When Did Progressive Auto Insurance Decide to Start Playing Big Brother?

[LAGC]

Check this shit out:

With Snapshot, Progressive’s usage-based insurance program, you could turn your good driving into huge savings—of up to 30 percent—on your car insurance.
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What is Snapshot?

Snapshot, our Pay As You Drive program, is a type of usage-based insurance. After you enroll, you can earn a personalized car insurance discount—your Snapshot DiscountSM—by driving less, in safer ways and during safer times of day. The better you drive, the more you can save, up to 30 percent.

How do I take my snapshot?

Once you get your Snapshot device in the mail, just plug it into your car’s diagnostic port (usually below the steering column) and drive as you normally would to take your snapshot. Then, log in to your policy to view your driving information and projected Snapshot Discount.

What driving habits are included in my snapshot?

Your driving snapshot includes the number of miles you drive, time of day you drive and how often you make sudden stops. People who drive less, in safer ways and during safer times of day could get a discount.

http://www.progressive.com/auto/snapshot-how-it-works.aspx
http://www.progressive.com/auto/snapshot-common-questions.aspx

These are the same corporate stooges who pioneered the "novel" idea of gouging you on your insurance rate if you have poor credit, which many of the other auto insurance providers followed suit.

Now they want to track your driving habits as well. How long until devices like that are MANDATORY in every car?

(I mostly work the graveyard-shift, so I guess everyone like me who drives at night gets fucked on their rate. How very "progressive" of them.)

[Modern_Matthew]

1. And they expect us to go with the Flo? nt

[in_cog_ni_to]

2. Oh, hell no. I refuse to use the finger scan at the grocery store too.

Waaaaay too Big Brother-ish, IMCPO. I'm sure as hell not going to let some corporation (INSURANCE CORPORATION no less) monitor my driving habits. I'll walk before anyone ever puts a device like that in my car.

[Codeine]

4. Finger scan?

What's that?

[in_cog_ni_to]

5. You stick your finger in a finger scan, they register a debit card or CC

and when you stick your finger in it....it automatically charges that acct for the purchase. :scared:

http://www.marketingatretailnews.com/article/8962.aspx

Finger-Scan Payment Spreading in Retail

By staff, September 29, 2008


For over 2.3 million U.S. consumers, charging retail purchases to a bank account or a credit card is now as simple as swiping their finger across a scanner. Now accessible in more than 2,000 retail locations, payment by finger-scan technology is spreading, according to a new study by the Platt Retail Institute, a retail think-tank and consulting firm based in Chicago.

Finger-scan payments leverage biometric technology, which is the process of identification by considering a unique human trait. And it is catching on as a faster and safer way to pay. Recently Jewel, a Mid-West grocery chain owned by the second largest retail grocer in the U.S., completed a store-wide launch of a finger-scan payment system at all of its 204 stores. The system works by scanning data points on a finger by way of a sensing device. For added security, an identification number is also entered at the time of transaction processing. Once the payment is authorized, the amount is then either deducted from the customer’s bank account or added to their credit-card balance.

Signing up for the service is free for consumers, who report that it is a faster, easier and more secure way to pay. For retailers, the advantages include up to 30% faster checkouts due to a decreases in “fumble-factor”, reduced fraud, and lower transaction processing costs as compared to debit card and credit cards.

In addition to payment by touch, finger-scan technology is being utilized to ensure identification when cashing checks, for use in making on-line payments, and for personalization of promotional offers, such as when a customer interacts with a kiosk. In the United Kingdom, Midcounties Co-operative, a 150 store grocer, is currently testing biometric payment in college-town Cambridge locations as a faster way to verify the age of students attempting to purchase alcohol and tobacco products.<snip>

[Codeine]

6. Huh. Nobody seems to be doing that around here.

I'm not sure I have a problem with it, but I can see why some people might.

[krispos42]

31. I saw those in the Midwest

Touch the pad and punch in a PIN, and your purchase was credited to your registered credit card.

[NutmegYankee]

25. That's the first time I've heard of that.

Now that is scary.

[in_cog_ni_to]

35. I know! There's no way they're getting my fingerprint.

Next thing they'll want to do is microchip us for every transaction we have. NOT going to happen if I have anything to say about it.
You would be surprised how many people actually happily stick their finger in that scanner. It's unbelievable how people just go along with Big Brother policies.

[Codeine]

3. It's entirely voluntary.

something you have to actively choose to do in order to save money. :shrug: If they required it as part of their policy then I'd say people should avoid them like the plague, but this is a way for people with less expensive (from an actuarial standpoint) driving habits to voluntarily demonstrate that to the company and thereby save a few bucks.

I'm just not seeing the outrage on this one.

[NutmegYankee]

26. What often starts out voluntary soon becomes mandatory. nt

[Shagbark Hickory]

7. It actually seems like a really good idea. I just hope they don't all force us to use these devices.

Or I had better get my ass a bicycle.

[Codeine]

8. I'd actually consider switching to Progressive to use it.

I drive during non-peak hours and don't drive much most days; usually only 20 miles or so. I also rarely brake hard.

It doesn't track speeding, or I'd be straight fucked. :evilgrin:

[Shagbark Hickory]

9. Except they are a bunch of turds to do business with.

They couldn't sucker me in with this even though I drive very little compared to most.

[petronius]

10. It doesn't track speeding, but it does record speed. I have to wonder if the

'safe-driving' algorithm incorporates that data - for instance, if it sees a lot of 80-90-100+ mph entries does that get factored in...

[PVnRT]

23. It keeps track of time driving higher than 70, I believe

At least, that's all ours keeps track of.

[Kat45]

21. I don't drive much myself and I get a low-mileage discount on my car insurance.

Works for me.

[BanzaiBonnie]

11. Until they have enough people who are willing

to sell Their soul to big brother.

Then watch for the insurance companies to heap a big new increase in our rates if we DON'T cooperate.

[Shagbark Hickory]

14. What I worry about is dropping us altogether.

I guess I could try to drive like a sane person. :silly:

[PBass]

12. I wouldn't necessarily think this is true:

"(I mostly work the graveyard-shift, so I guess everyone like me who drives at night gets fucked on their rate. How very "progressive" of them.)"

I would think rush-hour drivers might pay more than night time drivers, if I was going to guess. Can anyone say for sure?

I don't find this any more offensive than an insurance company asking if you smoke, although the tracking device is legitimately creepy.

Progressive is a "Blue" company - they donate to Democratic candidates. I'm not ready to bash them. Don't participate in Snapshot, if it offends you.

[Raine]

15. THANKS, good to know they're a blue company. nt

:thumbsup:

[high density]

18. Big brother is good as long as it gives money to Democrats

Got it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. Isn't this a voluntary program?

I saw a piece on the news about it and I didn't think they were forcing anyone to buy their product or use this gadget. :shrug:

[Dawson Leery]

16. Too bad the financial crisis didn't take them out.

[high density]

17. I hope people don't submit to this nonsense

I mean if I make 'sudden stop' because somebody is driving in my lane or doing some other stupid thing around me, that counts against me? This sounds like a bad joke.

[PVnRT]

24. Doing that once or twice doesn't establish a pattern

Doing it all the time indicates that you're probably a bad driver more at risk of getting into an accident.

[MineralMan]

19. Then don't buy that policy. It's an option. Further, you can buy

insurance from many companies. For people like me, who have driven for almost 50 years with no tickets and no accidents, and who drive only about 2000 miles a year, it could be a big money saver. Your mileage may vary. I think you're blowing this way out of proportion, my DU friend.

[LAGC]

20. Maybe you're right.

I have pretty good credit so my premium on my 1998 vehicle is less than $200 for 6 months of comprehensive (free road-side assistance) coverage (no collision coverage) through 21st Century Insurance group, so I doubt Progressive would be any cheaper, even with the discount. I used to be insured through Progressive, but back then I had an even older vehicle and even then it cost over $300 for 6 months for liability-only. So I doubt I'd save any money, even if I submitted to their detestable device.

I'm just worried that such devices are going to become MANDATORY by all insurance companies soon.

[PVnRT]

22. Driving at night is off-peak driving, which would lower your risk

and thus your rate.

The devices are not mandatory, and it's easy enough to switch companies if you don't like the program at all. Furthermore, where in the hell do you get this nonsense about Progressive being the ones to "invent" gouging people with poor credit?

The voluntary program rewards you with lower rates if you drive slower during non-peak driving times. My, how horrible.

[hobbit709]

27. My 1992 truck has no computer-problem solved.

[MindPilot]

28. Is this device is transmitting data in real time?

How else can I go home and apparently without doing any kind of download, I can view my trip history on Progressive's web site? How does it know my time zone without GPS? How does it know the local time unless it links to some time-standard device?

There's more going on here than they're telling us methinks.

[undeterred]

29. They aren't the only insurance company using it.

[unblock]

30. the concept of "voluntary" in insurance is highly deceptive

presumably people with good driving habits (and no cares about privacy) will volunteer for the device, and qualify for discounts.

in insurance, this is known as adverse selection. the overall pool isn't safer, but they're giving discounts to the known safe drivers. that means the pool of drivers that don't have the device are less safe than the entire pool. so guess what they'll have to do to compensate for the extra risk? right, they'll raise rates for anyone who doesn't get the device.

by refusing to get the device, you self-identify with a riskier part of the pool, "justifying" a higher rate. you pay more whether you drive "less safely" or whether you refuse on grounds of privacy.


there is no true "voluntary" decision. you are forced to pay more to decline or to submit to the device for the better rate.

[NutmegYankee]

32. Agree.

The term "voluntary" with regard to insurance is always a Bullshit story. You either comply or pay more.

[Arkana]

33. Flo is watching you masturbate?

[lz1122]

34. I was with Progressive for the last 4 years

I just dropped them as I saw in my policy renewal that my premium went up by $27 a month. Normally I would've just accepted this but I called them since I haven't made a claim or received a ticket. They said the State of Florida approved a rate increase so they raised their rates in Florida. I switched to Esurance and saved pretty good.

[The Gunslinger]

36. Big Brother will watch you

And the sheep will willingly invite him to do so. If it saves the Ins corporations money it will soon beecome law by the political arm of the Ins corporations.