Snapshot Now Available in Everett – Big Brother or Helper?

Progressive Insurance has now introduced Snapshot in Everett. Claudia McClain, who owns an Everett insurance agency, offered some answers on the device that plugs into your car and monitors how it is driven.

What Snapshot Measures:

The Progressive Snapshot device plugs into the car’s diagnostic port and measures factors such as…

■Defensive driving behavior, such as smooth acceleration and slowing
■Harsh braking
■How often, when, and how far the vehicle is driven
■How often the vehicle is driven in congested or stop-and-go traffic
■How often a driver travels between midnight and 4am

Snapshot Myths – Debunked:

■ “It’s just another way for Big Brother to watch me.”
Snapshot is NOT a GPS. It can’t track your location or speed, whether you have been speeding, or whether you have been at certain locations at certain times. Snapshot is not a way for “Big Brother” to keep an eye on you, it simply is a way for you to prove defensive driving behaviors.

■”I don’t want to be under constant surveillance for my driving behavior.”
Snapshot is not permanent. Only the discount is. The device only needs to stay in the car for one policy term (approximately 6 months with Progressive.) During this time, a ‘snapshot’ of driving behavior is tracked and reported. Drivers can view their driving report online, and adjust their driving behavior accordingly. Discounts begin to kick in after 30 days of driving with the Snapshot device. After 6 months, the final and permanent discount is applied, and the device must be returned to Progressive.

■”What if I ‘fail the test’ and my rates go up?”
With Snapshot, there is no risk that rates will increase. Rates do not increase based on Snapshot data. The traditional Progressive proposal serves as the baseline insurance rate. With the Snapshot driving report, it can only get better, never worse.

Claudia McClain offered this endorsement of the device in a press release yesterday.

“The brokers at McClain Insurance Services have always felt very strongly about consumer education and about crafting personalized protection plans that match clients’ needs and budget. Insurance is not a commodity and no two clients are the same, which is why “one-size-fits-all internet policies” can leave dangerous gaps in a driver’s protection.”

Today is the first day that snapshot is available for use in Everett and all of Washington State. For more information about Progressive Snapshot, you can call McClain Insurance Services at 425-379-9200 or visitwww.AutoHomeBoat.com/Progressive/Snapshot