Live Insurance News

Usage based insurance intellectual property from Progressive can now be licensed

January 25, 2013January 24, 2013 Julie Campbell

The insurer is specifying that it is the intellectual property and not the software in the program. In December 2012, Live Insurance News reported that Progressive would be licensing the intellectual property for its usage based insurance program, and that other carriers would start being able to use it as of 2015. Many have wondered whether the program also includes the software for the UBI coverage. For this reason, the insurer has issued an additional statement to clarify that it is only the intellectual property relating to the usage based…

State Farm aims to lower cost of auto insurance with new program

January 24, 2013April 30, 2013

State Farm attracting attention over new program Since early December, 2012, State Farm has been offering significant auto insurance discounts for those participating in the company’s Drive Safe and Save program. Currently, this program is only available to drivers in Wisconsin, a state well known for its privacy advocacy. State Farm suggests that the program can help drivers save money on their insurance coverage, but some state officials suggest that the information that the insurer could obtain through the program outweighs the potential benefits that consumers may see. Small device…

Usage based insurance raises concerns over privacy

December 28, 2012December 28, 2012 H. Cutner

The wireless monitoring devices that can lower premiums are making people wonder about data sharing. The wireless technology that is installed in a vehicle in order to take advantage of the possible savings from usage based insurance is starting to cause some concern among consumers who are becoming increasingly aware of the risks they are taking with regards to sharing their personal information. Some wonder precisely what is being collected and how it is being used and stored by insurers. The concept behind usage based insurance is that a wireless…

Usage based insurance licensing terms released by Progressive

December 24, 2012December 24, 2012 Julie Campbell

With six American patents in place, the insurer has now announced the rules for the use of its intellectual property. Progressive has just announced the terms of a new licensing program that it has developed for the use of its usage based insurance programs and the various proprietary elements that are related to them. The insurer has been carefully developing and protecting the various parts of these programs over the years. This licensing option has been long awaited by the industry, as the insurer has been indicating that it would…

Usage based insurance is now being seen without rose colored glasses

September 5, 2012September 4, 2012 Marc

Now that it has had its first wave as a novelty, drivers are starting to look at its other side. Drivers across the country are already taking part in the usage based insurance programs being offered by a number of the larger insurers, with the promise of an opportunity for significant savings. However, on closer inspection, some are starting to wonder whether the tradeoff is worth it. Insurers have crated usage based insurance programs that allow motorists to have their driving behaviors tracked by the companies in order to gain…

Usage based insurance encourages safe driving among young motorists

September 1, 2012September 1, 2012 Julie Campbell

IMS has now launched its Young Drivers Intelligence program for road safety among teens. Intelligent Mechatronic Systems (IMS) has announced the release of its first Young Drivers Intelligence (YDI) program that is working alongside one of the largest auto carriers in the United States for usage based insurance. The goal is to help to encourage new drivers to make safer driving choices. The program applies usage based insurance technology, where the driver behaviors are monitored through a wireless device that transmits data back to the insurer. This monitoring rewards drivers…

Usage based insurance could change the entire underwriting model

August 28, 2012August 27, 2012 Julie Campbell

A growing number of auto insurers are offering telematics programs. As the popularity of usage based insurance grows among both auto insurers and consumers, the data that is provided through the telematics devices is helping to provide more accurate information regarding the risks associated with a certain driver, so that pricing can better reflect that actual risk. This approach is already in place in many parts of the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. At the moment, the most common usage based insurance programs in North America are in truck…