Save on gas, save on car insurance

Ask your insurance company for a ‘black box’ for your car

Several weeks ago, my insurance company made an irresistible offer: if I agreed to install a tiny gadget in my car, they would reduce my car insurance premiums.

I agreed, and they sent me a little data monitoring ‘black box’. It took under a minute to install, and it sends info about my driving habits to my insurance company (specifically hard braking, sudden accelerations and total distance driven). In return, my premiums have dropped by 5%, and depending on how I drive, they may drop by as much as 25%. I get a weekly report card by email, which serves as a regular incentive to do better.

But I’m saving on gas too, because the driving habits the insurance company likes best – gentle starts and stops – also give me the best mileage. It’s well known that gentle driving can improve mileage by as much as 20%.

So – if you’d like to save on gas and insurance, contact your provider and ask for a ‘black box’ for your car. (Read a column with more detail on this here.)