I get the appeal of dashcams for peace of mind, but honestly, I'm still a bit wary about insurers having access to continuous footage. A few years back, my neighbor got into a minor fender-bender—nothing major—but the insurer tried to nitpick every little detail from his dashcam video. Eventually worked out okay for him, but it was a hassle. Still, if there's a discount hiding somewhere here in DE, might be worth at least asking your agent about it next renewal...
Yeah, I totally get your hesitation about dashcams. Insurers can definitely get overly detailed when footage is involved—seen it happen more than once. Still, from what I've noticed, Delaware insurers aren't super aggressive about pushing dashcam discounts yet. But you're right, doesn't hurt to ask your agent. Just make sure you clearly understand how they'll use any footage you provide...always better to know upfront than deal with surprises later.
I've been on the fence about dashcams myself. A buddy of mine had one installed thinking it'd save him money, but when he got rear-ended last year, the insurance company went through his footage with a fine-tooth comb. They ended up nitpicking minor details—like his speed and lane changes—even though he clearly wasn't at fault. It didn't affect the claim in the end, but it definitely added stress and delayed things.
That said, I wouldn't completely write off dashcams yet. If Delaware insurers aren't pushing discounts aggressively, maybe they're also less likely to scrutinize footage unnecessarily? Either way, your advice about clarifying how they'll use the footage upfront is spot-on. Better to have that conversation now than get blindsided later...
Dashcams can be a mixed bag, but from my experience:
- Had one installed in my Audi for peace of mind, never really thought about insurance discounts.
- When someone sideswiped me downtown Wilmington, footage made the claim process smoother—no nitpicking from my insurer at all.
- Agree 100% about clarifying upfront how insurers handle footage. Saves headaches later...
Maybe your buddy's insurer was just overly picky? Mine didn't seem bothered by minor details.
Interesting point about insurers being picky, but do you think dashcam footage could ever backfire? Like, could insurers use minor details against you instead of helping your claim...? Just wondering if anyone's had that happen.
