Interesting phone call from Direct Line
Discussion
Well I just had a call from Direct Line who insure my Clio, offering me a 25% discount on my premium. Always good to save a few pounds, so I thought I'd see what she had to say.
They are proposing to offer a discount of 10% if I drive between the hours of 6am and 10pm. Fair enough, I mostly drive during those hours anyway. She then said they would offer an additional discount of 15% IF I DON'T SPEED! She then said she would give me £50 cash back at the end of my premium.
They propose to fit a black box unit into my car "at no extra cost" - good of them. I asked what sort of data this would hold, and she said it would tell them where I had been, what routes I had taken, the SPEED I had been travelling at 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK! She also said it was there for my protection, as if my car was stolen they could track exactly where it was and report it to the police!
Now I really don't agree with any of this. From what I can see this is the start of Big Brother watching your every move. I know that to an extent we are already tracked with our mobiles, Visa cards etc, but currently nobody tracks my movements in my car, and with a bit of luck they never will.
But who are they to tell me when I can speed? IF I speed, it is when I deem the situation to be apropriate! I asked what the guidelines were and she said 10% over the limit would mean you lost a discount point - 5 points lost in a month and no discount. Not only that, think of what they could do with the data! It doesn't bear thinking about. She guaranteed that they would not hold the data to influence any future premiums, but they would send me a statement every month showing my "usage"! Christ only knows what that will show.
Rant over.
They are proposing to offer a discount of 10% if I drive between the hours of 6am and 10pm. Fair enough, I mostly drive during those hours anyway. She then said they would offer an additional discount of 15% IF I DON'T SPEED! She then said she would give me £50 cash back at the end of my premium.
They propose to fit a black box unit into my car "at no extra cost" - good of them. I asked what sort of data this would hold, and she said it would tell them where I had been, what routes I had taken, the SPEED I had been travelling at 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK! She also said it was there for my protection, as if my car was stolen they could track exactly where it was and report it to the police!
Now I really don't agree with any of this. From what I can see this is the start of Big Brother watching your every move. I know that to an extent we are already tracked with our mobiles, Visa cards etc, but currently nobody tracks my movements in my car, and with a bit of luck they never will.
But who are they to tell me when I can speed? IF I speed, it is when I deem the situation to be apropriate! I asked what the guidelines were and she said 10% over the limit would mean you lost a discount point - 5 points lost in a month and no discount. Not only that, think of what they could do with the data! It doesn't bear thinking about. She guaranteed that they would not hold the data to influence any future premiums, but they would send me a statement every month showing my "usage"! Christ only knows what that will show.
Rant over.
TBH, I dont really see the problem with any of this, they rang up and offered you a service you dont want and you were able to decline. If they had rung up Mrs BG, she would have said yes in a flash as she would have fitted the profile perfectly.
So what's the problem?
As long as they dont make it compulsory.
So what's the problem?
As long as they dont make it compulsory.
Excellent, I'd love to frame a 200mph statement.
How about going for it and using the initial saving on buying something similar to this? www.grove-ent.com/rac02.html
How about going for it and using the initial saving on buying something similar to this? www.grove-ent.com/rac02.html
wolf1 said:
The more who accept the cheaper premiums etc with the box being fitted will eventually pave the way for the compulsary fitment of these devices in all cars.
Or is it just me being cynical
Or is it just me being cynical
I agree. No doubt at all.
Some years ago:
"Get a set top box you can get loads more channels to watch loads of channels!"
Me: No thank you
A few years ago:
"Get a digital box, their great, eventually everyone will have digital TV, because its so brilliant, go on do it"
Me: No thank you very much.
More recently, (after loads of ad campaigns..)
"were changing over to digital TV, whether or not you like it"
Me: No thanks I am happy as things are thanks, I don’t want to change my TV/Ariel/ I am happy as I am.
Them: "Tough its happening".
It might take a few years and a few ad campaigns to soften Joe Idiot up, but there will be a push for the black box in everyone’s car eventually...
Edited by princeperch on Monday 20th November 20:28
Balmoral Green said:
As long as they dont make it compulsory.
And this is the problem... I'm sure as more insurers adopt it and the system gains a significant market penetration, it'll end up becoming compulsory with mainstream insurance policies which will give the government the green light to combine it with their road charging ideas and make it legislation.
You'd hope that if they did find you had been speeding, that you would just incur the original 15% on top of the premium, but i suspect you will end up in some argument where you crash/someone crashes into you and they say "you are a speeder we are voiding the policy" or some shit, insurers would love to do that if they could, and this box probably does let them.
Also the driving between 6am and 10pm stuff is just daft, because sods law states you will get into an accident at 10:30pm and they will tell you to get
ed.
Also the driving between 6am and 10pm stuff is just daft, because sods law states you will get into an accident at 10:30pm and they will tell you to get
ed.egomeister said:
Balmoral Green said:
As long as they dont make it compulsory.
And this is the problem... I'm sure as more insurers adopt it and the system gains a significant market penetration, it'll end up becoming compulsory with mainstream insurance policies which will give the government the green light to combine it with their road charging ideas and make it legislation.
Surely the cost of these black box units is horrendous? Can insurance companies really afford it when they arent making enough money as it is?
Balmoral Green said:
TBH, I dont really see the problem with any of this, they rang up and offered you a service you dont want and you were able to decline. If they had rung up Mrs BG, she would have said yes in a flash as she would have fitted the profile perfectly.
So what's the problem?
As long as they dont make it compulsory.
So what's the problem?
As long as they dont make it compulsory.
It's the thin end of the wedge.... That does sound a bit paranoid of me, however I'm sure many drivers already feel spied on and harrassed with congestion charges, increased parking fares and now the concept of 'black box' data recorders in private cars. If enough customers say, 'duh yu, I'll 'ave one please mister' then some insurance companies may start to make it compulsery (or however you spell compulsory), or even mandatory (that looks better). There'll be a market for black box only insured cars etc and, sooner or later...
Fetch the pitchforks! Let's storm Direct Line!
egomeister said:
Balmoral Green said:
As long as they dont make it compulsory.
And this is the problem... I'm sure as more insurers adopt it and the system gains a significant market penetration, it'll end up becoming compulsory with mainstream insurance policies which will give the government the green light to combine it with their road charging ideas and make it legislation.
dang you guys type fast. That was what I was trying to say!!
SN said:
egomeister said:
Balmoral Green said:
As long as they dont make it compulsory.
And this is the problem... I'm sure as more insurers adopt it and the system gains a significant market penetration, it'll end up becoming compulsory with mainstream insurance policies which will give the government the green light to combine it with their road charging ideas and make it legislation.
Surely the cost of these black box units is horrendous? Can insurance companies really afford it when they arent making enough money as it is?
Some are making money though - the same week NU (I think?) annouced their poor results, Admiral came out with record figures.
The usage data they will get from a black box would pay for itself before too long I'm sure - they'll know your driving better than you do. They'll be able to compare your typical journies against accident rates for specific roads and times. It'd be mindblowing the depth they could go into with position/time/speed data..
Bluespanner said:
UpTheIron said:
...they sound great to me. Get one fitted, get the discount, then remove it and refit as/when/if you feel like it, otherwise leave it in the garage
Yup.
OK, a member of my close family works with the insurers on this one (and has been using them on trucks for many years). They are now rather more intelligent than a simple box. It talks to your car and employs a number of failsafes to ensure the data gathered is accurate (GPS compared to speedo, tachometer compared to GPS recorded) etc. so unfortunately not a simple case of removing the box am afraid.
I don't have one on my car yet, but am considering using a prototype version for fun (can "dial-up" the car and see where it is, routes etc.).
The time of day thing is (rather obviously) based on the accident statistics: a considerablely large proportion of accidents occur between 11pm and 7am (and mostly by young drivers). So by agreeing either a)not to drive then or b) paying a very high rate then, they are insuring you based on a more accurate profile of your driving behaviour. Slight devil's advocate argument here given that I wouldn't want to be tracked by A.N.Other thank you very much.
Unfortunately, by the sounds of things, this is the way of the future for insurers.
nda said:
egomeister said:
Balmoral Green said:
As long as they dont make it compulsory.
And this is the problem... I'm sure as more insurers adopt it and the system gains a significant market penetration, it'll end up becoming compulsory with mainstream insurance policies which will give the government the green light to combine it with their road charging ideas and make it legislation.
dang you guys type fast. That was what I was trying to say!!
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