All you want to do is get out on the road and enjoy never having to use Dad’s taxi service again. So, what’s standing in your way? Car insurance.
Taking out car insurance can feel like a mammoth task, especially when you’ve never done it before. Throw in the decision of whether you need a black box - also known as a telematics device - installed in your car, and you can suddenly feel pretty overwhelmed.
This is why we’ve put together this in-depth round up of the benefits of black box insurance, so you can decide if it’s right for you.
The benefits of Black Box insurance
Black boxes measure your speed, how fast you accelerate, braking behaviour, and what time you drive. Being conscious of how your driving affects your score and what you pay for your car insurance will definitely change how you feel about driving. This means that, over time, your driving will only improve as you try to better your score. Bear in mind that driving poorly may do the opposite and see your premiums rise.
Evidence if you are in an accident
One of the best things about black boxes is that they can help to prove who was at fault in an accident. So, if you have a prang and the other driver decides they don’t want to accept responsibility, you can ask your black box insurance provider to check the data and uncover what really happened.
You can find your car if it’s lost or stolen
While it’s less likely that you’ll lose your car - although we’ve all had that scary moment in a multi-storey car park when we can’t remember what level we parked on - black boxes are brilliant if your vehicle is stolen. The black box provider - such as WiseDriving - can track where your vehicle is via GPS and point the right people to its location. It provides a little bit of comfort knowing that, if something like this should happen, the thief could be caught. That said, it's only possible to track a stolen vehicle if the telematics device has been professionally fitted or fixed to the car battery.
It could potentially save you money
The safer you drive, the lower your premiums could be. The way you drive is given a score, which could lead to you earning a more personalised premium from your insurance provider. At WiseDriving, we calculate your driving score out of 100 - this impacts how much you pay for your insurance. It’s important to point out that poor driving behaviours can result in higher premiums.
Of course, it’s wise to check what rewards come with the policy you choose and how this can affect your price before signing up, but it’s great news if you’re new to driving and have been hit with higher quotes on the comparison websites.
Your data is private and secure
When black boxes were introduced, people raised concerns that they were basically like ‘Big Brother’ keeping an eye on you when driving. However, everything they capture is securely filed and only used when needed.
Data isn’t shared with anyone else unless it is for a claim purpose, or if the police request it following an incident, and can only be seen by you and your insurer. This means if you happen to go over the speed limit, you won’t instantly get a fine and they definitely don’t monitor anything that goes on in the car - so no one will know about that 90s pop playlist you listen to regularly.
You also won’t need to maintain the black box, as it tracks your driving in the background.
It’s discreet and won’t devalue your car
There are loads of myths about black boxes, with some people believing that having one installed can devalue your car. This simply isn’t true: it won’t interfere with how your car works or impact your car’s value or warranty.
Feeling confident that you understand the benefits of black box insurance? Get a quote today and see what we can offer.
Correct at the time of publication. Information in this article has been gathered from various sources, therefore WiseDriving cannot be held responsible for any view or opinion expressed herein.
