What is black box insurance?
Black box insurance has a few names:
- Telematics insurance
- Smart box insurance
- Pay as you drive
- Usage-based insurance (UBI)
But they all work in the same way - a black box is fitted to your car, or it’s done through your insurance company’s app. It uses the data collected to calculate the cost of your car insurance. The better you drive, the higher your driving score will be, and the less you should pay.
You may get a discount just for taking out black box insurance, but your driving score determines what you pay in the end. Careful, responsible drivers should pay less. A growing number of companies offer black box insurance policies to lower the cost of car cover.
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Single annual policy. Lidl Plus app required, 18+, geographical exclusions apply. T&Cs applyWhat details do I need to get a black box insurance quote?
Having the following information to hand will speed up getting a black box insurance quote:
Personal details
- Your job
- Any points on your licence as well as the conviction code
- Previous claims or accidents from the last 5 years
- Additional drivers you want to add to your policy
- Your driving licence number - some insurers offer better prices if they know this
- Details of your no-claims bonus (NCB) in years
Car details
- Registration number or make and model of your car
- Any modifications made to the cars
- Estimated annual mileage
Once you’ve bought your policy, your insurer will contact you to either schedule a time to fit a device in your car or send you a plug-in device to install yourself. Or they’ll give you details on how to download their app.
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Types of car insurance
Classic car insurance
offers cover for owners of classic cars. For insurance purposes, a classic car can be any car that’s older than 15 years.
Business car insurance
covers you if you use your car for work, including travelling between offices or across the country.
Need more help?
Is it worth getting a black box insurance policy if I work night shifts?
It’s still worth considering black box insurance if you work nights as not all insurance companies require a curfew.
While there aren’t lots of insurance companies who offer a curfew free policy, those who do understand that driving between 11pm – 6am can be unavoidable. As long as you’re driving safely and similarly to how you do in the day, your driving score shouldn’t be affected.
On your result page look at the policy info to go to a provider’s page to see if they offer the insurance without a time curfew.
Am I insured to drive my car before the black box is fitted?
You can usually drive your car while you wait for your black box to be fitted – there’s often a 7-day grace period, though this depends on the insurer, so check with them first to be safe.
With black box insurance, you typically get a discount just because you’ve agreed to have a device installed. But you might find your premium gets adjusted up or down only a month after installation according to your driving score.
What data will my black box collect?
Black box insurance collects data that will allow your insurer to get a good picture of your driving so they can assess how good/safe a driver you are. The more careful driver you are then the less risky you are to insure.
Data collected by your box covers various aspects of your driving:
- Braking
- Cornering
- Speed
- Mileage
- Time of day you drive
You’ll usually be able to view all the collected data that is collected. Your insurer isn’t allowed to share your black box data with third parties. They can only share your data with the police as part of a criminal investigation – for example, if your car has been stolen.
Will my insurer track my location?
The data that your insurer collects should be analysed according to the T&Cs of your policy.
How can I improve my black box insurance score?
Safer, careful driving should result in a higher driving score. While black boxes collect a lot of data on your driving, the speed and the general smoothness of your driving are largely what determine your driving score. This means you need to keep to the speed limits and try to accelerate smoothly and brake with plenty of time. Black boxes just don’t like surprises, so consistent, safe driving should be rewarded. You’ll usually get tips through a personalised dashboard on how to improve your driving score.
If you can, it might be better to avoid driving between 11pm and 5am – doing so might lower your score as insurers tend to see greater risk of an accident during these hours.
What happens if I break the speed limit with black box insurance?
Your insurer won’t tell the police, but your premiums might go up as speeding affects your driving score. Breaking the speed limit by a small amount occasionally might not affect your policy very much. However, if you regularly break the speed limit by a lot, it’s likely to push up your premiums. In some cases, your insurer might even cancel your policy.
If you take out a black box insurance policy, you should try to stick to the speed limit – speed is one of the main influencers on your driving score.
What happens if you go over the mileage with a black box insurance policy?
This depends on your insurer, but if you think you’re going to go over your mileage you should talk to your insurer in advance.
Some black box insurance companies will let you buy more miles if you exceed the agreed limit. Others may amend your premium if you tell them ahead of time that you’ll be going over. If you have a pay-as-you-go policy, you may be charged automatically if you exceed the mileage limit without topping up.
Are there safety benefits to having a box fitted?
If your car experiences a certain G force or above, it suggests impact, and your insurer is notified. If your car is stationary, they may try to call you. The black box can tell if the car isn’t moving, if the ignition is still on, and the severity of the impact.
If your insurer believes that you might be injured – especially if the car’s in an isolated or remote location – it may call the emergency services on your behalf. The potential for saving lives may ultimately prove invaluable.
How do I remove a black box from my car?
A professionally fitted device would need to be uninstalled by a professional as well. It's not illegal to remove an aftermarket box but you shouldn’t attempt to uninstall your box mid-policy as it could leave you uninsured.
You don’t need to have the black box removed if you’re cancelling the policy or not renewing, it’ll just stop collecting data. If you still want the black box removed, you may need to pay the labour cost. For those with a self-fitted device, you can remove this yourself.
If you're selling your car and have cancelled your policy, you don't need to remove the box. Even so, you might want to tell the new buyer the box is there.
Can you drive abroad with a black box insurance policy?
Yes, you can normally drive abroad. Up to 90 days cover to drive in the EU and certain other European countries is included with many black box insurance policies, though you should check the terms and conditions in your policy.
How long do you have to have a black box for?
Black box insurance policies last for 12-months, just like a standard car insurance policy. When your policy is due to renew, you can decide if you want to continue with a black box policy for another 12-months or switch to standard car cover.
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