How do insurance companies track your driving?

Asked by: Billie Feil  |  Last update: July 6, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (32 votes)

Driver monitoring—what insurers call telematics, or usage-based insurance (UBI)—typically utilizes a smartphone app, a device that plugs into your car's computer diagnostic port, or an electronic tag mounted inside your car to keep tabs on how you drive, measuring things like speed, braking, cell phone use (to observe ...

Can insurance companies track your driving habits?

The insurance company receives data on your driving which, in turn, helps to determine the amount you pay for coverage. This is a reality today for some—it's called usage-based insurance (UBI) or telematics and increasing numbers of insurers are offering this option.

How do insurance companies look up your driving record?

Insurance companies obtain Motor Vehicle Reports (MVRs) directly from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or relevant authorities. These reports provide a detailed account of your driving history, including traffic violations, accidents, and license status.

How do insurance apps know who is driving?

Car insurance tracking apps use various sensors and data sources within your smartphone to collect information about your driving behavior. The Global Positioning System in your smartphone plays a crucial role in tracking your location and movement.

How do insurance companies know how many miles I drive?

Drivers enrolled in a telematics program or pay-per-mile car insurance automatically have their annual mileage tracked through the mobile app or device provided by the carrier. Insurance companies may also get mileage updates through insurance photo inspection sites such as CARCO and other service records.

How Do Insurance Companies Track Your Driving? - InsuranceGuide360.com

39 related questions found

What is considered high mileage for insurance?

If you drive a lot, insurance companies will charge you higher premiums because they're taking on more risk. Generally, anything over the U.S. average annual mileage (roughly 14,000 miles) is considered high and will result in a rate hike.

What information do car insurance companies have access to?

Insurance companies typically check police records mainly during the underwriting and claims investigation stages. When an individual applies for a new insurance policy or renews an existing one, insurers may request permission to access their driving record, which includes information from police records.

Can insurance companies see how fast you drive?

Driver monitoring—what insurers call telematics, or usage-based insurance (UBI)—typically utilizes a smartphone app, a device that plugs into your car's computer diagnostic port, or an electronic tag mounted inside your car to keep tabs on how you drive, measuring things like speed, braking, cell phone use (to observe ...

Does insurance cover track driving?

Track day insurance is generally not mandatory, but it is highly recommended as most regular auto insurance policies do not cover track day events.

How does Geico track your driving?

Using the sensors in your phone, the GEICO Mobile app automatically logs your driving behaviors-like how hard you brake, how far you drive, and how often you use your phone-and calculates a safe driving score. GEICO then factors your score into your insurance rate.

How do I clean my driving record for insurance?

How to clean up your driving record
  1. Take a defensive driving course. Many states will remove points or minor infractions from your driving record if you complete a defensive driving course. ...
  2. Dispute errors on your driving record. ...
  3. Contest your ticket. ...
  4. Fix minor issues immediately. ...
  5. Expunge your record. ...
  6. Seek a deferment.

How do insurance companies evaluate drivers?

Things like your driving record, what car you drive, and other data about you as an individual help them determine how risky you are to insure. The higher the risk of you filing a claim (and costing the insurance company money), the more you'll have to pay for insurance.

What cars track your driving?

Cross. A new investigation found that GM, Honda, Kia, Subaru, Hyundai and Mitsubishi are tracking drivers' data on everything from when they drive to how hard they hit their brakes.

How to block insurance tracker?

One of the most effective methods to block GPS tracking is using a GPS jammer. These devices emit radio signals at the same frequency as GPS signals, effectively scrambling the data and preventing the GPS receiver from acquiring a signal.

What cars are hard to get insurance on?

Which Vehicles Are Difficult to Insure?
  • Exotic Brand Vehicles (e.g. – Rolls Royce, Bentley, Bugatti)
  • Limited Production or Limited Edition Vehicles (e.g. – anniversary or commemorative models, certain models of Ferrari, Corvette, et cetera)
  • Vans carrying 12 or more passengers.
  • Camper vans.
  • Cargo vans.
  • Flatbed trucks.

Do insurance companies track you?

UBI (or good driver) programs are voluntary. In other words, your insurance company can only track your vehicle if you opt into a program. If you've opted into a program and no longer want to participate, you can also opt out. Just keep in mind that if you opt out, your insurance rates may increase.

Does insurance ever follow the driver?

The Insurance Policy Follows the Car and Not the Driver

Under California law, in most instances, the insurance policy attaches to the car itself. If someone was driving your car, it would be your insurance policy that paid for the damages. However, that does not mean that you should assume that the driver is covered.

Can car insurance track your mileage?

Telematics-powered auto insurance is a form of policy in which insurance companies rely on in-car tracking devices to monitor your driving habits and tendencies. These devices track your vehicle's speed, mileage, total driving time and other factors to help determine the policyholder's car insurance premiums.

How can insurance companies see every drive you take?

Insurance tracking devices are small devices that gather information captured by your car's computer and provide it to the insurance company. The devices won't change the way your car operates (they won't limit your top speed or when and how you drive) and won't cause any harm to it.

What determines how fast you drive?

Statutory speed limits are established by State legislatures for specific types of roads (e.g., Interstates, rural highways, urban streets) and can vary from State to State. They are enforceable by law and are applicable even if the speed limit sign is not posted.

What are the cons of telematics?

One major concern with telematics insurance is privacy. The constant monitoring of driving behavior raises questions about personal data collection and potential misuse. Some individuals might feel uncomfortable knowing that their every move on the road is being tracked and analyzed by their insurance company.

What data do insurance companies have access to?

Here are seven of the most important customer data types in insurance:
  • Personal information. This includes a wide range of data points and is usually collected when a customer first applies for coverage. ...
  • Policy information. ...
  • Claims history. ...
  • Payment history. ...
  • Interaction history. ...
  • Signatures. ...
  • Agent information. ...
  • Attachments.

How do insurance companies find out about accidents?

Insurance companies use police reports to determine fault in accidents. They'll analyze the information in the report to find the responsible party.

What database do car insurance companies use?

C.L.U.E. (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) is a claims history database generated by LexisNexis enabling insurance companies to access consumer claims information when they are underwriting or rating an insurance policy.