Frequently Asked Questions About Intact my Drive

What Ontario Drivers Need to Know About the Intact my Drive Program  

If you're a cautious, considerate driver who always uses defensive driving techniques and respects the rules of the road, why should you pay the same amount for your auto insurance premiums as someone who engages in unsafe driving practices? With the my Drive program from Intact Insurance, you don't have to. 

The Intact my Drive program is designed to reward safe drivers with a discount on their auto insurance. It's no secret that safe drivers are far less likely to have to file a claim on their car insurance, so it makes perfect sense that they should pay lower premiums than drivers who aren't as conscientious on the road. The licensed brokers at Morison Insurance put together this Intact my Drive FAQ to answer some common questions about the my Drive program so you can determine if it's the right choice for you.   

What Is The Intact my Drive Program?  

You may have heard of telematics insurance coverage for vehicles before, and my Drive is Intact Insurance's telematics program. Also known as usage-based insurance (UBI) or pay-how-you-drive insurance, it is a program that policyholders can voluntarily opt to join that uses a smartphone app to monitor and assess data about driving. If the data from the Intact my Drive app shows that the policyholder is following safe driving practices - or are not driving safely - Intact Insurance will adjust the amount they have to pay on their auto insurance premiums accordingly.  

This means that safe drivers can be rewarded with a discount on their car insurance costs, but unsafe drivers who opt into the program can be penalized with higher auto insurance premiums. The reasoning for this is simple. Insurance companies deal with risk levels and probability, which is why they assess a wide range of factors such as driving experience, previous insurance claims, and so on to determine the likelihood that a driver will need to file a claim on their auto insurance policy. Defensive driving practices reduce the probability of a collision or another type of accident that would result in an insurance claim, and that means the insurance company is less likely to have to provide safe drivers with insurance compensation. As a result, they can afford to charge those drivers lower premiums than a driver who is statistically more likely to be involved in a collision.   

How Does Intact my Drive Work?  

The Intact my Drive program works through an app on the policyholder's smartphone. Most drivers, and everyone else, take their phones with them everywhere they go. Using the phone's GPS capability and movement sensors, the app can gather information such as the speeds you typically drive at, how abruptly you brake and accelerate, how frequently you use your vehicle and for how long, whether you use your phone while driving, and more. That data is sent to Intact Insurance over an assessment period, which can last up to nine months, and Intact evaluates it to determine if you should be paying less or more on your auto insurance premiums based on your driving behaviour. At your next auto insurance renewal following the assessment period, that adjustment will be applied to your premium cost.  

Who Can Benefit The Most From Intact my Drive?  

As you've probably already gathered, the Intact my Drive program benefits drivers who have developed safe driving habits and consistently use defensive driving techniques when they're behind the wheel. One of the biggest reasons why usage-based insurance is such an advantage for careful drivers is it gives you the opportunity to get a fair, unbiased assessment of your actual driving behaviour, so your insurance company doesn't have to rely on statistical probabilities to determine your level of risk exposure.  

For example, it's common for young, inexperienced drivers to pay more on their insurance premiums because, statistically speaking, drivers at their age and experience level are more likely to be involved in a collision. With a telematics program such as Intact my Drive, new drivers can prove themselves to be conscientious and rule-abiding, so they don't have to be grouped with other drivers based solely on their age and amount of driving experience.  

Usage-based insurance can also be very beneficial to drivers who don't use their vehicles very often because, of course, the less time you spend on the road, the fewer opportunities you have to be in a collision. If you work from home, for example, and typically only drive your car on the weekends to take care of errands, the Intact my Drive program could benefit you because your insurance premiums will reflect your reduced vehicle usage as long as you're driving safely when you do use your car.  

Will I Get a Discount On My Auto Insurance If I Use The Intact my Drive Program?  

The answer really depends on you and your driving patterns. Intact rewards drivers who have proven themselves to have safe, event-free driving stats with discounts of up to 25% of their auto insurance costs, which makes for significant potential savings. However, it's important to note that potential discounts are based on how well you do on factors such as speed, focus and smoothness, so you are not guaranteed to get the full 25% off.   

Conversely, if the data collected by the Impact my Drive app does not reflect a safe driving style, you could be penalized with an increase of up to 25% for the cost of your car insurance premiums. This is not as common because most drivers already have a pretty good idea of whether they use safe driving practices, and if they don't, they don't choose to enroll in a telematics program such as Intact my Drive.  It's also worth noting that if you are not currently an Intact Insurance client, switching to Intact and enrolling in my Drive may make you eligible for a 10% enrollment discount.  

What Factors Does Intact my Drive Assess To Determine Who Is a Safe Driver?  

Telematics insurance assessments can be based on a wide range of factors, but the Intact my Drive program is primarily based on these three main factors:  

• Speed: Do you maintain a safe, even driving speed for the type of road you are travelling on? Do you follow the posted speed limit in a given area?  
• Focus: Do you maintain your focus on the road while driving and avoid being distracted by your phone?  
• Smoothness: How is your driving smoothness? Do you frequently engage in rapid acceleration or harsh braking?  

We all know there are exceptions to every rule, and that certainly applies to driving rules. There are heavy braking situations, for example, where sudden braking is the right thing to do—if a person dashes out in front of your vehicle, of course you must slam on the brakes to avoid hitting them. In a scenario like that, you can use the Intact my Drive app to report the incident up to 30 days after it occurs, so it won't affect your record.  

What Types Of Information And Assistance Can Drivers Get From The Intact my Drive App?  

Personalized insurance premiums aren't the only potential benefit of an insurance program such as Intact my Drive. The app can provide you with valuable information and assistance that will improve your safe driving abilities and help you identify optimal driving conditions.   

• Progress Tracking: Get clear information on how well you're doing at meeting and exceeding safe driving goals.  
• Insightful Data: Receive data about your average speed, acceleration trends and more so you know what you're doing right and where you can improve.  
• Customized Tips: Receive driving tips on how to improve that are customized to your unique telematics data.  
• Crash Assist: Use the Intact my Drive app to contact emergency services, locate towing services, notify loved ones of your location and even file an insurance claim.  
• Weather Alerts: Find out in advance about weather conditions that could impact your ability to drive safely, such as hail, fog, blizzards and freezing rain.  
• Recall Notifications: Be notified of recalls pertaining to your vehicle that could impact your safety.  

How Can I Join The Intact my Drive Program?  

Enrolling in the Intact my Drive program is as easy as contacting your experienced broker at Morison Insurance. We will help get your Intact my Drive insurance policy set up so you can start saving! Get started now by calling 1-800-463-8074 or by filling out the form on this page.