Telematics uses communications technology to help improve efficiency and safety in transportation, and Modus provides tools to help with this goal.
Program Features
Customers receive a discount on their policy premiums by allowing Esurance to monitor driving habits through the DriveSense mobile app. The app is available as a free download for anyone through the Google Play Store for Android devices and the Apple App Store for iOS devices. As of Feb. 2020, Esurance customers in 35 states were eligible to use the app to sign up for the DriveSense program to receive discounts. Analyzing your recorded driving behaviors can help you make adjustments to your driving that will help you save even more money on your auto insurance policy. If there are multiple drivers on a policy, they all can be enrolled, and each driver’s habits are taken into account when determining the amount of your discount.
Discounts
Esurance provides a discount for signing up for the DriveSense program, then you receive an additional discount each policy term as long as you record at least 50 trips during the term. Esurance does not specify how much either discount will be. If you already are a policyholder, Esurance can provide details based on your policy and where you live. If you are not a policyholder, you can request a quote that includes a DriveSense discount. The amount of your discount each term is based on how the app assesses your driving. The safer you are, the greater your discount will be. You lose the discount only if you stop using or uninstall the DriveSense app or if you log fewer than 50 trips during a policy term. If you get a new phone, simply install the app on your new phone and log in using your existing username and password.
Personal Data
While Modus helped develop Esurance’s program, the current app and data are handled by Arity, which also specializes in transportation technology. The data that is collected and how it is used can be reviewed on Arity’s website. It is mostly a standard agreement that details what information is needed to track driving habits for the purposes of calculating discounts. It also details how and when nonpersonal information may be shared with third parties for marketing purposes. Users have the ability to opt-in or out of receiving some communications.
The Bottom Line
DriveSense is a good option for Esurance customers looking for a way to reduce their auto insurance premiums. If you are paying higher premiums because you are considered a high-risk driver, a discount program like DriveSense can help offset some of the additional costs. There is no fee to participate, and there is no risk of rates going up even if your driving habits score poorly on the app. The app had more than 4,300 reviews on the Google Play Store as of February 2020 with an average of 2.9 out of 5 stars. More than half the reviews were either 5-star reviews or 1-star reviews, meaning most reviewers either really like the app or really dislike it. Positive reviews typically referenced the benefit of receiving a discount, while negative reviews complained about the accuracy of the data. Ratings on the Apple App Store were much better with an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on more than 14,000 reviews as of February 2020. The majority of reviews were 5-star reviews.
