What is telematics insurance??
More and more car insurers will be launching a so-called telematics tariff on the market in the coming months and years. Careful drivers can save money. But what is behind all this?? Where are the opportunities and risks? A short overview.
In the Anglo-Saxon world, they have long been established, but on the German market they are still a niche product: telematics tariffs in car insurance. In the process, a black box or smartphone app measures the policyholder's individual driving behavior. Those who drive carefully and with foresight are rewarded with discounts on their insurance premiums. Several major insurers have announced their intention to offer corresponding policies as of 2016. Because the individual driving style influences the premium amount, one speaks also of "Pay-as-you-drive" insurance (PAYD).
Data protection – an important issue!
But telematics insurance is not without controversy. This is because they can record highly sensitive data. For example, acceleration, braking, cornering and speed are measured. And purely theoretically, it would also be possible by means of GPS or black box to determine where the driver is at any given time. This is why data protectionists warn against "spying in the car.
Insurers, however, promise that they do not want to and do not have to evaluate all data at all in order to offer the rates, moreover, strict data protection laws apply. The measurement of driving behavior is also largely anonymized.
The lifesaver in the car
Not only are premium discounts offered to customers, the technology can do even more. In the event of a car accident, an automatic emergency call system (eCall) is triggered by means of crash sensors or by pressing a button and an ambulance service is summoned. If the driver is injured so badly that he cannot alert an ambulance himself, this time-saver may save lives! If the car breaks down, the transmitter can also show the fastest way to an authorized repair shop. A parking finder and extra theft protection is also conceivable.
The target group for these offers includes novice drivers, who generally have a higher accident risk. In 2014, over 67 people died in accidents.200 young drivers between the ages of 18 and 25, as reported by the German Road Safety Association (Deutsche Verkehrswacht). Tests by insurers have shown that telematics tariffs also have a disciplinary function. If you use such a policy, you generally drive more cautiously and step on the gas pedal less often. A consultation clarifies which insurers already offer a telematics tariff and when the next tariffs will be launched!