Back in September I participated in a pilot program with Progressive using the Progressive Snapshot device to monitor my driving. The goal was to see how much I would save on my car insurance. If you remember, I mentioned how having the Progressive Snapshot device might make me a more conscientious driver. And to be quite honest with you, it did.

Trial Period

Throughout the 30-day trial period, questions about my driving were answered. I received periodic reports letting me know what my grade was. While the device was plugged in the car, I didn’t want my husband to drive because I knew that any bad habits he displayed (stopping short) would affect my grade.

How It Worked

You plug a small device that Progressive provides, into your car’s on-board diagnostic port. The device beeped any time I stopped short. I knew that the sound was a ding to my performance. The device records how you drive and then sends the information back to Progressive.

Call it the nerd in me, my goal was for an A+ on this test-drive. By the end of the trial period, I ended up with an A-. Not bad.

My final notice was that I saved 20% on my car insurance based off of my driving.

Progressive Snapshot Review

I actually like the idea of Snapshot – it subconsciously made me a better driver because my driving habits were constantly being monitored.

Thankfully I wasn’t testing it out on a family road trip. I don’t think I would’ve been able to maintain my “excellent behavior” driving for an extended period of time. I admit to my occasional road rage.

If you’re a good driver, you can actually save money on your insurance based off of a very definitive factor like how you actually drive. Things like your age, location, car age/make, credit history, annual mileage, vehicle use and previous driving history are relevant but the actual driving of the operator is what the device tracks.

A Progressive team members in its Snapshot Operations Department sums it up: “Snapshot is about the person taking responsibility for their own actions.”

Final Analysis

After checking the numbers between Progressive and my current insurance company – there was a $20 difference with Progressive being more expensive. If you are a military or government employee, Progressive is probably going to be a more expensive option for you.

Having the Progressive Snapshot device in my car was like having a monitor sit in the front seat every time I put the car in “DRIVE.”

If you get past the “Big Brother” notions, you can see how the device is a win-win on a utilitarian level – the more people using the device, the more conscientious drivers you have on the road. The more conscientious drivers you have, the less probability of accidents, the less insurance companies have to pay out, and the more the consumer gets to save.

 

Disclosure: I participated in the Progressive Snapshot Test Drive and received gas cards to test drive the device for my participation. All opinions expressed within are my own.

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