Insurers are quick to increase premiums for loads of reasons, but don't seem to keen on lowering them. I think it's good that dashcams are now more widely considered for discounts, but I want to know if any car technology would be considered to lower premiums. For example, my new Volvo has the City Safety feature where if it thinks you're about to hit something at up speeds of around 20mph, it will brake for you. I'd imagine other cars have similar features now, but in the instance you're distracted for a second and don't see the car in front brake, it could really reduce the risk of you going into the back of the person in front.

Are these features taken into account? And when giving my vehicle details for example, would they know it had it fitted? I'd imagine a car had some sort of performance package from the factory insurers would want to know.

Thanks

They will be taken in to account, these 'safety features'  will cost more in repairs and are little good when parked cars are damaged by others that may not stop or be insured. Not help stopping and not hitting something if then someone hits you.

No defence against damage by flood or natural disasters either.

They will be taken in to account, these 'safety features' will cost more in repairs and are little good when parked cars are damaged by others that may not stop or be insured. Not help stopping and not hitting something if then someone hits you.

No defence against damage by flood or natural disasters either.

While I appreciate it can't stop everything George, surely anything that reduces the risk of an accident and claims is a good thing. Especially when a lot of people's commute to work will have an average speed of not much more than 20-30mph. So I was curious to know whether new technologies like the automatic braking for an example, where taken into account. Everyone can get distracted from time to time

Everything is taken into account, even parked on road or driveway and how claims might be higher / more costly from parked vehicles in more expensive neighbourhoods. 

I am sure Safety Measures will come into their equations, not sure it makes for lower cost insurance if city driving / commuting comes with someone with an urban postcode as a home address and a 'Parked' at Work or College all day City Postcode.

That is morning and evening commutes. Maybe safer, maybe not.

Could even backfire. If the insurers find that statistically people with more safety features drive more dangerously and have more accidents having the 'safety' feature might out your premium up.

 

Remember Clarkson advocated changing airbags for a big metal spike. Pretty sure everyone would drive more carefully then.

Whilst it maybe a safety feature and lower the premium, the cost to repair it after a crash might be extremely high cancelling out any savings.