State Farm Drive Protected and Save Overview

State Farm is without doubt one of the nation’s largest and [best-known car insurance brands](https://time.com/personal-finance/article/best-car-insurance-companies/). Its non-compulsory Drive Protected and Save program provides you the chance to get a reduced automobile insurance coverage premium in return for sharing information about the way you drive.

What’s State Farm Drive Protected and Save?

Insurers acknowledge that folks with safer driving habits are at a decrease danger of stepping into an accident and submitting a declare. That’s why many now supply usage-based insurance coverage (UBI) packages that use telematics expertise — which transmits information wirelessly to the corporate — to observe how their prospects drive. Decrease-risk prospects taking part in these packages can earn a decrease insurance coverage premium, often as a reduction.

State Farm claims that opting into its Drive Protected and Save UBI program can earn you reductions of as much as 30%, based mostly in your mileage and “fundamental driving traits.” The corporate elements the low cost into your premium when it sends you a renewal quote on the finish of your six-month coverage time period. To proceed receiving a reduction at every renewal, you have to stay opted into this system.

How Drive Protected and Save works

With Drive Protected and Save, State Farm screens your driving habits by means of certainly one of two strategies.

Cell app

Obtain the Drive Protected and Save app, which is out there for each iOS and Android, to your telephone. This app is paired with a Bluetooth beacon that you simply obtain within the mail from State Farm. The beacon, designed to stick to your windshield, and app work collectively to trace related driving information. The app additionally screens if you decide up your telephone, indicating potential distracted driving.

Linked Automotive

2020 or newer Ford or Lincoln autos embody telematics expertise that lets you take part in Drive Protected and Save with out utilizing the app or beacon. State Farm notes that this selection will not be accessible in all states and excludes some Ford and Lincoln fashions.

Drive Protected and Save is non-compulsory for State Farm prospects. As soon as you have determined to decide in and full enrollment, this system will monitor quite a lot of your driving habits each time you drive and transmit that information to the corporate. State Farm will calculate a coverage low cost based mostly on the driving information on the finish of your six-month coverage time period. It can issue this low cost into your renewal premium. 

Based on the State Farm web site, Drive Protected and Save won’t ever lead to a surcharge to your premium. Nonetheless, for those who presently obtain the corporate’s low cost for low estimated mileage, and Drive Protected and Save reveals you drive greater than the low cost’s 7,500 mile-per-year restrict, it’s possible you’ll lose that low cost.

You may must hold taking part in this system to proceed incomes a reduction with every coverage renewal. Your low cost could improve or lower at subsequent renewals, relying in your driving habits. In the event you cease taking part in this system, the low cost can be eliminated out of your coverage.

What does Drive Protected and Save observe?

State Farm tracks numerous habits to find out if a buyer is driving safely, together with:

• Annual mileage.
• Acceleration.
• Exhausting braking.
• Cornering.
• Cellphone use whereas behind the wheel.
• Velocity, relative to the velocity restrict.

How do you earn a reduction with Drive Protected and Save?

When you perceive what Drive Protected and Save tracks, you may take steps to maximise your program low cost. This will likely imply sustaining protected driving habits or working fastidiously to develop them. Listed here are some ideas:

• Attempt to hold your velocity inside the posted velocity restrict — observe that the app reveals if you’ve exceeded the velocity restrict by 8 miles per hour or extra. Heed warning indicators, reminiscent of people who advise you to decrease your velocity when cornering.
• Keep away from exhausting braking by sustaining a protected distance between you and the automobile in entrance of you. Use the three-second rule as a information.
• Restrict your general mileage by combining journeys, carpooling, utilizing public transportation or going by foot.
• Keep away from “jackrabbit begins” (sudden acceleration). This will additionally enable you save gasoline.
• Lastly, keep away from utilizing your telephone to make calls, textual content, or entry the web whereas driving.

Based on its description within the app retailer, the Drive Protected and Save cell app gives interactive maps of every journey. These maps spotlight exact spots the place you speed up shortly, brake exhausting, take a nook too quick, velocity, or use your telephone. The app additionally gives a driving rating so you may get a way general of the way you’re doing with this system. 

Drive Protected and Save cell choice vs. Ford Linked Automotive

Collaborating in Drive Protected and Save utilizing the Linked Automotive choice gives a barely completely different expertise. Since you do not use the Drive Protected and Save app, you can not entry a driving rating or interactive maps. This implies you received’t get suggestions you should use to enhance your driving habits.

It’s presumed that the Drive Protected and Save program tracks the identical driving info whether or not the client makes use of the cell app or the built-in telematics options on their Ford or Lincoln. Nonetheless, the State Farm web site solely confirms that the “low cost relies in your annual mileage and driving traits.”

The Linked Automotive choice is maybe a bit extra handy for these with an eligible automobile. However these desirous to benefit from the full advantages of Drive Save and Save ought to select the cell app. 

How to enroll in Drive Protected and Save 

Observe these steps to enroll in Drive Protected and Save along with your smartphone.

1. Obtain the cell app from the iOS App Retailer or Google Play. It’s also possible to textual content SAVE to 42407 to obtain a hyperlink to the app obtain.
2. Observe the prompts within the app to register for this system.
3. Obtain the Bluetooth beacon within the U.S. mail; comply with the directions to pair it with the Drive Protected and Save app.

Observe these steps to enroll in Drive Protected and Save with an eligible 2020 or newer Ford or Lincoln automobile.

1. Add your automobile to the Storage within the FordPass or LincolnWay app.
2. Contact your State Farm agent and allow them to know you wish to enroll in Drive Protected and Save.
3. You’ll see an in-vehicle settlement for Drive Protected and Save displayed the following time you flip in your automobile. Settle for the settlement to finish the setup. 

The sign-up course of is pretty simple, and the Drive Protected and Save app has obtained pretty optimistic suggestions from customers.

Is Drive Protected and Save best for you?

Saving virtually one-third of your automobile insurance coverage premium is a sexy prospect. However earlier than you decide to State Farm’s Drive and Save program, make sure you perceive if it is best for you — and for those who’re proper for it.

You have to be snug with the concept of sharing information along with your insurance coverage firm each time you drive. And it’s best to observe good driving habits — reminiscent of staying inside the velocity restrict, retaining a protected following distance, and avoiding distractions reminiscent of cellphone use. You may even be extra more likely to profit for those who drive fewer miles than common.

As with every UBI program, Drive Protected and Save might be not for everyone. The excellent news is that for those who resolve this system isn’t for you, State Farm provides many different automobile insurance coverage reductions.

Is Drive Protected and Save value it?

You’ll additionally desire a good understanding of the professionals and cons of Drive Protected and Save.

How we evaluated State Farm Drive Protected and Save

Drive Protected and Save reductions

Drive Protected and Save provides the chance to earn a reduction of as much as 30% based mostly in your driving. State Farm additionally says prospects earn a reduction for signing up however doesn’t disclose the scale of that low cost. This system won’t surcharge your coverage, so you will not pay extra.

This compares favorably to rivals’ UBI program financial savings: Liberty Mutual RightTrack claims prospects can save 30% and get a ten% low cost for signing up, whereas Progressive Snapshot claims common financial savings of as much as $156, plus a $47 common low cost when enrolling.

Drive Protected and Save flexibility

State Farm prospects can take part in Drive Save and Save in a number of methods:

• A cell app paired with a Bluetooth system.
• By means of the telematics options of a 2020 or newer Ford or Lincoln. 

Drive Protected and Save sign-up course of

The Drive Protected and Save sign-up course of is comparatively simple for those who’re an present State Farm buyer. Obtain the app, open it, after which comply with the prompts to finish the registration course of. You may obtain the Bluetooth beacon within the mail inside a couple of days, which you will pair with the app. Adhere the beacon to your windshield, and start driving.

When you’ve got a 2020 or newer Ford or Lincoln, be sure your automobile is within the Storage of your FordPass or LincolnWay app. Then contact your State Farm agent. You may full the sign-up in your automobile’s show display screen. 

Drive Protected and Save ease of use

The necessity to obtain and pair the Bluetooth beacon with the app might be a barrier for some Drive Protected and Save prospects. It’s a extra advanced course of than, for example, Allstate’s Drivewise, which makes use of solely the app to trace your driving.

The app additionally requires location providers to be set to “all the time,” which can contribute to battery drain. 

Sustaining your Drive Protected and Save low cost

To keep up a Drive Protected and Save low cost, you have to stay enrolled in this system for so long as you are a State Farm buyer. In the event you resolve sooner or later to decide out, you will lose your low cost. This differs from some rivals, reminiscent of Progressive, which usually requires monitoring for under a single coverage time period.

Continuously requested questions: Drive Protected and Save 

Are you able to lose cash with Drive Protected and Save?

Drive Protected and Save won’t surcharge your coverage, even for those who often show unsafe driving habits. So this system is just about risk-free.

There’s one exception: In the event you obtain State Farm’s low cost for low estimated mileage, and this system reveals you drive greater than the low cost’s 7,500 mile-per-year restrict, it’s possible you’ll lose that low cost. 

What is an effective low cost share with Drive Protected and Save?

Even a fraction of the utmost 30% low cost may prevent lots of of {dollars}, contemplating the typical full-coverage automobile insurance coverage coverage prices, as per Bankrate, greater than $2,000 yearly.

Is Drive Protected and Save accessible with OnStar?

Drivers with Basic Motors’ OnStar service may decide into Drive Protected and Save and have their driving information transmitted to State Farm robotically. Nonetheless, new enrollees can now not profit from this collaboration. 

Does Drive Protected and Save observe telephone use?

Drive Protected and Save tracks if you decide up and use your telephone whereas driving. To earn the utmost potential low cost, keep away from utilizing your telephone when behind the wheel. 

Is it potential to show off Drive Protected and Save?

You possibly can flip off Drive Protected and Save by uninstalling the app, however the firm warns that this might trigger you to forfeit your low cost.

Is the entire family required to take part in Drive Protected and Save?

No, your complete family will not be required to take part.

How does telematics work?

Telematics is the long-distance transmission of digital information. Telematics units have grow to be commonplace in industrial trucking, the place they’re used to observe truck/driver actions to make sure regulatory compliance and maximize effectivity.

A rising variety of private automobile insurance coverage firms now supply usage-based insurance coverage (UBI). These packages generally use the capabilities of smartphones, together with GPS, accelerometers, and wi-fi transmission, to collect and transmit information about their prospects’ driving habits.