Aviva looks to iPhone app to cut the cost of motor insurance

Major UK insurance company Aviva is said to be experimenting with an iPhone app that will offer discounts on car insurance based on customer's driving speed and style, according to reports in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
March 19, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Major UK insurance company 4075 Aviva is said to be experimenting with an iPhone app that will offer discounts on car insurance based on customer's driving speed and style, according to reports in the 4076 Daily Telegraph newspaper.

The app will use telematics technology to monitor a driver's behaviour by using data transmitted from a Smartbox, which is fitted to the policyholder's car, via satellite. It will measure motorists' mileage, the time they drive, and how they drive.

Motorists are then penalised for sudden braking or cornering via a black box installed in the dashboard of the car. The concept behind this insurance is simple: by encouraging careful driving, some motorists will see their premiums fall, while those who do not drive as safely will see the cost increase.

Head of Aviva UK, Trevor Matthews, is quoted as telling City AM, "We're experimenting with an app right now that you put in your car and tells you all sorts of things. It could be available later in the year. But clearly there's a bit of a problem with a phone-based app because it might not be in your car."

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Telematics-based insurance is improving road safety among young drivers
    May 15, 2012
    New data from The Co-operative Insurance in the UK says that new data shows that the introduction of telematics technology is leading to better driving behaviour from Britain's young road users. Intelligence gathered from the company’s 'smartbox' scheme shows that 35 per cent are consistently showing 'excellent' driving while less than five per cent demonstrate 'poor' driving habits.
    Read More
  • Aviva calls for tougher ‘crash for cash’ motor injury fraud sentencing
    June 18, 2014
    UK motor insurance firm Aviva has called for tougher custodial sentences for fraudulent 'slam-ons' – road traffic accidents deliberately caused in order to claim for whiplash compensation – which increased by 51% in the UK during 2013, according to Aviva’s claims fraud data. These induced accidents have a value of over €12.5 million (£10 million) and are at the highest levels ever detected by the insurer. In total, Aviva has over 6,000 motor injury claims linked to organised fraud activity and is calling f
    Read More
  • Regular speeders crash more often
    November 3, 2016
    Research from a UK insurance company that provides vehicles with black box, telematics technology throws a light on what causes crashes. According to the firm, Insure The Box, its analysis of around 5 billion km of driving data provides a crucial insight. The telematics pioneer uses black box data to target regular speeding culprits and provides safer driving support. According to the firm’s data analysis, drivers who speed more than 20% of the time increase their risk of having an accident by 87%. Meanw
    Read More
  • The use of telematics in construction machines is growing
    May 20, 2015
    Demand for telematics technology is growing, as equipment users begin to lean the value of these systems – Alan Dron reports With construction projects increasingly operating to wafer-thin profit margins, any technological assistance that can keep the accounts in the black is welcome. This is particularly the case with those projects where contractors can share a larger slice of the profits if they complete their work ahead of schedule. The downside, of course, is that they also share the pain if the
    Read More

Highlighted Content