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Tracking devices to cut car insurance rates
- Text size
Joe Donohue / NJ Star Ledger | July 30, 2008
A new concept in determining auto insurance bills is coming to the state with the nation’s highest average rates: pay-as-you-drive.
For the first time, a New Jersey auto insurance company wants to equip cars with high-tech devices that constantly track motorists’ driving habits to determine how much they should pay.
Starting Aug. 8, Progressive Corp. will offer discounts to its 127,000 Garden State drivers if they install in their cars wireless devices that tell the insurer how many miles they drive, what time they’re out on the road, and how often and how fast they accelerate and hit the brakes.
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The company is dangling 60 percent rate discounts for the best drivers. Those who quickly rev up or slam their brakes, however, could face surcharges as high as 9 percent.
New Jersey will be only the fifth state with the pay-as-you-drive devices offered by the insurer.
“This is definitely the wave of the future,” said Loretta Worter, vice president of the Insurance Information Institute. “More and more companies are getting on board with tracking devices, seeing they offer a lot of advantages to consumers.”
Supporters of the idea say it reduces traffic because drivers want to keep their miles down. They say it improves drivers’ safety habits and cuts air pollution. They also contend it’s fairer than other new ways to charge motorists, such as basing rates on motorists’ jobs, credit scores or level of education. But others worry the devices are akin to having Big Brother riding shotgun.
“It’s a good idea for some people. It’s not for everybody,” said Richard Hutchinson, general manager of usage-based insurance for Progressive. “People need to think about this in their own situation.”
The insurer does not use how fast motorists drive as one of its rating factors and the company does not rat out speeders to the police, Hutchinson said.
In other states, about one-third of the company’s customers have enrolled and they are saving about 10 to 15 percent. New Jersey drivers pay an average of $1,184 per car in auto insurance premiums — highest in the nation, according to the latest statistics.
Hutchinson said the company can offer discounts because drivers are safer when they know they’re being monitored. Motorists may quit the program at any time.
The pocket-sized sensors, with the wireless transmitting capability of cell phones, are plugged into onboard diagnostic ports in cars dating back to 1996 models. Each day, they signal to Progressive computers about miles driven, when drivers are on the road and how they brake or accelerate.
“We’re supportive of a method that actually looks at miles driven,” said Stephen Carrellas, representative of the New Jersey chapter of the National Motorists Association. “Basically, the more you drive, the more you have a chance to be in an accident.”
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July 31st, 2008 at 1:08 am
Or would it cause even more traffic jams at traffic lights and such cause everybody is accelerating slower away?
July 31st, 2008 at 1:24 am
I agree with you……this has the absolute potential of making the roads (and people driving on them) more irritating. I am not really a “road rage” person, but I do a lot of times find myself extremely annoyed with other drivers…….imagine if they were all seriously focusing on how much they accelerate, and how often they brake. Duh, doesn’t really seem like they would be paying much attention to the road, but rather paying attention to other things.
July 31st, 2008 at 4:08 am
Ford has been putting these in for a few years now.
July 31st, 2008 at 8:40 am
THIS IS A SCAM
THERE IS NO CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION FOR REIMBURMENT FOR YOUR AUTO.
THIS IS NOTHING BUT A STATE/FED UNFUNDED MANDATE AND WE THE PEOPLE NEED TO RISE UP AND REPEAL THESE LAWS.
WE THE PEOPLE NEED TO START SWARMING OUR PUBLIC SERVENTS OFFICES AND DEMAND AN END TO THESE SUBSTANCE SUCKING LAWS.
I FEAR THE CONFLICT THATS TO COME, BUT I WELCOME THE FREEDOM THAT IT WILL BRING US.
1 SECOND AFTER THE FIRST SHOT OF THE 2ND REVOLUTION, WE ARE FREE AND NOT BOUND BY THESE ADMINISTRATIVE / COMMERCE LAWS.
July 31st, 2008 at 8:42 am
JUST DISCONNECT THE DEVICE, HOOK IT TO A BATTERY AND SET IT IN YOUR GARAGE.
LETS SEE THEM TRACK THAT.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:20 am
This seems that is would be a major expense from the insurance industry’s point of view.
Regardless, wireless devices are dangerous, our nervous system does not like to be hit with all different sorts of radiation. I would not want one of these in my car just for that purpose.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:21 am
At first, voluntary, it’ll save you money. Then they’ll raise your costs if you don’t have it. Then it’ll be mandatory. I believe Alex has covered this a few times.
“Remember when you drive alone, you drive with Big Brother”
July 31st, 2008 at 12:08 pm
f--- THAT!!!! They can choke on my device!!!!
July 31st, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Just wait and see. The first time one of those who are being monitored, has an accident, the infomation will be handed over to the police and/or the courts. Dumb idea!
July 31st, 2008 at 12:27 pm
its time for a revolution
July 31st, 2008 at 12:27 pm
let me have one i will throw it in a junker car that i have in my back yard and i will drive my normal car and get reduced rates. i bet the next step to this is use it to tax you per mile since the state is not generating enough tax money since they basically banned smoking everywhere. i really hate amerika and i cant wait until it all ends.
July 31st, 2008 at 1:02 pm
followed by quadruple prices for those who refuse … followed by lets make it mandatory … followed by the box in your car said you broke a traffic law and mailed you a ticket … followed by breathalizer in your car gets a discount … followed by mandatory … etc !
July 31st, 2008 at 1:03 pm
” The insurer does not use how fast motorists drive as one of its rating factors and the company does not rat out speeders to the police, Hutchinson said.”
no thats monitored by another agency
July 31st, 2008 at 1:43 pm
The battle for the West Coast has begun
July 31st, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Just another example how the Government wants more and more control over our lives….step by step……one law at a time……Revelations 13:16….He also FORCED everyone small or great…..rich or poor……free and slave to receive a mark on their right hand or forehead….that’s the only choice will have….where do you want the mark……………
July 31st, 2008 at 2:33 pm
IF ALEX JONES WAS REALLY FIGHTING THE NWO, WHY NOT HAVE THE CONCERT WITH WILLIE NELSON? HE TURNED IT DOWN RIGHT? SEE? THIS WEBSITE IS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF INFOIDIOTS FOR CAMP TIME.
July 31st, 2008 at 3:00 pm
This isn’t new. Progressive has had this feature for six months at least. They mail you a device that plugs into your car and tracks your habits such as how fast you accelerate from a stop and how often you drive, what distances and all that stuff, then you are supposed to unplug it, hook it up to your computer and upload the data to their server. You get a measley 5% discount on your insurance rate for even taking the thing in the first place, but then I’m sure it jacks the rate up more than that if you tend to drive fast according to whatever standard they choose to impose.
Another form of control against the average citizen that is being implimented by corporations instead of governments. This is facism in its most elegant and simple form. Control you not by reason and ethical morality, but by arbitrary standards and fines you can’t escape implemented without your input whatsoever. Its probably just a matter of time before they make this sort of thing mandatory to get car insurance.
July 31st, 2008 at 3:46 pm
#19 says “Its probably just a matter of time before they make this sort of thing mandatory to get car insurance.”
Yep I see that coming as well…
July 31st, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Ya know it’s funny how had just swithed away from Progressive insurance to another insurance company cause Progressive said if I wanted to do a non-E.F.T. they would charge me an extra $10 a month cause they could not have access to my bank account. And I told them as i hung up “You know this is just crap. The reason I’m taking out of E.F.T. is cause I want all my money out of the banking systems due to failure, and you want to charge me an extra $10 a month. So get ready for the NWO cause it’s coming!!!” click Went online and E-surance charge me $20 less a month non-E.F.T..Progressive =brokrage company BTW.
July 31st, 2008 at 6:21 pm
This is worrisome!
Rhonda
July 31st, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Why don’t we just all quit driving, but keep paying these crooks. Talk about a racket of extortion under the color of law and now they want to start counting every breath of exhaust you take. Let’s keep selling off our freedom and liberties for the almighty fraud. Is there no end to the madness?
July 31st, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Um, ladies and gentlemen, if I may?
Your precious cell phone operates EXACTLY like a GPS unit…
It bounces a signal off a satellite array that’s orbiting the hemisphere, and the satellites collectively beam a signal back. I’m not sure about this, but I wouldn’t be horribly surprised to learn that the same satellites handle both GPS AND cell phone signals. It is not outside of the realm of feasibility.
Police have already caught people by tracking them with their cell phones.
If you don’t want “Big Brother” to know how fast you are going, hang up the phone while you’re driving… These days, when I see a moron make an insane manuever on the road, I will almost lay money on it that the retard is yakking it up on their phone. It’d be doing the rest of us on the road a favor, as well, if you turned the damn thing off.
Paranoia is a wonderful state of mind. It means that you think you’re worth watching.
July 31st, 2008 at 11:52 pm
That’s why if you are running from the cops, throw the cell phone out the window.
August 1st, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Give me a freakin’ break. This isn’t about cutting insurance rates. Nobody drives perfectly all the time. Therefore, the insurance mafia is going to use this as an excuse to raise your rates, no matter if you’ve never had an accident or even a speeding ticket.
Ever wonder why your rates go up when you move to a really good part of town? Ever wonder why you rates don’t go back down when you move back to the not-so-good part of town?
August 2nd, 2008 at 11:18 pm
Oh s---. They want us to drive safely?! Next thing you know they’re going to make sure I can’t text on my cell phone when barreling down residential streets at 80 mph. Oh f---ing no!
August 4th, 2008 at 2:14 am
I am so glad someone else will be monitoring all my activities so that I am not a threat to others’. Wheh, I was worried we were living in a free country. I couldn’t tolerate that existence!