AllState Insurance DriveWise Program Anyone Use It?

So we switched to AllState insurance a month ago, and they called with an opportunity to lower our rates.

They will decrease our rates by 5% if we enter the "DriveWise" program. If at the end of the program (6 months) we exhibit good driving patterns, our rates can go down as much as 30%

If at the end of it, there is no justification to lower rates, they would never increase based on the data, we just go back to where we are.

Have a few weeks to device, there is no GPS in the unit, so it does not track location.

It tracks

Time of day, Distance, Hard Breaking (slamming), and speeds excess of 125km.

So she said if you're doing 120 in a 40, we have no way of knowing that, it doesn't count against you, do 125 or over, then it records you went over that speed and counts against you.

I have been known to burry the needle well past the 125 mark when passing long lines of semi trucks, but other then that, 120 is usually the max (when travelling major highways posted at 100

Anyone else use this device? any feedback? suggestions?

This is just me,TR,but I wouldn't trust an insurance company if Jesus himself had his arm over their shoulders. You need to ask yourself this. If they weren't using it to ascertain "risk" to underwrite a policy and establish a rating schedule,why would they bother?

http://www.oodmag.com/community/show...nce-Smart-Ride

An insurance companies job is to make money based on statistics that work in their favour. Just like a casino. And just like a casino they don't set up the odds to lose. If you truly think you are better than the average driver and not just better, but better enough to over come the house advantage, go for it. Something like this probably favours the top 25% of drivers, but don't forget, 85% of drivers think they are better than average.

I think a lot of people are afraid of the "big brother " senerio. I signed up for this a few weeks back, I have nothing to hide or lose. I know I am not the best driver but far from the worst. Minimal I save is $300 per yr and can go up from that. Why not. All vehicles have a black box so to speak, so if your involved in a major accident its looked at anyways. I would imagine in a couple yrs everyone will have to put one of these in you vehicle if you want insurance. Why should I have to pay higher insurance than the next guy when he has claims galore and drives insane. Insurance should be based on the drivers risks.

Good points Gooseman. And everyone else thanks for the input.

I fear its another frog in a pot of water scenario. They offer savings to entice buy in. When enough sign up they push for legislation and make it mandatory for all with no savings for good driving and penalties for "bad".

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Originally Posted by pmannat

I fear its another frog in a pot of water scenario. They offer savings to entice buy in. When enough sign up they push for legislation and make it mandatory for all with no savings for good driving and penalties for "bad".

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And they should penalize the BAD, why should I have to pay for them? So if I am cheaper than the bad driver then I consider that a discount. Same as with the young kids, I have a son that paid $3000 a yr to drive my truck and a daughter that pays $1000 WHY? Let them prove themselves then charge accordingly to the way they drive.

I agree. I just dont see how by merely tracking my speed and position proves whether I'm a good driver or not.
My commute consists of mainly 80km roads where everyone travels 90-95 km/h. I've never had an accident. The near misses i have had or accidents i have witnessed are all to often the "curtious " drivers that ignore right of way to wave each other ahead at stops etc. Good driving is about following the law, being aware, driving predictably so as to avoid confusion. Not how fast i accelerate or the rated speed ( within reason) . Not condoning speeding, just that following the speed of traffic is safer than fighting it.

So what's the verdict TR? Gonna try it?

Still out.

It would be going in the wifes truck, which rarely gets driven. If I'm working from home, or flying out of town she uses my company car, if I'm in town and working from home, she uses my car as well, and the truck stays parked.

She's a very good driver, not aggressive with either pedals, and a speed limit obeyer, (not that, that in itself matters, the device has no way to determine the speed limit of the area you are in) but does reduce her need to break.

Going to mull it over and make up my mind next week.

saving 5% to 30% based on time of day, distance, hard breaking (slamming), and speeds in excess of 125km seems too good to be true to me.
but based on what you say about your wife's driving, give it ago.
let us know how it goes?

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Originally Posted by TurkeyRookie

Still out.

It would be going in the wifes truck, which rarely gets driven. If I'm working from home, or flying out of town she uses my company car, if I'm in town and working from home, she uses my car as well, and the truck stays parked.

She's a very good driver, not aggressive with either pedals, and a speed limit obeyer, (not that, that in itself matters, the device has no way to determine the speed limit of the area you are in) but does reduce her need to break.

Going to mull it over and make up my mind next week.

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I'm surprised they haven't got it hooked up with a GPS system - then they could check vs speed limits as well.

How you brake tells a whole lot about how safe of driver you are though...

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Originally Posted by werner.reiche

I'm surprised they haven't got it hooked up with a GPS system - then they could check vs speed limits as well.

How you brake tells a whole lot about how safe of driver you are though...

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My only concern with the "breaking" thing is you are rated on break pressure, so If I'm driving along sunday afternoon bright and sunny no traffic, doing 80 in the 80 on my way to Hornepayne and as I round a corner a bull comes up out of the ditch and I get stopped quickly and safely, I'm dinged for that, rather then rewarded for making a safe stop and avoiding a collision.

In my recent experiences with insurance companies, they only want the 'cream of the crop' - they want to insure only those with very clean records and long histories of accident free driving. And with monitoring your driving habits (legislation will be here in a few years, I agree), they'll be able to narrow down who they will like to insure even further. All will be well and good as long as you're in that 'good group'. Make a simple mistake, and you'll be one of those 'bad' drivers, referred to above, who should pay more, because, well, you're a 'bad driver'. My point? Any excuse to put you in 'driver jail' and it will be very, very difficult to get out of.

I don't like it.

We've had them in our work trucks for over a year now. That skunk you avoided, that pothole you hit (records as harsh cornering), that uphill acceleration (Harsh acceleration), those uneven train tracks........ they all fall into one of the categories. Don't drive on gravel roads with potholes in the spring. They all show up as some sort of "event". Insurance companies will ALWAYS win, and don't give out freebies......ever.

PS, Don't let them mount it on the windshield, the higher up, the more sensitive. Ours were moved as even manhole covers on a turn set them off.

These ones plug into the service module and only record speed. Time of day. Breaking and acceleration. Apparently.

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Originally Posted by TurkeyRookie

These ones plug into the service module and only record speed. Time of day. Breaking and acceleration. Apparently.

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Sure they do.......:)

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Originally Posted by LiveBates

Sure they do.......:)

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I'm sure sphincter pucker is in there somewhere, and if a turtles head happens they drop you like a hot potato..lol

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Originally Posted by gooseman

I think a lot of people are afraid of the "big brother " senerio. I signed up for this a few weeks back, I have nothing to hide or lose. I know I am not the best driver but far from the worst. Minimal I save is $300 per yr and can go up from that. Why not. All vehicles have a black box so to speak, so if your involved in a major accident its looked at anyways. I would imagine in a couple yrs everyone will have to put one of these in you vehicle if you want insurance. Why should I have to pay higher insurance than the next guy when he has claims galore and drives insane. Insurance should be based on the drivers risks.

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They are not going to look at that black box already existing in you car without a warrant and as you said that comes into play only with a serious accident.

You don't own the insurance company black box though. Why anyone would willingly expose themselves to this scrutiny is beyond me.

Let me point something else out. If you are 1km over the speed limit and lets say you get in a minor accident, this device knows and is accessed by the insurance company. Guess who is at fault now?

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Originally Posted by last5oh_302

I'm sure sphincter pucker is in there somewhere, and if a turtles head happens they drop you like a hot potato..lol

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Now,that's funny,right there. ROFLMAO!

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Originally Posted by Big Jack

They are not going to look at that black box already existing in you car without a warrant and as you said that comes into play only with a serious accident.

You don't own the insurance company black box though. Why anyone would willingly expose themselves to this scrutiny is beyond me.

Let me point something else out. If you are 1km over the speed limit and lets say you get in a minor accident, this device knows and is accessed by the insurance company. Guess who is at fault now?

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I absolutely agree. They don't do this shyte for no reason. We have a Charter right to not give evidence against ourselves and that especially includes insurance companies. Under the law as it stands now,the insurance company can NOT access on-board "black box" information and the Courts have ruled against their last application for judicial status. That information is the soul domain of the Crown and only under a specific set of circumstances. The insurance industry needed to come up with a back door method. What better way to get that info than by offering unsuspecting customers rate reductions and present their program as "voluntary" to report on themselves? It's really shows how underhanded these companies can be. This "trial balloon" program should be outlawed,outright,but,don't look for Wynne and Co. to figure it out.