Elephant’s Safe Driver App: A Usage-based Insurance Program

What is Safe Driver?

Save money for driving safely. Elephant’s new Safe Driver App is a usage-based insurance program to recognize and reward safe driving habits. When you use Safe Driver* you could see savings on your car insurance rates. It’s just one more way we provide insurance on your terms.

How does it work?

As an Elephant customer, when you download and use Safe Driver, you’ll automatically receive a 3% discount on your first policy term for trying the app. You could receive up to an additional 7% savings when you complete your test drive, and possibly even more at your next renewal.** The more drivers on your policy who use the app, the more opportunities to save! It’s that simple.

The Safe Driver test drive will take two to three weeks depending on how many miles you drive.***  Keep the app turned on and drive as you normally would during the test drive period. The app will let you know when the test drive is complete, and Elephant will email you with results and next steps.  If you find you would like to work to improve your score, leave the app on. This is important since Elephant will use your most recent score at the time of renewal.

*Currently available in Texas.
**Your rate may increase with high-risk driving. Our data shows only about 3 out of 10 drivers actually have their rates increase.
***The Safe Driver test drive must be completed within 40 days of the effective date of the policy to continue receiving the 3% discount for participation.

How to get started with the Safe Driver

Sign up.

If you’re not already an Elephant customer, get a quote and join the Herd by purchasing a policy. During the signup process, click the button to add the Safe Driver App and enter your phone number. You’ll receive an automatic discount of 3% at the time of purchase just for signing up for Safe Driver. You’ll soon receive a text with a unique link to download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Drive.

Drive with the Safe Driver App for two to three weeks. Time will vary according to how many miles you tend to drive***. The app will notify you when the test drive period is complete.  Once you’ve been notified your test drive is complete, you can decide to keep the app on your phone or not. We will use your most recent score at the time of renewal if you want to try to improve your score after the test drive.

Save.

After you complete the test drive, look out for an email from Elephant letting you know the results and whether your rate has gone down, stayed the same or increased. You may receive savings up to an additional 7% based on your safe driving habits**.

What are the benefits of usage-based auto insurance with Safe Driver?

In addition to the possibility of lowering your insurance premiums, the Safe Driver usage-based program can:

• Help you become a smarter, safer driver by becoming more aware of driving habits like speed, hard braking, rapid acceleration, and mobile phone use.
• Make you aware of distracted driving habits like texting while driving and hard braking so you can correct to earn a better score.
• Save money with better fuel economy simply by adjusting your acceleration and braking habits.

What we measure to reward your safe driving

• Focused Driving. You’re focused on your driving. You avoid getting distracted by texts or calls on your phone or by changing music often.
• Limited hard braking and rapid acceleration. You give yourself plenty of time to brake. This means you’re not driving too close to the car in front of you and are focused on driving. You also give yourself plenty of time to reach the right speed.
• Late night driving is rare. You limit driving between midnight and 4 a.m. on weekends when the roads can be more dangerous.
• Gentle turning. You turn safely by slowing down and ease your way into and out of each turn.
• Fewer miles driven overall. You may work from home or you carpool. Driving less may save you even more.

FAQs

Who is eligible for Elephant’s Safe Driver?

Currently Elephant offers the Safe Driver App to new customers purchasing a policy in Texas. We plan to offer it to new and existing customers in other states in the near future.

Is the app compatible with my smartphone?

The app is compatible with Apple devices running iOS 12 or later, and Android devices running 6.0 or later. The Safe Driver App can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store using the unique link you will receive via text after purchasing your policy.

What is the Safe Driver test drive?

The test drive is the period of time after you first download the app where it is evaluating your driving. Please note, once you’ve been notified your test drive is complete, you can decide to keep the app on your phone or not.  We will use your most recent score at the time of renewal if you want to try to improve your score after the test drive.

How long will the test drive take?

The test drive must be completed within 40 days from the effective date of your policy. Depending on the number of miles driven each week, it may take as little as two to three weeks to complete. The 3% sign-up discount will be automatically removed if the test drive is not completed within 40 days.

What if I don’t drive very much?

Your driving frequency is a factor in your test drive score, and limited driving will most likely have a positive impact on your result. However, the app does need enough data to be able to make an accurate determination about your driving. Most customers, even those who drive infrequently, should get a score in about two to three weeks. You can monitor your progress in the app.

How will I know when it’s complete?

The Safe Driver App will let you know. You’ll also get an email from Elephant letting you know if you’ve qualified for any additional savings. Once you’ve been notified your test drive is complete, you can decide to keep the app on your phone or not.  We will use your most recent score at the time of renewal if you want to try to improve your score after the test drive.

How will I know how I’m doing on the test drive?

In the Scorecard section of the app, you can keep tabs on how the test drive is going. When you drive, we consider things like braking, turning, safe hours, and safe phone use to calculate your score. Once we’ve recorded enough trips, we’ll give you an overall number score for how you’re doing as well as a rating on some of the key elements of your score.

How do I indicate when I’m driving, or what if I’m a passenger or not actually driving, will the app be able to tell?

Different forms of transportation transmit different data. So, it’s easy to tell whether you’re driving, riding as a passenger, riding a bike, taking the bus or subway, or even flying. If you feel we have made a mistake, simply find the trip on your Scorecard in the app and select “I wasn’t driving.”

Do I need to log out after each trip or does the app need to be open to work?

The app does not need to be open. You actually give it permissions to run in the background on your phone when you set up the test drive.

Do I need to leave my global positioning system (GPS) on?

Yes. Without GPS, we won’t be able to determine your driving.

You enable GPS when you set up permissions after installing the app. You can also enable it later by updating your settings to “always allow” location access.

How is driving performance calculated?

After you download the Safe Driver App and begin to drive, we collect high-frequency sensor data from instruments that already exist in your smartphone.

All of the data collected through these instruments are put into an algorithm that accurately determines the motion of your phone. Don’t worry! The motion of your phone looks different when you’re the driver versus a passenger. During the course of your test drive, the motion from your phone develops patterns, and these patterns help us make sense of the data. Once we’re confident with the measurements, your test drive ends. These measurements contribute to the discount amount.

Do usage-based insurance programs save money?

Yes! We will use your driving data to get a better understanding of how safely you drive. You will ultimately be the one in control of your rate — if you’re a great driver, we’ll pass on more savings. On the other hand, not everyone is a safe driver. For some customers*, we may determine your driving behavior is not safe and will adjust your rate accordingly.

Will the app drain my battery?

We do our best to make sure that our app is as battery friendly as possible — many customers report no change or very little change. The good news? A short-term inconvenience could lead to big savings through lower insurance premiums.

*Your rate may increase with high-risk driving. Our data shows only about 3 out of 10 drivers actually have their rates increase.