Taking off in popularity, Pay As You Drive insurance plans for auto owners are, as their name suggests, based on the number of miles you drive your car. The more miles you drive, the higher the premium. The fewer miles you drive, the more you save. In our present economic times, the idea of paying less for this unavoidable expense is quite appealing. However, Pay As You Drive presents a few disadvantages.
First of all, in order to utilize Pay As You Drive insurance, you have to consent to having your vehicle?s mileage monitored. There are costs associated with these monitoring programs. These costs are paid for by the driver, not the insurance provider. These costs could outweigh the potential savings gained from Pay As You Drive Insurance. In addition, drivers would have to install a new monitoring device every time they change insurance providers. That makes Pay As You Drive insurance inconvenient, and it makes shopping for a better deal difficult and frustrating for drivers.
Secondly, the companies that make the odometer tracking devices also charge a periodic fee for transmitting data. So, not only do you pay for the device, you pay to use it. This, again, possibly can eat away any savings from driving less when you use Pay As You Go.
Additionally, insurance companies would have to develop an entirely new payment structure in order to offer Pay As You Drive insurance to their customers. The insurance companies could then easily pass any costs associated with this new payment structure directly onto drivers, again removing any financial benefit gained from Pay As You Drive insurance.
There are also concerns about how odometer data may be used. While it may be true that the monitoring devices will only provide the data needed to compute premiums, there is always the possibility that the monitors could be modified to tell the company not just how far you drive, but where, when, and how often. This information about where you could go could then be used to raise your rates, or for some other purpose entirely.
Those who favor Pay As You Drive insurance claim that less driving will result in fewer vehicle accidents. However, the relationship between vehicle miles traveled and accidents isn?t entirely proportional. Also, low mileage drivers are not necessarily safer, better drivers. A driver on a Pay As You Drive insurance program can just as easily have an accident as a driver who is on a more traditional insurance program.
At first glance, the promises of lower premiums for Pay As You Drive seem very attractive. If you are considering a Pay As You Drive policy, however, be sure to ask detailed questions of your authorized insurance agent to make sure Pay As You Drive is really right for you.
First of all, in order to utilize Pay As You Drive insurance, you have to consent to having your vehicle?s mileage monitored. There are costs associated with these monitoring programs. These costs are paid for by the driver, not the insurance provider. These costs could outweigh the potential savings gained from Pay As You Drive Insurance. In addition, drivers would have to install a new monitoring device every time they change insurance providers. That makes Pay As You Drive insurance inconvenient, and it makes shopping for a better deal difficult and frustrating for drivers.
Secondly, the companies that make the odometer tracking devices also charge a periodic fee for transmitting data. So, not only do you pay for the device, you pay to use it. This, again, possibly can eat away any savings from driving less when you use Pay As You Go.
Additionally, insurance companies would have to develop an entirely new payment structure in order to offer Pay As You Drive insurance to their customers. The insurance companies could then easily pass any costs associated with this new payment structure directly onto drivers, again removing any financial benefit gained from Pay As You Drive insurance.
There are also concerns about how odometer data may be used. While it may be true that the monitoring devices will only provide the data needed to compute premiums, there is always the possibility that the monitors could be modified to tell the company not just how far you drive, but where, when, and how often. This information about where you could go could then be used to raise your rates, or for some other purpose entirely.
Those who favor Pay As You Drive insurance claim that less driving will result in fewer vehicle accidents. However, the relationship between vehicle miles traveled and accidents isn?t entirely proportional. Also, low mileage drivers are not necessarily safer, better drivers. A driver on a Pay As You Drive insurance program can just as easily have an accident as a driver who is on a more traditional insurance program.
At first glance, the promises of lower premiums for Pay As You Drive seem very attractive. If you are considering a Pay As You Drive policy, however, be sure to ask detailed questions of your authorized insurance agent to make sure Pay As You Drive is really right for you.
About the Author:
Tom Martens is the content syndication coordinator for Carinsurancesa.co.za. South Arica?s leading car insurance portal.
