"Doesn't always pan out that smoothly, but it's definitely worth speaking up if something seems off."
Yeah, totally agree with this. My telematics app once dinged me for "late-night driving habits," like...sorry for having a social life? 😂 Glad your friend got it sorted—sometimes insurers just need a reality check.
Had a similar experience myself—my insurer flagged me for "hard braking," but honestly, if someone cuts you off in traffic, what else are you supposed to do? Politely wave them through? 😂 Still, I found giving them a quick call and explaining the situation calmly helped clear things up. They're usually pretty reasonable once they get the full picture...though it can be frustrating to have to justify basic driving habits.
I get your frustration, but insurers aren't just flagging single incidents—they're looking at patterns. A few hard brakes here and there won't usually label you risky. But if it's happening frequently, even if justified, it might signal aggressive driving habits or following too closely. Calling them helps clarify isolated events, sure, but it's also worth considering if adjusting your driving style slightly—like leaving more space—could reduce these flags altogether. Not ideal, I know, but might save headaches down the road...
"it's also worth considering if adjusting your driving style slightly—like leaving more space—could reduce these flags altogether."
Yeah, I had a similar issue last year. I kept getting flagged for hard braking because my daily commute involved a busy road with sudden stops. Called my insurer to explain, and they understood—but also suggested easing off the gas earlier. Felt weird at first, but honestly, it made my drives less stressful and my insurance app stopped pinging me constantly... win-win situation in the end.
"Felt weird at first, but honestly, it made my drives less stressful and my insurance app stopped pinging me constantly..."
Interesting, hadn't thought about easing off earlier as a solution. My route also has a bunch of stop-and-go traffic, and I usually just accept the hard braking flags as inevitable. Curious though—did changing your driving style noticeably affect your commute time? I'd be willing to try it if it doesn't add too much extra time to my morning drive...
