I started snapping pics of my odometer every month, just in case.
Honestly, I’ve told clients to do the same thing. Half the time these trackers act like your car’s living its best life while it’s just sitting there. Wouldn’t mind if they let us upload a pic instead—at least my phone doesn’t think I’m road tripping to the mailbox.
I’ve had the same issue with my tracker. It once logged me as driving 30 miles when I literally just circled the block looking for parking. The app’s always a little too optimistic about my “adventures.” Snapping a pic is way more reliable, but I wish the companies would just trust us with uploads. Maybe they’re worried we’ll photoshop our way to lower rates... but honestly, who’s got time for that?
Mileage-based car insurance: who’s using it and which company do you like?
Haha, the trackers definitely have a wild imagination sometimes. I’ve seen folks get flagged for “road trips” that were just a few laps around the neighborhood. The photo upload thing would be way easier, but yeah, I guess they’re worried about people getting too creative with Photoshop. Honestly, most people are just trying to save a few bucks, not launch a career in digital art. Some companies are testing odometer scans via video now—maybe that’s the next step?
Yeah, the tech behind these trackers can be a little too eager sometimes. I had Metromile for a bit, and their device once thought my car was moving when it was just idling in the driveway—racked up “miles” I never drove. The video odometer thing sounds promising, but I bet someone will find a way to game that too. Honestly, I’d rather just snap a pic every month than deal with another glitchy dongle... but maybe that’s just me.
I hear you on the tech mishaps. We tried a tracker with Allstate’s Milewise, and it once counted a whole trip when my husband just sat in the car charging his phone. Super frustrating. I switched to the photo method, too. It’s not perfect—sometimes I forget until the last minute—but at least I know it’s accurate. I’d rather deal with a monthly reminder than have my mileage miscounted because of a glitchy device. Just feels safer that way, especially with kids in the back and all the driving variables.