I get what you’re saying, but I actually don’t mind the trackers as much as some folks. I mean, yeah, they don’t always get the context—like, you can’t just ignore a deer in the road—but I’d rather have them flag a few things than have my rates go up for no reason at all. At least with the tracker, there’s some record of how you’re driving, even if it’s not perfect.
I do wish they’d factor in rural stuff more, though. Out here, you’re dodging wildlife and potholes half the year. Still, I’d rather be flagged for hard braking than end up in a ditch or worse. Maybe it’s just me, but I’d rather play it safe and deal with a few dings on my record than risk an accident. The insurance companies could definitely do better, but I guess I see both sides.
Yeah, I get where you're coming from. I’ve had a couple of “hard brake” alerts pop up just trying to avoid a raccoon or something in the middle of the road. It’s annoying, but honestly, I’d rather have that than my rates jump for stuff I didn’t even do. Out here, you can’t always drive like you’re on a perfect highway. I do wish the trackers understood that rural driving isn’t the same as city traffic, but at least there’s some proof if they try to raise your rates for no reason. Still, it’s not a perfect system... just feels like the lesser evil sometimes.
I hear you about the trackers, but honestly, sometimes I wonder if they’re actually helping or just making us paranoid about every little bump or critter on the road. Had a friend who got dinged for “aggressive acceleration” just merging onto the highway—like, what are you supposed to do, crawl? Sometimes I think the old-school way of just talking to your agent and explaining stuff made more sense, even if it wasn’t perfect either.
Yeah, I get what you mean about the trackers. Tried one a couple years back when my insurer promised a “discount.” Ended up getting flagged for “hard braking” just because a deer jumped out in front of me. Like, what am I supposed to do—hit the thing? Honestly, it felt more like they were looking for reasons to raise my rate than actually rewarding good driving.
I miss when you could just call your agent, explain what happened, and they’d actually listen. Now it’s all algorithms and apps judging every move. Not sure it’s really making things any cheaper, especially once you hit 65. Feels like the tech is more hassle than help most days.
I hear you about the trackers. I’ve seen a lot of folks get frustrated with those “telematics” programs, especially when they’re supposed to save you money but end up flagging normal defensive driving. I remember a client who got dinged for “late night driving” just because he worked the early shift at the hospital. The system didn’t care that he was stone sober and careful—just that he was on the road at 3am. It’s like the tech doesn’t always get the context, you know?
That said, I do think there’s a bit of a trade-off. The old days of calling your agent and having them actually listen—yeah, there was more room for nuance, but it also meant rates could be all over the place depending on who you talked to or how persuasive you were. Now, it’s all data and algorithms, which can feel cold, but at least it’s consistent... most of the time.
But I’ll admit, once you hit 65, it’s like the system just assumes you’re suddenly a risk, no matter your actual record. I’ve seen people with spotless histories get hit with higher premiums just because of their age bracket. It’s frustrating, and honestly, I don’t think the tech is helping much there. The discounts from those tracking apps rarely offset the increases that come with getting older.
One thing I’ve noticed is that some smaller, local insurers in Kansas are a bit more flexible—sometimes they’ll still look at your overall history instead of just plugging your info into a formula. Not always, but it’s worth checking out if you’re tired of the big companies’ one-size-fits-all approach.
At the end of the day, I get why people are skeptical about all this new tech. It’s supposed to make things fairer and cheaper, but sometimes it just feels like another hoop to jump through. And yeah, dodging a deer shouldn’t count against you—unless they want us all driving like robots, which sounds pretty miserable.
