Progressive Snapshot

Augustus

Insurance laws vary from state-to-state and are heavily regulated. Here in Illinois, for instance, the Snapshot thing isn't even allowed (probably because State Farm has lobbied against it...)

FAQs: Snapshot Discount, Pay As You Drive®, Usage-Based Insurance ? Progressive

"Could my rate go up based on my driving?
No, Snapshot won’t increase your rate.* And remember, you can track your projected discount online, and if you don’t think you’ll save money, you have the option to cancel Snapshot. "

The * points to a disclosure about Georgia & Rhode Island. Rhode Island appears to be the only state that allows them to raise your rates based on the Snapshot, up to 9%.

The Progressive Corporation — MyRate Terms & Conditions

So unless you live in Rhode Island, or your particular state changes their laws sometime in the future, the Snapshot shouldn't cause your rates to increase. Shouldn't. But I'm not sure how much faith I'd put into that, because insurance companies can and do fiddle with rates as they see fit. Slap on a Snapshot and drive 100mph at 2am every day. Your rates may not increase right now, but I bet they will at your next renewal. Insurance companies love data. And they will use it against you. And I say that as someone who used to work as a data analyst at a global life insurance company. If you do anything that violates their "good driver" rules, I guarantee that there's a database somewhere that's logged it.

All that said, I would not want one of these in my car. I'm not much of a tin-foil hatter, nor do I drive recklessly or at odd times, but the idea of this creeps me out.

I doubt this sort of thing will become mandatory for all drivers. Not for a while. But I would bet that as other companies develop their own versions, we'll start to see increased rates for those that refuse it. I can also imagine companies only offering insurance to certain high-risk groups if the customer agrees to have one of these.

Until then, the best way to save money on insurance is to cross-shop other insurance companies.

If anyone has a Snapshot - it plugs into your OBD2 port, right? Couldn't you just unplug it if you're doing something you shouldn't be?

cerruto

Yeah its a bit strange. I was in a "test market" to try this "cool" new thing that would track everything I do and give me a percentage of up to 15% off my next bill. I kept asking questions about if I sped or drove at weird times on heavly traffic roads if the data clould have a negitive effect and increase my bill. The rep said plain as day, "YES". So I opted out and he said "If I had a Z I think twice about doing do it". I dont know if he was full of it or what. End story, watch out for big brother.

vo2max99

Everyone has horror stories about Insurance companies. With that said Progressives Snapshot is well worth it as long as you: A. Don't drive like a ****. B. Don't drive over 30 miles a day average. C. Aren't regularly driving between 12-4am.

The device does NOT track you with GPS / spy on you and other crazy **** people go emo over.

It's a VERY EASY way to save 30% off your insurance. It's a no brainer unless your daily commute is longer than 30miles and you can't resist driving like a **** on wheels.

Mike

I bet they would freak if you did a track day with it on there!

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Speedy

Progressive is a joke. They tout being a "motorcycle" insurance company and all that garbage. I got a quote on my CBR1000RR and it was 5X what State Farm charged me.

As for that dingle berry OBDII connector...two words...NO WAY. Big brother watches enough I'm definitely not volunteering for more.

vo2max99

Progressives snap shoot device doesn't track you with GPS or anything. The device simply measures your cars vitals so it's nothing to get all paranoid over.

* Regularly drive more than 30 miles a day?

* Regularly drive between 12-4am?

* Regularly stomp on your brakes?

* Regularly drive like a ****-on-wheels?

If you answered "No" to all 4 questions snapshot is a no-brainer easy way to save 30% off your premium.

Progressive is great. I got a quote from Allstate / State Farm and they were going to charge me a fortune compared to the rate I got with Progressive. When your **** breaks they fix it ASAP as well

shadoquad

I don't trust it. I don't need a nanny installed on my OBDII.

I do drive more than 30 miles a day, each way, to work.

I may have to drive between 12 and 4. What business is that of theirs?

Sometimes brake stomping is inevitable, especially if you live in high traffic areas.

What is the definition of "regularly"? What is that variable?

they should not be allowed access to that information, let alone given the ability to charge extra fees based on their collection.

"Paranoia" isn't the issue. Civil liberties are. Driving somewhere without anyone collecting data is the issue. Whether you drive within their standard or not, this is invasive, and if Progressive has success with it, every insurance company may begin to offer it, then may require it, and since we all have to carry some form of insurance to operate our vehicles, it's easy to see why people are concerned, as this may be rammed down our throats in a decade or so.

LakeShow

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vo2max99

Progressives Snapshot is invasive? lol...

They aren't forcing people to use it and they clearly outline the rules.

Again, they aren't tracking you with GPS.

If you regularly drive more than 30miles a day, stomp on your brakes, drive like a ****-on-wheels and drive between 12-4am you won't get the best rate. Otherwise it's a really easy and simple way to save a whopping 30%.

Insurance companies use a lot of different factors to determine your individual insurance rate such as your credit score, rather you rent or own a home, your gender/age and so on.

If anything it makes more sense to take into account your driving habits to determine risk.

The more time you spend on the road the higher the chances you get into an accident. The same goes for slamming on your brakes, driving between 12-4am (greater chance of getting stopped by police for speeding, etc).

Regardless there's nothing being cramped down anyones throats here and no reason to believe anything in the future will be. It's simply an easy way for people to save a **** ton on their insurance if they so chose.

shadoquad

I know better than to think you'll learn from further argument.

But I'm sorry, no insurance company needs to know more than they already do about my driving habits, good or bad, and I'll put my pristine driving record against anyone else here. It's an invasion of privacy. Just because people are willing to sell themselves out to get a small discount, that doesn't make it right for the rest of us. If this program succeeds, it could become mandatory down the road, because that is the underlying nature of the car insurance business and their cushy status with the government. If you can't see that, it is your own failing.

frost

Some people don't see how the small things become big things. 12 years who, who would have thought we would have black boxes in our cars, that governments could listen in our conversations (even when our cell phones are off), or that ECHELON would monitor practically ever move we make online. You can't take a free nation's liberties overnight, we would riot in the street. You do it small pieces at a time.

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vo2max99

Snapshot is voluntary NOT mandatory. It does NOT use GPS. It simply monitors your cars vitals.

There's no reason to think insurance companies are going to start forcing people to use snapshot type devices.

Again, insurance companies use all sorts of IMO irrelevant factors to determine your individual rate so why not use your individual driving habits if the individual so choses?

I'd rather my insurance rate me based on my driving vs. rather or not I'm married/ single; male/female; my zip code and other uncontrollable factors.

Now if you're too paranoid you aren't being forced to use snapshot but you are forced to comply with all the other uncontrollable / mandatory factors that are used to determine your rate. It's nice to finally have some control as to what our rates will be.

If people are confident about their driving habits and there's an OPTION for them to receive a huge 30% discount and that's a good thing. Options that help people save are good things not bad things.

zsalesmanz

Hey fellow Z enthusiasts! Long time lurker on the forums, first time poster.

I signed up for Snapshot last month and just received my discount after having it connected for 30 days. Everyone is aware that Progressive "claims" to not hold your speed into account when calculating your discount, so I decided to put it to the test.

I had quite a few 90-100 mph runs over the last month, and yet I received the maximum 30% discount. The main thing that I can attribute the max discount to is the fact that I only had TWO hard brakes during that period. I also had zero miles logged between 12 and 4 AM, and averaged less than 30 miles per day. Those are the 3 criteria that Progressive base the discount on, or so they say. I can verify that their statement is true, as there were several occasions where my speed exceeded state limits (on a closed circuit of course).

So, to anyone who is paranoid that your "spirited" driving habits might cause your rates to go up, or at the very least not receive a good discount, you're not to worry! Just be EASY ON YOUR BRAKES

onzedge

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Ardent_Z

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