Telematics is a small piece of kit, often referred to as a black box, that can be easily fitted into your vehicle to record information about the journeys that you make. The information that the box records can help you in many ways including potential savings on your insurance premiums and possibly reducing your vehicle’s fuel and maintenance bills.
What information does the Telematics box record?
The telematics box records data on your vehicle’s Acceleration, Braking, Speed, Location and Time spent driving. Combining all this data together helps build up a more accurate profile as to how your vehicle is being driven and provide you with a overall Driver Score. Typically, the higher your Driver Score is, the better your vehicle has been driven over a given period of time.
Driver Scores are accessible almost instantly using smart-phone App’s along with more detailed Driver Reports that can highlight specific areas of your driving style, encouraging continued safe driving or recommending areas that may need improvement.
How does a Telematics Box benefit me?
A telematics box holds several benefits, some of which are more obvious than others.
Potential savings on insurance premiums tends to be the biggest factor for people choosing to have a telematics box installed. By taking notice of your Driver Scores, you can present yourself as a ‘Safe Driver’ to insurers meaning they could offer reduced premiums when it comes to arranging your insurance. It’s not just young drivers that can benefit from this either as insurance companies look to use telematics data to more accurately rate premiums for all drivers they insure.
Another way a telematics box could benefit you is by saving you money in areas such as fuel costs and vehicle maintenance. If your profession involves a lot of driving like a Taxi Driver for example, your telematics box could encourage changes in bad habits like heavy acceleration, harsh braking or sharp cornering. Small improvements in these areas could lower fuel consumption or reduce wear and tear on your brakes and tyres.
Is a Telematics box a tracking device?
Using GPS technology, telematics boxes can locate a vehicle’s current whereabouts or show the route taken of a recent journey. This can help build up a picture of where you spend most of your time driving or see where your vehicle is when somebody else is behind the wheel.
To arrange a free telematics demonstration or to discuss your renewal, call 0151 538 1313.
Information correct at time of publication. Information provided within this article may have changed over time. No responsibility for its accuracy or correctness is assumed by John Patons Insurance Services or any of its employees.