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The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way. Progressive Snapshot uses the technology of telematics to assess real-time feedback on your driving habits. Safe driving can save you money on your insurance premiums — but sloppy driving tendencies may cost you. Snapshot monitors your driving and encourages safer practices, while providing you with the opportunity to earn discounts. Like many insurers, Progressive has jumped on the telematics bandwagon with Snapshot.
This monitoring program uses either an app on your smartphone or a small device you plug into your car. It can determine if you are engaged in unsafe practices such as speeding or talking on the phone while driving. Once you have had an active Snapshot account for a certain period usually six months, the length of a typical usage-based insurance policy , the company will look at the data collected. If you have proven yourself to be a safe driver, you will see a decrease in your premium.
But the opposite can also be true. If your driving habits indicate that you are a higher insurance risk, Progressive may actually raise your rate. Signing up for Progressive Snapshot is easy. When you sign up for Snapshot , you will either download the Snapshot app, which works with both iOS and Android, or you will wait for the company to send you a small dongle that plugs into the OBD2 port on your car, which is usually located under the steering wheel.
Then, drive as you normally would. If the Snapshot device determines that you are doing anything unsafe, it will beep. The app and plug-in device use GPS technology to determine where you are and track how fast you are going.
You retain some control of how much data is transmitted. For example, you can pause the monitoring system if you are going on vacation or if you are a passenger rather than a driver.
Logging into your Progressive account allows you to view the data collected, get driving tips and see details on any vehicle trips you have made. New Progressive policyholders can receive a participation discount for enrolling in the Snapshot program.
A discount takes effect after completing the initial six-month monitoring period and renewing your policy for another six-month period. It is important to note that because Progressive bases rates on driving data collected using the Snapshot app or plug-in device, your premium could actually increase if your driving habits are poor.
Snapshot analyzes your driving habits to produce your driving reports. It also uses the data to resolve auto claims, as well as for underwriting assessments and development and research purposes. Among the driving characteristics that Snapshot monitors:. If you have a problem with the issues described above, you might not want to use Snapshot.
However, if you are a good driver who avoids negative habits, Snapshot could save you money. The Snapshot mobile app installed on your smartphone stores analytics and driving data for a few days. You might be using an unsupported or outdated browser. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. Progressive is temporarily altering its Snapshot program in an effort to help reduce car insurance rates for its customers during the Covid pandemic.
Snapshot is a usage-based insurance UBI program that can result in better rates for drivers who have good driving habits. Snapshot uses either a device installed in your car or a mobile app to track your driving behaviors. Snapshot measures rapid accelerations, hard braking, miles driven and the time of day.
For customers using the phone app, it also measures phone use while driving. But the company is temporarily allowing Snapshot customers to choose a shorter review period of at least 30 days for a recalculation of rates.
Even if a current Snapshot customer has completed a review period, they can choose to remonitor in order to try for a better rate based on their driving safety score. The temporary rule for a decreased review period is generally expected to take effect from early February until July 31, In the early months of the pandemic, many insurance companies offered relief in the form of car insurance refunds , mainly due to a significant drop in miles driven.
With less traffic on the road, there were fewer car accidents and fewer insurance claims. Arity reports that the number of overall daily trips is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels.
The fewer miles you drive, the cheaper your car insurance bill will be every month. But pay-per-mile is not for everyone. For example, if you expect to return to a daily commute in , pay-per-mile could end up costing you more than a traditional policy if you start racking up a bunch of miles. Jason Metz is a writer who has worked in the insurance industry since The good news is the app offers real-time feedback. So Snapshot drivers can identify driving behavior that might lead to higher rates and correct it.
If you adopt these behaviors in your daily commute, you'll be safer and have fewer incidents in the future as well. Before you make a decision on whether to allow Progressive to monitor your driving, it's important to think about how your driving relates to the specific aspects it monitors. For example, if you drive often and most of your driving is in the city, you're probably going to have a more difficult time seeing significant discounts than someone who has a short commute on rural backroads.
It is a nice feature that the plug-in device syncs with your phone so you can monitor your own habits. By far, though, the biggest deterrent for those customers who wrote negative reviews about Progressive Snapshot was the way it penalized them for braking their vehicles. If you demonstrate hard braking while driving, the Progressive Snapshot plug-in device will beep to alert you of your hard braking.
This is designed to provide you immediate feedback on your driving and allow you to improve, and maximize your savings from Progressive Snapshot. If you repeatedly demonstrate hard braking while using Progressive Snapshot, it will minimize the discount you receive, or in some cases, lead to higher insurance rates. One reviewer complained that they missed out on a Snapshot discount because of six speed bumps they had to go over on their commute. It would go off even if I just tapped my brakes.
A different reviewer warned others to stay away from Snapshot because of the hard braking penalties. Hard brake. If you are coming off the freeway and are slowing down. Someone cuts you off or drives into your lane too closely. A recent reviewer expressed their frustration for a hard braking beep even at a time when they felt a hard brake was good driving.
They said, "In my state every corner is an implicit crosswalk, and you're required to stop for pedestrians if they want to cross. Many people ignore this law but I've developed the habit of following it. On the way home of my first trip with the snapshot device I came upon a woman pushing a double wide stroller presumably twins in it, waiting on corner ramp to cross a lesser 2 lane arterial in my neighborhood, so I stopped for her.
Beep beep, said the snapshot device. Hard breaking -1!. Nothing like being penalized for following the law and doing the right thing to inspire confidence. While these specific reviewers shared negative experiences using Snapshot, a majority expressed positive sentiments about Snapshot, and many said they saw savings on their next policy. While hard braking events do happen, common driving tips indicate it should be the exception rather than the rule.
Snapshot is designed to try to look for patterns as an objective, third-party resource. Some reviewers have expressed the fact that things like the beeping for hard braking have actually helped them become better drivers.
This reviewer said "I am currently using the app to receive a discount, which has made me more aware of my driving. If you're a Progressive policyholder or are looking to switch to Progressive, enrolling in this program is a great way to earn a lower personalized rate. Reviews of Progressive Snapshot on Clearsurance show some drivers have saved substantially on their auto insurance rates. Others said they saw hundreds of dollars of savings , and another said they received a discount of almost 30 percent.
Another potential benefit that customers talk about is having their driving tracked actually made them a better driver. I really think it helped me become a better driver.
It's clear from reviews that the potential for lower car insurance rates by using the Snapshot Program is possible. But it's also clear that some do experience no change or even a rate increase.
When deciding if trying Progressive Snapshot is worth it, it's important to analyze your driving record and your own driving habits to determine if you think you're a driver who would see savings. You can also consider using this device to motivate you to be a safer driver.
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