It seems to me that usage based programs would be better if they were mileage-based from a car’s odometer rather than geographically-based. That would go a long way towards protecting privacy while still providing insurers with actual usage. In today’s dollar driven world, we cannot trust any entity with our private information which is so often shared (translated: sold) to others for commercial purposes such as advertising. Beyond that there is always the big governmental eye which, as we’ve seen, accumulates data on citizens as they go about their daily activities – and, as we have also seen, cannot seem to protect it from intrusion or outright theft.
Although usinesses are saddled with heavy duty privacy regulations,it appears that the governments imposing those regulations either do not follow their own rules or cannot protect private information they have from felonious abstraction-yet they will persecute private companies that are accused of failing to properly protect such data. Nor do they prevent corporations that collect information on individuals in various forms from sharing it with others. The “excuse”, or justification, is that once information is in cyberspace, or accessible therein, it is fair game. My view is that regardless of where it is stored, individual information should be sacrosanct and mining it should not be allowed no matter how many justifications can be invented for doing so.
Transparency, in the form of insurance companies acknowledging that systems (GPS or otherwise) have the potential to track or place drivers at locations is a good thing. This would be a responsible move on the part of the industry. From the consumer perspective however, I do think that much of the fuss about privacy concerns is hypocritical, as the point about carrying mobile phones makes. Nevertheless, what information is gathered, how and why it’s gathered is something that drivers should want to know and consider before enrolling in any usage based program.
I really doubt Flo cares about where you’re going, they’d have to spend a lot of money to figure it out.I find it interesting that people drive around yapping on their cell phones but care about Flo tracking where they go? Were not the sharpest knives in the drawer sometimes are we?
If you sign up for them to put it on your car, didn’t you ok the tracking. Playing the victim here would be like blaming McD’s cause your fat. I know that last one went over 50% of Americans heads.
Wait until your insurance company gives your tracked information to the attorney of the person you had an accident with. In cases involving 100% fault your own company could use the data to deny uninsured motorist claims. We have seen stories on this website how companies work against their own clients when they can show partial fault. One more way to track you. Hard data doesn’t always show the whole story.
As one who values his privacy-I still pay for an unlisted phone number and use a P.O. Box, I’ll avoid using this technology as long as I can. If their model is wrong, then I’m going to see a large increase the next time around. And further if the government computers can get hacked, how long will it be before Flo gets hacked and my private information is being used in aways I may not want.
It seems to me that usage based programs would be better if they were mileage-based from a car’s odometer rather than geographically-based. That would go a long way towards protecting privacy while still providing insurers with actual usage. In today’s dollar driven world, we cannot trust any entity with our private information which is so often shared (translated: sold) to others for commercial purposes such as advertising. Beyond that there is always the big governmental eye which, as we’ve seen, accumulates data on citizens as they go about their daily activities – and, as we have also seen, cannot seem to protect it from intrusion or outright theft.
Although usinesses are saddled with heavy duty privacy regulations,it appears that the governments imposing those regulations either do not follow their own rules or cannot protect private information they have from felonious abstraction-yet they will persecute private companies that are accused of failing to properly protect such data. Nor do they prevent corporations that collect information on individuals in various forms from sharing it with others. The “excuse”, or justification, is that once information is in cyberspace, or accessible therein, it is fair game. My view is that regardless of where it is stored, individual information should be sacrosanct and mining it should not be allowed no matter how many justifications can be invented for doing so.
Transparency, in the form of insurance companies acknowledging that systems (GPS or otherwise) have the potential to track or place drivers at locations is a good thing. This would be a responsible move on the part of the industry. From the consumer perspective however, I do think that much of the fuss about privacy concerns is hypocritical, as the point about carrying mobile phones makes. Nevertheless, what information is gathered, how and why it’s gathered is something that drivers should want to know and consider before enrolling in any usage based program.
Hypocritical? Really?
So if your daughter’s abusive ex, who happens to be a IT guy, is able to hack into her car’s telematic GPS device, you would be OK with that?
Me thinks you would join the rest of us “hypocrits”.
I really doubt Flo cares about where you’re going, they’d have to spend a lot of money to figure it out.I find it interesting that people drive around yapping on their cell phones but care about Flo tracking where they go? Were not the sharpest knives in the drawer sometimes are we?
If you sign up for them to put it on your car, didn’t you ok the tracking. Playing the victim here would be like blaming McD’s cause your fat. I know that last one went over 50% of Americans heads.
Wait until your insurance company gives your tracked information to the attorney of the person you had an accident with. In cases involving 100% fault your own company could use the data to deny uninsured motorist claims. We have seen stories on this website how companies work against their own clients when they can show partial fault. One more way to track you. Hard data doesn’t always show the whole story.
As one who values his privacy-I still pay for an unlisted phone number and use a P.O. Box, I’ll avoid using this technology as long as I can. If their model is wrong, then I’m going to see a large increase the next time around. And further if the government computers can get hacked, how long will it be before Flo gets hacked and my private information is being used in aways I may not want.