To wonder why all car insurance companies don't do this?

[bendmeoverbackwards]

I have a box fitted in my car that my insurance company have as part of their terms and conditions. It monitors my driving and I get regular email updates.

I think it's good and makes me think about my speed, braking and acceleration which should make me a safer driver.

I'm wondering why all insurance companies don't do similar? Surely this is the best way to catch people who speed or drive aggressively and increase their premiums accordingly?

Because I don’t want someone else knowing my speed/breaking/accelerating, thanks.

most companies do? Especially if it's for younger drivers?

It's a bit 1984 for my liking

@NutellaEllaElla

It's a bit 1984 for my liking

Exactly this ^

I agree - most companies do offer this option.

They offer it but not many people take them up as they drive poorly and over the speed limit.

I don't want them judging my driving, I have a husband for that 😂

I think it's a great idea. The only people who wouldn't like it are those who know they have bad or unsafe driving. I'd love it so we could have cheaper insurance for driving economically and safely.

I thought most companies did, I had one the first year I was driving purely to get the price down but got rid of it the minute I could because it was all a bit too Big Brother for my liking.

Most of them do, not everyone wants them though.

Lots of companies offer this but it's mainly used for young drivers. There's a cost associated with fitting the box which I think is generally factored into the premium.

If you have a low premium then it's probably not cost effective to have a box fitted - the premium will be high enough that a normal policy will be much more competitive.

My dh had it when he got his DL. Afaik most offer nlack box

Black boxes don’t have context. I have just been out (permitted travel), felt it was appropriate to accelerate quite briskly to overtake a cyclist so I could give them plenty of space and minimise my time on the wrong side of the road. Sometimes I have to slam on the brakes because someone does something I wasn’t expecting- often that is predictable and I can plan for it but not always.

"Surely this is the best way to catch people who speed or drive aggressively and increase their premiums accordingly?"

I reckon you'd just get more people driving without insurance.

I think it's a great idea. The only people who wouldn't like it are those who know they have bad or unsafe driving.

Not true. I’m a very safe and conscientious driver, never go over the speed limit, have never had any kind of accident. I still wouldn’t like this. It’s too much oversight for my liking.

I wish we had more traffic police so they could stop all the twatty driving though.

Because if I brake suddenly they could judge me as a bad driver. When in reality I'm avoiding some obstacle that's suddenly appeared like a child running into the road. The black boxes don't have cameras do they? They're just monitoring speed so how do they know the context?

I also think the insurance company would use the slightest excuse from the black box data not to pay a claim. 0.2 mph over the limit when you crashed? Tough shit we aren't paying.

Even the best and most careful driver occasionally makes mistakes that aren't unsafe but could be considered technicalities to get out of a contract. Car insurance firms aren't generally know for their sense of fair play.

What DynamoKev said.

Also, how does it work when people share a car ?

Once everyone has a black box they won’t have to offer any discount for one.

@BackforGood

What DynamoKev said.

Also, how does it work when people share a car ?

Excellent point about car sharing

@FTEngineerM

Because I don’t want someone else knowing my speed/breaking/accelerating, thanks.

You wouldn't want dangerous drivers picked up on?

@RunningFromInsanity

They offer it but not many people take them up as they drive poorly and over the speed limit.

That's what I mean - if all insurance companies did them, there is nowhere to hide. There is always the risk of people driving uninsured but the penalties for this I imagine are huge and not a risk most people would take.

Unsurprisingly InsuranceAnalyst has nailed it. If the box and the associated admin costs, say, fifty quid then that’s not going to add value for the vast majority of customers because the difference that data would make to an average 500 quid policy isn’t fifty quids worth. But if you’re a teenager paying 1,500 then it’s well worth buying a policy with that cost built in if it enables you to prove that you’re even ten percent safer than your average teen.

They also penalise you for driving at "risky times" including after 11 so I couldn't get home from work without increasing my premium.