Let’s Understand Vehicle Telematics
User-Based insurance or Telematics technology looks at the pattern of driving as the base of an insurance premium. The insurer will use the data collected by this amazing microcomputer. This is to determine the kind of coverage that suits your vehicle best. This technology will monitor and assess everything that you do behind the wheel and your attitude towards that road. In this article, we will discuss auto insurance telematics.
What Is Auto Insurance Telematics?
Auto Insurance Telematics prevents you from getting lost. And, in cases where you might need it, this makes it easy for you to receive roadside help. All in all, this super amazing technology in cars navigates for you and promotes safety and security. It provides communication and the best thing about it is that it doesn’t take up so much space! This technology fits in your dashboard. Like a plane’s black box, it records all the data and is inside a crash-resistant box.
Telematics comes in different names like usage-based insurance or pay-as-you-drive. This is a system that looks into driving patterns. This also provides drivers with an incentive that comes in financial form. The safer you are as a driver, the cheaper the premium.
Diving into its Features
Here are some, if not all of the telematics features that can be in your vehicle depending on what kind of package you have from your provider.
Automatic Collision Notification
No one wants to be in a car crash but if this happens, the system can detect the event and it will send a notice out in the area for help. The strong signal can reach a good radius when it comes to area coverage. And, in cases where a crash is severe, the modem won’t obtain damages due to the crash-resistant box that it is in.
Emergency Assist
There are a lot of things that could happen when you are driving on that road. You may be on a spontaneous road trip one day and the next day, you may be a witness to a crime or an accident, or you or someone in the proximity of your vehicle probably needs medical assistance. The SOS button that comes in handy with the telematics system can connect you to the right help when you need it even if you don’t scream for it.
Roadside Help
This goes without saying that when you are in the middle of nowhere and have a flat tire or you run out of fuel, telematics can help you in getting the assistance that you need in the nick of time via GPS.
Diagnostics
Another important feature of telematics is the ability to perform diagnostics before your dealer visits. Car owners with vehicle telematics will receive monthly reports sent via email regarding the running condition of their vehicle.
If this isn’t attractive enough, other minor benefits could make a driver’s life easier in the long run. Just like your phone apps, telematics can provide you with the following conveniences:
Comparing Gas Prices in your area and Gas Finder
Fuel prices aren’t always favorable but with this system, you have a better chance of getting the best deals and savings. With navigation, you also have help when it comes to finding the nearest gas stations and if you are not familiar with the area, telematics gives you instructions on how to get there.
Smartphone Apps for Local Directory Listings
Called simply local search, telematics has search features just like the ones in your mobile phone. It can provide information about nearby hotels, shopping centers, cafes, restaurants, bars, and a whole lot more.
News
Never miss out on what’s happening with the world. With telematics, you have news and weather apps that send you notifications.
Streaming Services
Never ride and be bored again. You have so many options at the tips of your fingers with streaming. Music and video apps are available with the system.
Messages
Driving and reading text messages is not safe when you are behind the wheel but with telematics, you have the text and email messages displayed and read to you, and replying to them via voice dictation will not take your eyes away from the road.
Enhanced Automatic Crash Notification
This system uses the data that is collected through sensors to analyze how much damage was done to the vehicle and the injuries that the passengers may have. This prevents additional injuries and can connect you to help and bring them right to the scene.
Geofencing
Putting boundaries for loved ones especially the new drivers, mostly teenagers, provides parents with information on whether or not the driver is exceeding allowable speed and is driving within acknowledged distances.
Are there a lot of drivers using Auto Insurance Telematics?
Telematics can help everyone drive safely and of course, safer driving equates to more savings when it comes to insurance premiums but why aren’t more drivers getting this technology in their vehicles?
One reason is that nagging feeling you have that as you stick your keys to the ignition and drive, you are being monitored to the minute and to be monitored by a third-party provider creates more discomfort for the drivers especially because privacy is involved. People are also unfamiliar with telematics that it is so easy to doubt this technology or be suspicious of it.
Who are the users of Telematics?
The target of auto insurers is drivers who drive less and are really careful. These are the drivers who have less mileage or little to no unfavorable incidents. New car owners and young drivers fall into this category along with daytime commuting individuals. These customers usually consent to be monitored for a span of one to two months. Once the results come in and policyholders qualify, they can have discounts on annual premiums.
In summary, Telematics works by looking at a driver’s behavior behind the wheel. It analyzes the distance driven, what time the driver is on the road and how a driver makes turns, accelerates, or brakes. We collect the data for each trip and because of this information made available, any driver can understand how he is performing and adjust their behavior accordingly.
Driver education can help them improve and as they do become better at driving safely, insurance premiums can be a lot more friendly on the financial side giving you more savings. When it comes to the data collected, there are strict privacy policies attached to this. These things are solely collected for insurance purposes by the insurer and may not be used for any other purposes without acquiring consent from the driver.
Telematics and the Future
More and more breakthroughs and discoveries are coming into place for safer driving and the ability of telematics to improve safety makes for an exciting future. With the internet in place, this system can allow for car-to-car communication and expanded functionalities. There are so many exciting possibilities and what humans can imagine knows no bounds.
We’re here to help
Deciding on whether to get telematics or not is entirely up to the driver of course. But if you are looking into getting more savings from your insurance provider, and if you want your safety as a driver, then Telematics is the way to go.
Still got questions about auto insurance? We’re definitely here to help answer your questions. Contact us today at Team AIS here in Denver, CO, and we’ll get things straightened out for you. We won’t disappoint!