Car insurance premiums have been on the increase for several years now, and most experts predict that the cost of insuring your car will remain high. The increased cost of injury claims resulting from car accidents is just one of the factors that have pushed premiums to new levels. Increased fuel and maintenance costs have had a further impact on drivers, and many now question whether owning and running a car is a luxury they can’t afford. Young drivers have been hit particularly hard by increased insurance costs.
Car insurance for young drivers is expensive because statistical data used by insurance companies indicates that they are more likely to be involved in accidents. Experts agree that driving experience dramatically reduces the risk of collisions and accidents, and young drivers simply haven’t had enough time on the road. Many insurers will offer discounts to young drivers if they take advanced driving courses, and this is one way to reduce premiums. New technology is now seen is the real solution to providing cheap car insurance for young drivers.
Telematics car insurance policies offer personalised insurance cover based on exactly when and how you drive. Insurance underwriters have traditionally grouped people together and rated policies on the average driver, but telematics technology makes it possible to assess the driving habits of the individual. By having a device fitted to your car which monitors and tracks your driving performance, you can prove to an insurance company that you are a better than average risk.
Telematics car insurance is becoming increasingly popular, and specialist policies are now appearing on insurance comparison websites. Apps are now available allowing you to experiment with the technology used by telematics insurance providers. Downloading one of these apps is a good way to test your driving skills and assess whether a telematics policy may be right for you. If you believe that you are a better than average driver, it’s probably worth having telematics technology installed. There are no guarantees of immediate insurance premium savings, but the technology can guide you to be a safer driver and ultimately to get the benefit of cheaper car insurance.
Data analysis proves that certain driving habits make you more at risk of having an accident. Harsh accelerating and braking, and cornering at high speeds are examples of the sort of behaviours likely to lead to collisions and accidents. The time of day you drive and the type of roads you use most often also influence the statistical chances of you needing to make an insurance claim. Telematics technology can track your driving habits and lead to cheaper premiums if you are a better than average driver.
As well as helping you to become a safer driver and reducing your insurance premiums, a telematics device can also help if you have an accident. If the device senses that your car may have been in a collision, it can automatically notify the insurance company. If the insurance company believe you are in a remote location or may have been injured, they can make contact with the emergency services and get help out to you.
Some drivers are reluctant to have a telematics box fitted to their vehicle as they believe this means they are being spied on. In reality there’s very little the insurance company can do with the information they are fed other than assess your driving habits and behaviours. The police will not be notified if you break the speed limit, and there are no cases where evidence from a telematics device has been used to prosecute a driver. If you do drive at dangerous speeds regularly, you are unlikely to see insurance premium savings.
Telematics technology is an excellent way of helping young drivers to develop their driving skills.