Are they scamming me?

George_C

I recently took out insurance on my car with a company that mandates you have a telematics device (black box) fitted. You get an app that shows you your scores for each drive, based upon speed smoothness and usage. The app shows your stats for the last day you drove, the last 7 days, reward quarter and overall. I was paying close attention to the ‘last 7 days’ average, and realised that it is actually way off, I did the maths and overall I should have a score of plus 8.4 but I actually have an overall score of plus 4.2. It may not sound like much but this really affects my policy renewal price and that’s why I am concerned. I think the app is deliberately miscalculating my score and that’s categorically wrong and it has to be illegal, right? Anyway I need some advice on what to do, because I really think that they’re essentially scamming me and if they are I want to know what I can do about it. Thanks

[Deleted User]

George_C wrote: »

I recently took out insurance on my car with a company that mandates you have a telematics device (black box) fitted. You get an app that shows you your scores for each drive, based upon speed smoothness and usage. The app shows your stats for the last day you drove, the last 7 days, reward quarter and overall. I was paying close attention to the ‘last 7 days’ average, and realised that it is actually way off, I did the maths and overall I should have a score of plus 8.4 but I actually have an overall score of plus 4.2. It may not sound like much but this really affects my policy renewal price and that’s why I am concerned. I think the app is deliberately miscalculating my score and that’s categorically wrong and it has to be illegal, right? Anyway I need some advice on what to do, because I really think that they’re essentially scamming me and if they are I want to know what I can do about it. Thanks

Which Company is it?

Sounds like the Ombudsman needs to be involved

angrycrow

Scores are based on a lot of factors, acceleration and braking being common ones people get marked down for. With a black you need to drive like your car has no power or brakes to keep the score high. The time and location you drive also has an effect.

You mention a black box, is this hard wired, obd or mobile app. Hard wired is reliable, obd can come out of the port, apps can pick up train journeys or when you travel as a passenger in error.

Carrot007

George_C wrote: »

I recently took out insurance on my car with a company that mandates you have a telematics device (black box) fitted.

That was your mistake. Correct it and get proper insurance. These silly fringe things are never worth it unless you want to drive like you are 90 (and even then...).

System

The black boxes are a load of rubbish. When my son first got one fitted I took the car out for a run to see how it would do. I'm a vocational license holder who has done defensive and economical driving courses and drove to the absolute best it is possible to do on quite quiet A roads, no fast cornering or accelerating, plenty of anticipation and engine braking well in advance of junctions etc, well above driving test standard. Got a score of average.

Personally I'd not worry about the renewal price, just renew with another company as the score you get on this box only affects renewal prices with that company you're currently with. Only time to be concerned if you didn't do your homework and have one fitted where they'll up the monthly payments mid policy based on your score.

AdrianC

George_C wrote: »

I think the app is deliberately miscalculating my score

Far more likely is that you're simply misunderstanding something about the way it's calculated.

Are you taking account of time and distance-weighting, perhaps?

George_C

Well, each drive gives 3 scores (speed, usage and smotheness) then an over all average. My issue is that from the scores provided by the app, the averages are wrong and it’s increasing my renewal price.

George_C

I’m looking specifically here at the “last 7 days average” because it’s the easiest to validate. Obviously I can’t remeber all of my scores from each drive, but I can see the last 20. I’ve done under 20 drives in a week, therefore I can myself calculate the average (ie add up all the scores and divide through by amount of journeys) and that will give me the average for the last 7 days. Having done that basic maths, the average they provide is about 4 points below what I get.

George_C

Completely agree, however stuck with it now unfortunately.

George_C

It’s more than smart wheels. How should I go about contacting the ombudsman?

Norman_Castle

If you use the quote button we'll know what you are responding to.