Tuesday, September 18, 2012

IMHO :: Tracking Devices

September 18 2012,

In recent news, you may have heard that Progressive is offering drivers a unit that gets plugged into the car so that the insurance company can track your driving habits. Read the full article here.

If you fall into one of these categories, definitely DO NOT sign up for this "service"
  • If you drive more than 12,000 miles a year
  • If you average 80+ mph on the highway, and sometimes hit 110 mph when you know the car in front of you is doing the same because they have this gadget call the radar
  • If you are cheating on your spouse
  • If you have a bad driving record and cars tend to hit you or you tend to hit cars
Basically, if you are a careful driver, and you do not drive around that much, and you drive at the posted speed limit, then this device can save you money on your insurance bill.

Even if I fell into the category of "safe" driver, which I do by the insurance definition, which I think is good driving record, I would not have this thingy a jig installed. It's an invasion of privacy. Even if the car just sits in the garage 24 x 7, why would I want the insurance company knowing that it just sits there?

But money talks. If it can save me 70% or more on my car insurance bill, maybe I'll put this tracking device in the car. But until then, no way Jose.

If you think about it more, if you do get into an accident, this device will probably be able to tell the insurance company more than you want them to know. For example, it will be able to exactly say what speed you were driving at and the exact location, and maybe other facts that you might not want them to know. Those white lies may no longer work, and you no longer can squeeze yourself out of a bad situation.

Would you have this tracking device installed in your car?

What would you do if the insurance company mandates that you install this device in your car?

Quilt & Bitch

5 comments:

p00lriah said...

i wouldn't put that in my car. no way.

Quilt+Bitch said...

really? how about if the insurance company tells you they will cover 50% of your insurance cost for 3 years, woudl money change your opinion?

p00lriah said...

still won't. you always pay with insurance; you may not pay money, but you'll pay something.

Bethany said...

No way. I have teenage drivers and since I can't afford to put them on insurance now, why would I want this with learning teenagers? Especially since I have to pay 30 dollars?

What if the speed limit is 80? Ever have to hit the brakes hard on the freeway at rush hour? In most cases, it's obvious who is at fault in an accident and with cell phones you can record what you want.

If you want to reward me for safe driving, quit raising my rates. No insurance company should have the right to tell me how to drive and if I'm doing it safely.

It's been a long day..LOL. Sorry to go on..this type of thing just really grinds my gears.

Quilt+Bitch said...

Teenager, yes, I should have put that on my list of reasons NOT to sign up. Car insurance seems to be a rip off, in most states it is a mandate to have car insurance. I have never gotten into an accident where it was my fault, it has always been somebody else. Only one time where it was a no-fault situation. In the long run, it seems cheaper to pay out of pocket IF you are at fault, unless it's a really bad situation. Hopefully this thingy ma jig does not start becoming the "in thing" and then it passes through congress and becomes a mandate. Now, go sew and blow up some steam through quilting.