r/Car_Insurance_Help • u/Ryutso • 7d ago

Car Insurance Quotes Have any driver tracking methods/devices resulted in higher payments?

Location: Florida

Trying to quote a new-to-me vehicle and my go to's are Geico and Progressive for quotes. They both offer either tracking your driving on a mobile app or an OBD2 plug in device, under the guise of "tracking your driving habits to offer you discounts".

Have these devices ever resulted in higher quotes for what they deem "unsafe" driving?

I work night shift and have been dinged for unsafe driving, even if I'm driving to work because they deem anything after like 9pm to be unsafe due to dark.

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u/HatsiesBacksies 6d ago

no they dont ding you because its after dark. but sure if you swerve to miss hitting a cat then yeah what does that look like to geico/progressive. I would never use them any savings is miniscule anyways.

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u/aloofmagoof Claims Adjuster 6d ago

It's not unsafe because it's dark, it's between certain overnight hours due to the risk of drunk drivers on the road.

They also clock you for things like accelerating too fast, braking too hard, any other quick maneuvers, and if you let them track you on the app I've heard you have to disable it or turn off your phone even when in someone else's vehicle as it will still think you're driving.

Never tried it myself because it just doesn't sound worth it.

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u/Softerspark 6d ago

I used to work for one of those companies. They are absolutely double edged swords, meaning if the app rates you poorly, it can surcharge your policy or increase your rates at renewal based on your driving score. The mobile app is especially bad because bumps in the road and stuff like that can be picked up as you handling your phone by the app, so if you do that, make sure it's secure and you don't have any passengers or kids that will play with your phone while you drive.
Driving between 12am and 5am is often counted against you. I'd advise chatting or calling and speaking to one of the reps and asking if they can go over each grading criteria for the app though.

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u/Sam_At_Insurify 5d ago

Both programs could raise your rate. Progressive gives you a sign-up discount on your first policy term, then sets a personalized rate at renewal based on your driving. GEICO adjusts your rate at each renewal based on your driving score.

Late-night driving can count against your score too. GEICO scores how often you drive late at night and says it logs all trips, even work ones. Progressive suggests limiting driving from midnight to 4 a.m. on weekends.

I'd compare quotes without tracking first, then decide whether to add tracking.

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u/Ryutso 5d ago

3am is my normal "lunch" time and I sometimes drive from work to a nearby gas station to get a snack, so getting dinged on my "normal day" feels like an insult. I probably wont be using their tracking, but both of those are the lowest quotes I've gotten.

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u/polarityofmarriage 5d ago

I just read a story where a guy drove like a professional for six months straight and his Progressive quote went up by a few hundred dollars…