice better habits on the road before you sign up.<\/p>\n\n\nDefining Telematics and its Place in Car Insurance<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Evolution of Pay-as-You-Drive Models<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How Safe Driving Habits Translate to Lower Premiums<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What To Consider Before Switching to Telematics Insurance<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n