"Black-box" car insurance
Interesting article here
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/apr/05/car-insurance-premiums-...
on "telematics" car insurance. You have a box fitted to your car which monitors the quantity and quality of your driving and feeds it back to the insurance company via a satellite. The premium is raised or lowered depending on how you drive. You can log into a web site each night to check your driving score.
I like the idea of paying less insurance if I don't drive. Be good if registration also worked this way. Then I'd be making money every time I went out on my bike.
Any sign of this coming to Australia ?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Juz on -
Black Box... BB... Big Brother... *cue conspiracy theorists*
:-)
(could the boxes be hacked like the speed limiters on Australian trucks?)
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Permalink Reply by Michael Murray on -
Yep they know where you are! Actually with all the CCTV in the UK and the cameras that recognise number plates they definitely do know where you are if you drive in the UK.
I would have thought this is a prime hacking opportunity. Not just with the boxes but with the on-line data that is stored with the insurance company.
I do like the idea of giving people an incentive to leave the car at home though. Currently there are a large number of high standing costs associated with owning a car that you pay whether you use it or not: rego, insurance and servicing for example.
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Permalink Reply by Clive Palfrey on -
I think car insurance premiums based on how much you drive already exists. Cue Mr Plush.
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Permalink Reply by heather on -
I had car insurance based on driving under 5,000 km per year. Then insured the classic car with Shannons and premium decreased. Then car classified as historic and Shannons sent me a rebate.
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Permalink Reply by Don Plush on -
Yep...Shannons the Insurer for Motoring Enthusiast, does offer cheaper premiums for vehicles that are not driver regularly. The cheapest rates tend to be for those vehicles that are historically registered through a car club - this is what Heather is referring too.
This message has been brought to you by the man with a strange car... G O G G O...Yes, it is the dart!
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Permalink Reply by heather on
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According to the article, there are advantages.
Co-operative Insurance has analysed the driving habits of 10,000 telematics insurance customers aged 17 to 25 across the UK, finding that they were 20% less likely to have a crash than those with standard insurance. Telematics customers have less serious accidents, with a typical claim 30% less than ordinary customers.
. . . have driven so carefully in the past 12 months that the Co-op has cut the cost of renewing the policy . . . "You can't see the technology - it's installed under the dashboard, but you can check how you are doing by logging onto the website at home. You are given a score for your driving each day between 0 and 5, with 5 being the best. If you do things like driving fast round corners, or driving after 11pm and before 6am, your score drops."It does change the way you drive - it makes you more careful and aware of other drivers." . . .
The technology has helped the police recover several stolen cars: one was tracked down within 20 minutes and the thief arrested. Drivers can also use the information gathered to prove that they are not at fault for accidents by speeding or jumping traffic lights. But insurers believe telematics will come into its own from December, when an EU directive will force them to stop using gender to determine risk. Until now, claims data has pointed to young men and older women being the most likely to claim on their policies, and insurers have hiked their premiums in line with the increased risk.
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Permalink Reply by Visitant on -
I'm in. Heck, I'd be prepared to have GPS tracking installed in my car (as long as everyone else does as well!).
<DREAM SEQUENCE> This would definitely have a major impact on bad driving habits if it was applied across the board.</DREAM SEQUENCE>
Back to the real world though - as has already been mentioned, the privacy advocates would have a field day & whip the bogan conspiracy theorists into a frenzy. ACA and TT would think all their Christmases had come at once!
TO DO: contact my (major) insurance company on Tuesday and ask them whether they are looking at this technology & if not, why not.
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Permalink Reply by heather on
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+1
My classic car is insured with Shannons. Although I usually cycle, I have retained my RAA membership. My discounted electricity and gas arranged through RAA group deal, and get further discount on my RAA membership. I plan to contact the RAA who organise car insurance and promote safer driving.
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Permalink Reply by Don (Who's lost?) Nairn on -
Would this technology have another use?
of you are a repeat offender for hoon driving activities could it be part of you license conditions that you have one of these fitted to the car you drive?
would it be a better solution for P platers than long training regimes?
after all alcoholics need an interlock system fitted to their car.
if it is voluntary the conspiracy people should struggle.
It may also sort out arguments where there are very different stories when there is a collision.
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Permalink Reply by Clive Palfrey on
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Problem with hoon drivers is that they invariably seem to be driving (hooning) in daddies car.
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Permalink Reply by heather on
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A concerned parent might take out this car insurance with tracking, naming the teenager on his policy. Increased premiums for a year when the teenager drives the vehicle. The parent can log onto the web daily to check how the score is affected. If the teenager does not improve, then parent bans the teenager from driving the family car. A bit of a stick. The other stick is that teenager then needs to buy their own car and pay very high insurance premiums.
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Permalink Reply by Don (Who's lost?) Nairn on
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I have seen plenty of hoon driver that appear well over 40 years old.
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