Car Makers Are Tattle-Telling on You to Insurers

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - March 13, 2024 - PRLog -- In the auto insurance industry, telematics or usage-based insurance is nothing new. If you agree to surrender data about your driving, you can earn a discount on your premium if you exhibit safe driving habits. The reverse can also be true and for some companies, your rate can increase if you show high-risk driving behaviors.

However, The New York Times recently reported that rates for some drivers are increasing due to car manufacturers tattle telling on their car owners. The article claims that manufacturers are collecting data from their car owners and then sharing that data with insurance carriers, allegedly without their knowledge.[1]

In some instances in which car owners have complained, the manufacturers have claimed that the car owners consented to having their data shared. In other instances, manufacturers are denying any wrongdoing. Ford's spokesperson, for instance, flatly denies that Ford sells data to third parties, specifically LexisNexis and Verisk, which is where information is allegedly being spread to insurers.

The way that user-based insurance works is that the driver is enticed by promises of safer driving and savings, but many drivers neglect to understand that their rates will go up if they exhibit what is considered hard braking or speeding.

Despite this, some car owners with vehicles from the biggest selling makers like GM, Kia, Chevy, Cadillac, Buik and more have seen enormous rate hikes or were denied insurance altogether due to data sharing, which determined that they speed, brake harshly and possibly even swerve.[2]

Well, let's consider what is considered hard braking and what is standard braking: Are all connected vehicles across manufacturers held up to the same standard for what's just over the line of harshness? If so, who is the judge? And can you be penalized in a Chevy but not in a Volkswagen?

This practice of user-based data collection raises lots of questions, especially now that nearly every car being built today boasts connectivity. After this news began trending, however, some people are swearing off their carmakers and saying they will never drive those cars again... (continued)

For the full article visit https://smartfinancial.com/car-manufacturer-telling-insur...