Is Telematics ACTUALLY Saving You Money, or Just Spying on You?

[Austintin]

Telematics car insurance promises big discounts for safe driving. But how "safe" is defined is the real question. Is it just about keeping your foot off the gas and avoiding rush hour? Or are they tracking your every move, from late-night grocery runs to that spontaneous weekend getaway?
Sure, the app might give you tips on "improving" your driving. But let's be honest, who hasn't slammed on the brakes for a rogue squirrel or blasted the music on a lonely highway? Are these harmless habits now insurance black marks?
And what about privacy? This little black box in your car knows where you go, how fast you drive, and even how hard you brake. Is that data really secure? Could it end up in the hands of advertisers, employers, or even the government?
I'm not saying telematics is all bad. Maybe it can encourage better driving habits and lower insurance costs for some. But before you plug that device in, ask yourself: are you really saving money, or just giving up a piece of your freedom?

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[andix]

Known-know.
Telematics doesn't work. Insurance companies want you data. Period.

 

[Murph7355]

No chance am I having it until it's legally mandatory.

 

[CaliPorsche]

The real question is not whether telematics (or data) work - it does - I have started and exited a very profitable business that generated $billions doing just that.
So I can guarantee you that the data used in the right way can bring more balance to who pays what when attempting to indemnify a companies business model losses - which side of that argument you fall on is all about what you know about you.

The real question is do Data Privacy Laws and restricted data use laws work - and how much do you trust people to comply with them - that now is way more complicated discussion.
On balance I think vehicle data has the potential to add significant value (or stop the destruction of value more accurately) - until we can be sure about privacy I also understand the concerns.

 

[kort]

Telematics car insurance promises big discounts for safe driving. But how "safe" is defined is the real question. Is it just about keeping your foot off the gas and avoiding rush hour? Or are they tracking your every move, from late-night grocery runs to that spontaneous weekend getaway?
Sure, the app might give you tips on "improving" your driving. But let's be honest, who hasn't slammed on the brakes for a rogue squirrel or blasted the music on a lonely highway? Are these harmless habits now insurance black marks?
And what about privacy? This little black box in your car knows where you go, how fast you drive, and even how hard you brake. Is that data really secure? Could it end up in the hands of advertisers, employers, or even the government?
I'm not saying telematics is all bad. Maybe it can encourage better driving habits and lower insurance costs for some. But before you plug that device in, ask yourself: are you really saving money, or just giving up a piece of your freedom?

I would never install such a device in my cars, especially a porsche which you more than likely will be driving way over the legal limits

 

[Kortin]

I've been using telematics for a while now, and honestly, it's been a mixed bag. While it does offer potential savings based on driving behavior, there's always that nagging feeling of being monitored. Probably it's time to change something. I came across direct line telephone number, maybe call them later. What about you? What insurance do you have?

 

[tbinmd]

Not enough savings to make me want to opt in to one of these programs.

 

[kort]

I would never install such a device in my cars, especially a porsche which you more than likely will be driving way over the legal limits

you might not be aware that the car is already sending data to porsche, regardless of you installing anything. the question should be is porsche randomizing the data collected or is it linking the data to your car. another question is what is porsche doing with the data, are they selling the data that they collect? I saw a report that tesla sells their data to data brokers who then sell it to whomever.

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