"does having a dashcam actually lower your insurance premium, or is it more like a 'peace-of-mind' thing?"
Honestly, from what I've seen, it's mostly the latter. Insurance companies don't usually offer direct discounts just because you have a dashcam (at least not yet). But if something does happen—and with your luck, sounds like it's just a matter of time—it can definitely speed up claims and clear up disputes. As for night vision, check out Viofo or Vantrue models; they're solid without emptying your wallet.
"Insurance companies don't usually offer direct discounts just because you have a dashcam (at least not yet)."
Yeah, that's been my experience too. When I first got my license, my dad was super paranoid—understandably, since I was basically a rolling hazard on wheels—and insisted we install a dashcam "just in case." At first, I thought it was overkill, but honestly, after seeing some of the crazy stuff people pull on the road, I'm glad we did.
Funny story: about two months into driving solo, someone backed into me in a parking lot and immediately tried to pin it on me. Thankfully, the dashcam footage clearly showed I was stationary and they just weren't paying attention. The insurance company didn't give us any discount for having the camera beforehand, but man did that footage speed things up. Instead of weeks of back-and-forth arguing over who was at fault, we had it sorted out in a couple days. So yeah, no direct savings upfront...but indirectly? Definitely saved us time and stress.
Also seconding the recommendation on Viofo cams—they're pretty solid. My dad initially bought some cheapo off-brand one from Amazon that died after like three months (lesson learned), then upgraded to a Viofo A119. It's been running smoothly ever since and the night vision is surprisingly clear for something in that price range.
I guess it's kind of like buying good tires or brakes—you don't really appreciate them until you actually need them. Hopefully you never do...but with how unpredictable drivers can be these days, better safe than sorry.
Yeah, same here—no direct discount for me either. But honestly, the dashcam has paid for itself in peace of mind alone. I commute daily through some pretty busy intersections, and the amount of red-light runners and lane-weavers I've caught on camera is just wild. Thankfully, I haven't had to use the footage yet (knock on wood), but knowing it's there makes me feel a lot less anxious behind the wheel.
Also agree about Viofo cams—I have the A129 Duo, front and rear setup, and it's been rock solid. Before that, I had one of those cheap dashcams that would randomly shut off or corrupt files...not exactly helpful if something actually happens.
One thing I'd add is to make sure you regularly check your SD card. Learned the hard way that they don't last forever—had mine fail silently once and lost a week's worth of footage before noticing. Now I swap it out every year or so just to be safe. Small price to pay for peace of mind, IMO.
I've considered getting a dashcam for a while now, but I've always been skeptical about how useful they'd actually be in a no-fault state. Like, even if you catch someone clearly running a red or cutting you off, does it really make a significant difference when dealing with insurance claims? I mean, I get the peace-of-mind aspect—definitely valuable—but I'm curious if anyone here has actually had to use dashcam footage in an insurance dispute and whether it genuinely helped their case.
Also, good point on the SD cards. Had a similar issue with my phone once—thought everything was safely backed up, then boom, corrupted card and lost months of photos. Lesson learned the hard way, I guess.
I was skeptical too, honestly, until someone sideswiped me and then claimed I drifted into their lane. Insurance was ready to split fault 50/50, but luckily I had dashcam footage clearly showing I stayed in my lane. Sent it over, and suddenly their story changed—insurance ended up ruling fully in my favor. So yeah, even in a no-fault state, it can sometimes make a real difference. But definitely agree on the SD card thing... learned that lesson myself after losing vacation vids. Always keep backups now.
