We tried Snapshot out and right here’s what we discovered.
In a phrase, sure. For me, anyway. After utilizing Progressive’s Snapshot, my premiums have been decreased by $30 over six months. And much more than the low cost, I discovered just a few issues that may save me cash, each on automobile insurance coverage and on the whole.
How Progressive Snapshot Works
Progressive, like many different insurance coverage corporations together with State Farm and USAA, supply a monitoring gadget that plugs into your automobile’s OBD II (onboard diagnostics II) port or affords a cellphone app that tracks your driving.
As soon as Progressive Snapshot is plugged in or downloaded, it collects fundamental efficiency knowledge and your location through GPS. It sends that knowledge to Progressive by means of cell indicators and a report is created. It takes about 6 month of information for Progressive to find out how the report will have an effect on your coverage, for good or dangerous.
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Snapshot’s Immediate Low cost—Get This Simply By Signing Up
I used to be supplied Progressive Snapshot once I renewed my household’s automobile insurance coverage. We’ve got three drivers— one in faculty— and two vehicles. I opted to place Snapshot solely in my automobile, and to make use of the plug-in gadget reasonably than the app since I incessantly drive vehicles aside from my very own. By choosing Snapshot I instantly obtained a reduction, a multi-vehicle low cost, of $25.
What Snapshot Measures, and What it Doesn’t
The gadget simply put in; I merely pulled the quilt off the OBDII port and plugged it in. As soon as it was put in, and each time I began the automobile, it gave me a fast double beep to sign that it was working. It was a very good reminder to know that I used to be being tracked on every journey.
Whereas it’s doable for Snapshot to trace the place you go, while you go, your pace, lane adjustments, whether or not you roll by means of cease indicators and extra, together with while you break the pace restrict, it doesn’t. Progressive solely measures 3 issues:
Onerous braking, quick begins, period of time pushed and time of day you drive. That’s it.
Progressive does accumulate different knowledge for its personal inside evaluation, and if you happen to ask the corporate to offer extra knowledge for, say, defending your self after a crash, they are going to attempt to accommodate. And, the positioning says they won’t use knowledge collected by Snapshot in assessing a declare in case your automobile is broken in an incident.
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Who Snapshot is Good For, and Who It’s not
I made a decision to place Progressive Snapshot on my automobile as a result of I drive little or no and nearly by no means in the course of the night time. I made a decision NOT to place it on the household automobile as a result of my daughter is a brand new driver and I didn’t wish to stress her out with the monitoring or danger having our insurance coverage go up from just a few rookie strikes behind the wheel. Additionally, the household automobile is pushed much more, so that may affect the speed that outcomes from Snapshot.
Snapshot is nice for drivers who’re good learners from exterior enter; if you happen to acknowledge the message the beeps ship and take a look at to not set off them, this might be an ideal device to assist enhance your driving.
Snapshot isn’t nice for vehicles that log loads of miles, have a wide range of drivers or youthful drivers who may inadvertently enhance your insurance coverage charges with loads of miles pushed and loads of onerous stops. Progressive says that 2 in 10 drivers really enhance their insurance coverage fee after utilizing Snapshot.
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My Expertise With Progressive Snapshot
It took me some time to put in the gadget as soon as it arrived — I’d been touring and saved forgetting to put in it— however Progressive despatched me an electronic mail reminding me to activate it. As soon as put in, and figuring out the gadget was measuring my braking, it solely took me about 10 minutes to get my first warning. I rolled as much as a cease signal and pushed down onerous on the brake to return to a whole cease and obtained a fast ‘beep beep’ from the gadget. Oops.
I attempted extra gingerly braking that day and some occasions the gadget beeped at me even when I approached a cease signal or intersection slowly; it was that previous few toes that caught the eye of the gadget. However once I was extra thoughtful about my braking, not jamming on the brake in these previous few toes, there was no beep. ????
Within the 6 months I had the gadget I seen the beeping lessening. I grew to become delicate to it and discovered to adapt my driving in order to not be punished. Nonetheless, I anxious that Progressive was going to lift my charges.
I solely drive domestically, so I didn’t put loads of miles on my automobile throughout my time with Snapshot, and I don’t usually drive between 11PM and 6AM, so these elements have been working in my favor.
Getting My Actual Low cost… Lastly
Since you need to create a driving historical past for Progressive to contemplate, it takes about 6 months to get your low cost. On the finish of the insurance coverage time period, or about 5 months later, I obtained a pay as you go mailing field within the mail together with a letter asking me to return the gadget. As soon as I returned it my outcomes have been validated—which means since Progressive obtained it again they might calculate my financial savings or penalty.
I saved $30 on my subsequent 6 month coverage.
Not too dangerous for the minor inconvenience, nevertheless that is a lot lower than the $130 Progressive claims to be common. And contemplating how the gadget directed my consideration to being a safer driver, even higher.
I can begin the method over once more and order one other Snapshot to attempt to decrease my insurance coverage additional. And I’d do that; it appears I simply left $100 on the desk!
