Driver monitor helps reduce insurance premiums

Tracking devices are something you’d normally only see in a spy movie, but now some insurance companies are using them to help driver’s customize their premiums.

State Farm’s Drive Safe and Save program is completely voluntary but it does give customers the power to have a greater impact on their insurance premiums.

“It more accurately measures driving characteristics to give people more control over their rate. If you have really good driving habits or if you don’t drive as much as you did before, it can help. In the past we’ve only had a short mileage or a long mileage program. This will have many more discount points available for customers,” explained Kara Applekamp, a Marquette State Farm Agent.

Drivers who have cars that are already equipped with automated devices like SYNC and OnStar can use that technology to capture mileage information. If you don’t have those gadgets, the In-Drive system plugs right into your vehicle with a monitoring device clipped onto the visor.

And while the biggest draw might be the possible savings, it offers safety measures as well.

”It’s going to be great for the youth market, for parents if they want to see how their children are driving. It will help them keep their kids safe. They can be emailed if a car goes out of a certain distance or if there is an accident, different things like that,” Applekamp added.

In all, the program will give you an initial five percent discount for signing up; it can save you up to fifty percent on your auto insurance premium; and is free for the first year.