George Orwell’s novel 1984, written in 1949, warned us of a time when our every move is watched by an oppressive entity. Sometimes, we forget how often we allow massive corporations to monitor our daily lives. We have devices that listen to our conversations, waiting for us to ask them questions. We allow map services to track our movements, keeping a record of where we’ve traveled. Modern refrigerators and air conditioners even have communication capabilities.
These days, our insurance companies want to keep tabs on us, too. A popular service many major companies provide is insurance tracking. Essentially, they install a device in your car that monitors your driving behavior, sending that data directly to the company. Sometimes you can bypass these devices and install tracking apps directly onto your smartphone. Trackers keep records of things like speed and braking. They can tell if you’re taking your turns too tightly or if you’ve been weaving between lanes.
These trackers ostensibly serve as a way to benefit drivers. If you are a safe driver, the company says, then you can save money on your car insurance. This is certainly helpful. Car insurance can be expensive, and everyone wants to cut costs where they can. Could there be, perhaps, higher costs for such tracking? The answer, of course, is yes.
PERSONAL DATA
Data collection is big business. A simple Google search will reveal several stories of internet services selling user data to another company or even another country. Google itself will track that search, benefitting from your browser history.
If you choose to install an insurance tracker, remember that you are sacrificing some portion of your privacy. Companies are collecting your data, and they are using it to make money. They may promise that they are not tracking your location, and that may even be true. Just remember to ask yourself how much you trust a big corporation and whether you want your private car travel accessible.
Some people are not concerned about their personal data going to a corporation. They are saving money on their car insurance, and to them, that’s all that matters. This is a perfectly acceptable response. However, insurance trackers could affect you financially.
EFFECTS ON YOUR CLAIM
Insurance companies are not on your side. They have friendly mascots and funny commercials, but by their very nature, their job is to hoard your money. The business model is simple: Collect as much money as you can, and pay as little as possible. Never assume that they are tracking your driving to help you. Any action they take is always in service of collecting more and paying less.
When it comes to vehicle accidents, Oklahoma is an at-fault state. The driver who causes an accident is responsible for damages, and their insurance company pays these benefits. If two drivers have different insurance companies, the process can run smoothly. As long as everyone works together, the at-fault driver’s insurance takes care of the bills.
Imagine, then, that you are hit by another driver, and that driver has the same insurance as you. If you allow yourself to be tracked, the insurance company has access to your driving behavior at the time of the accident. It could be very easy for that company to draw its own conclusions. It can look at the actions you took during the accident and assign you partial or full blame. The company could easily justify lowering your benefits or denying them altogether.
This could also happen if the at-fault driver is uninsured. When an at-fault driver is not properly covered, you must go to your insurance company for help. If you’ve been tracked, again, your insurance company could find almost any excuse to deny or devalue your claim.
SEEK LEGAL HELP
If your insurance company is using tracking as an excuse to deny your compensation, call a lawyer today. They may be able to work with your insurer, getting you the benefits you need. When all else fails, you may need to take the matter to court, and you will certainly need representation to sue an insurance company.
If you need help receiving your benefits, reach out to us today. We have the experience to take on insurance companies. You can fill out an online contact form here, or call 918-492-7674.