I can get insurance 800 quid cheaper on my vrs if i have a black box fitted with no fines or curfews, i was just wondering where the box would actually go and where it would be wired in to,

Any help would be great

My daughter had one of these fitted to her car in 2012 and it took the guy took about 2 hours to fit and the unit went under the dash near the steering wheel. Her car was a Mk 4 Polo.

They will be monitoring speed, acceleration and braking. Check the small print for what happens if you drive outside their perfect limits.

Typically you'll end up paying more than you'd have for a normal policy

They will be monitoring speed, acceleration and braking. Check the small print for what happens if you drive outside their perfect limits.

Typically you'll end up paying more than you'd have for a normal policy

Perfect limits? The limits are merely in accordance with our country's legal requirements and there shouldn't be any shame or hardship driving within the law.

Over 12 months on my daughter has saved a lot of money and has been able to insure a much newer, larger car which would otherwise have been virtually impossible for her. She has not had the box transferred to the new car due to changing insurance company. I think in her case it was a worthwhile experience and dare I say should be mandatory for all new drivers, irrespective of age, in the first 12 months on the road.

BTW, as you rightly say the unit measures acceleration and deceleration, but also lateral forces too. Oh, and as it's GPS based it knows where you've been.

Does this mean that if you accelerate hard even up to the speed limit that you could be seen as a higher risk and pay more?

 

Phil

Yes it can, as insurers know that statistically this kind of driving style usually presents a higher risk. I know what you mean though, what constitutes 'good acceleration' and 'bad acceleration'? Someone in a NA 1.2 probably has nothing to worry about, whereas a tuned PD lump might frighten the box on a regular basis while accelerating well within the engine's capabilities.

 

As for braking and cornering, it's trying to promote a good driving style for everyone, which judging by the amount of threads on this forum dedicated to witnessing poor driving I think is something we all want.

 

If you have to corner hard or brake hard then it was probably because you weren't paying attention or following too close in the first place - driving habits that lead to accidents.

 

On the flipside - insurers can use the data for (or against!) you in the event of a claim. It also acts as a tracking device should your car ever get pinched.

 

Overall I think it's a good idea and agreed, it should be mandatory. The amount of scrotes on the road who have terrible driving habits and no respect for other drivers who miraculously get through a year without wrapping themselves around a lamp post pay the same premium as a respectful and sensible young driver despite posing a much higher risk. Let young drivers statistically re-brand themselves in the eyes of the insurers, insurers love statistics.

My advice to the OP is do it. My eldest's insurance has come down from £1300 to £600 by the addition of the black box (fitted to an 02 Arosa in 30 mintues) She is limited in time but only between 2300-0500h and to be honest without really even trying she is staying well within tolerance. The premium has even reduced a further £18 because of how long she has been within the limits set. We had the policy through Co-Operative Insurance Services and as Ben90 pointed out you get the added benefit of a 'free' tracker if the worst should happen. 

 

 The boy is trying to rail against having one (and there was a time I may have agreed) but there's no choice. For the good its done it'll be fitted no matter what. The only stipulation i've noted with Co-Op is they have a maximum age on the vehicle they will be involved with so worth checking. 

Typically you'll end up paying more than you'd have for a normal policy

 

When I was looking at renewal this year, I was quoted £340 for my Octy. Out of interest I looked at a Telematics quote: over £800! Don't see the insurance company handing back £500 for driving well. So, not for everyone.

 

 

She is limited in time but only between 2300-0500h.

 

What happens outside of that time? If you were driving the car at 1:00 how would they know? Does this mean if she was just round the corner from home at 23:05 and (hevean forbid) have an accident that she's not insured?

 

 

 

Who pays for the install of the box?

If you're going to have a "Black Box" system, for very little extra you could do it properly and add front and rear cameras. Would help greatly if there was an incident.

What happens outside of that time? If you were driving the car at 1:00 how would they know? Does this mean if she was just round the corner from home at 23:05 and (hevean forbid) have an accident that she's not insured?

 

 

 

Who pays for the install of the box?

If you're going to have a "Black Box" system, for very little extra you could do it properly and add front and rear cameras. Would help greatly if there was an incident.

 

 

 Rainbow to be honest I forgot the black box was wired in and used the car to pick SWMBO from town after a night out. The online 'dashboard' dropped from 5 (best) to 1 because of a journey at half midnight. However the needle soon built back up to 5 as my daughter simply doesn't drive at that time and we still got the reduction in premium.

Black box installation was paid for as part of the policy so no extra cost- bought the policy on a monthly basis so I assume the cost was in the upfront deposit. I know my cousin in the USA had a similar system fitted to his car when he started driving and they did install cameras too. 

Thanks for your replys

Would this plug into the bit where they plug in the diagnostics?

Jac

 

I don't believe so, the diagnostic port is behind the ashtray in the centre console of the Arosa. The fitter removed the speedo instrument binnicle and fitted it almost to the rear of the steering wheel 

Oh right, my biggest problem is that ive got 314lb ft, im not a really bad driver but i do like putting my foot down where i feel is suitable, im better off paying a bit more for insurance

Its up to you dude. If you can get a year under your belt with the box it could mean in the long run you get a better deal but if you can stomach the extra cost then why limit yourself? 

Oh right, my biggest problem is that ive got 314lb ft, im not a really bad driver but i do like putting my foot down where i feel is suitable, im better off paying a bit more for insurance

IIRC Aviva have an app which works in a similar way to a black box.

Give that a go driving as you would normally (with spirited blasts) and see what it says.

With regards to driving perfectly, the boxes look at harsh changes in speed or direction which is easily done within legal limits.

I think that for new and inexperienced drivers, they are a fantastic option and the more fear of it shopping the driver could really help them behave and be more concious. Would I want one personally..... not really, I work with telematics at both sides of that fence and I am still a bit 1984 about the whole thing in my own head.

 

If I was able to save £800 (meaning they would pay me £500) to drive around in my car, I would however have it! New drivers should be required to have it and insurance in their own name only for first 3 years IMO, but with real discounts making it genuinely affordable to a new driver to get on the road. 

I had one in my previous car for 2 years as it was the only way i could get insured for under £5000

 

First year, nobody arrived to fit the tracker, called up the company and they said an engineer should come and do it in a few days, nobody turned up, actually one day 2 engineers in a van did turn up but they parked outside my house for 5 minutes before driving off, so i went through the entire year without it.

 

Second year, the engineer arrived about 3 months after my policy started, the tracker was fitted under the glove box but it didn't even work, i couldn't see my data online, but i went through the entire year with it like that, no further issues.

 

Insurance was still valid, even had a new windscreen within that time.

Edited 31 December, 201312 yr by Harry1212

So if it has a GS tracker in it does it mean you can drive nice and sensible to a trackday, drive like a hoon all day on track and then drive home nice and sensible and you won't get penalised for it as it wasn't on the road

And you can speed through tunnels lol

Good point about the track day, but then you'd anyway have to inform your insurance company, but as for the tunnel, it'll know when you entered and how long it took you to exit, so yes it would know you've been speeding.

would it work on a shared car its my missus car and son is a named driver on it . would we have to swop insurance around and have the missus as the named driver.

how would it work if she used it at night 

Steve in our case I am the principal driver of the vehicle with my daughter as a named driver. I've found using the car late at night will knock your score right down but it soon builds back up with regular usage inside the stipulated time periods. 

Isnt that known as fronting? 

Son has saved at least 2 k with a box

Good point about the track day, but then you'd anyway have to inform your insurance company, but as for the tunnel, it'll know when you entered and how long it took you to exit, so yes it would know you've been speeding.

People active for insurers have been known to record plates of cars taking part.  I know it happens at Santapod.

What for though? The chances of a road car having a smash at santa pod are slim. They'd be better watching the various chavy car shows through the year incase anyone spanks and tries to claim they were on the road at the time.