which U.S. insurance companies offer discount if you have a dash cam?

[twoscoops]

I was watching an earlier episode of Fifth Gear and Victoria Butler-Henderson was testing
several different dash cams. She mentioned something about insurance company giving
discounts if you had a dash cam installed in your car.

However, I assume she only meant UK auto insurance companies.

Are there any U.S. auto insurance companies that offer such discounts? Just checked
with my insurance company(the one with the lizard) and they don't.

 

[Edgardo]

I doubt any do at this time. Too new on the scene here. Most people hadn't heard of consumer dash cams until the Russian meteor video early this year. (That's what got me lookin' for one!) I suspect an insurance company would prefer one with GPS location and speed recording.

 

[Roadcam HD]

http://www.drivecam.com/our-markets/family/frequently-asked-questions

 

[CheckYourLights]

I was watching an earlier episode of Fifth Gear and Victoria Butler-Henderson was testing several different dash cams.

I goggled and it looks like Season 23 Episode 4 where this took place. Did they do one ealier then this? I think season 23 is the most recent season.

 

[Edgardo]

http://www.drivecam.com/our-markets/family/frequently-asked-questions

"...one year of service (total $899 plus tax). After the first year, continued service is $30/month... "

Not much of a discount!

 

[CheckYourLights]

"...one year of service (total $899 plus tax). After the first year, continued service is $30/month... "Not much of a discount!

I think DriveCam is more of a way to keep tabs on an inexperienced family driver kind of like the Progressive's Snapshot, but with video over protecting who is driving the car. The first question in the FAQ is

Can parents watch what their teens are doing?

Also noticed that the camera costs some serious money.
The camera costs $595, $50 to put in the car and then is $30 a month to keep going.
Witch is the bulk of the 899 you mentioned.

 

[Roadcam HD]

Q. Can it get me an insurance discount?
A. It should since, on average, the insurance company’s claims costs will be much lower as a result.American Family Insurance was the first company to provide the program for free, plus premium discounts in certain states. For more information on their Teen Safe Driver Program, go to www.teensafedriver.com. If you’re not insured with American Family, you’ll still enjoy the substantial cost savings from safer driving.

It's just a matter of time before insurance companies offer discounts for customers that have dashcams installed in their vehicles. This will be a motivator for people to purchase them. Reliability, Quality, and very User Friendly. Customers will expect this product to be up to date with existing technology.

 

[CheckYourLights]

Q. Can it get me an insurance discount?
A. It should since, on average, the insurance company’s claims costs will be much lower as a result.

While it might get a few people a discount I don't know that the discount would make up for the cost of the camera install and monitoring fee. Even once the first year is up the fee is still 30 dollars a month at the very least. So if you are only saving 15 dollars a month from your current rate but the monthly monitoring fee is 30 dollars you are still not really getting a deal.

Of course these numbers could be different, but from what i read about the Progressive snapshot witch is kind of like this but without the video part (It records sudden stops, time of driving, breaking and acceleration and other things through the cars OBDII port) Customers who have tried it have ether only saved a few dollars or their rate has actually gone up.

 

[jokiin]

Insurance policies are calculated by actuaries using complex mathematical statistical analysis, you can bet once one of the majors starts offering discounts on consumer policies that the others will sit up and take notice, it takes a while to start though

I know of at least two US insurance brokers that are looking at cameras for their customer base based on their own risk analysis as I've been contacted by them, things like this often grow out of small companies that look at ways to gain a competitive edge when they can't compete against the giant competitors on price