Auto insurance is a necessity for us all, and it rarely comes down in price. In fact, insurance premiums are currently higher than ever and, ironically, are in part being pushed up by some who choose not to have any insurance at all. So, anything to help lower insurance has got to be a good idea, right? One way to shave a bit off the annual or monthly bill might be to invest in a dash cam.
I recently tried that when my cover came up for renewal. Sadly, I didn’t have any direct quote reductions when asking my chosen top three insurer choices. However, the feedback confirmed what I already suspected having already experienced an accident that, thankfully, was recorded on a dash cam in the car: a dash cam might not lower premiums directly, but it’ll be invaluable in the event of a claim.
So, it seems that purchasing a gadget to record the road ahead, even if it’s one of the best dash cam models on the market, isn’t a guarantee that it’ll get your auto insurance cover down.
Unlike those little black box gizmos that can be fitted to cars to reduce premiums for young or newer drivers, owning a dash cam might not be an express lane way to get a reduction. However, if you need to claim, the resulting video could prove vital. Here are some key benefits from fitting your vehicle with a dash cam.
Fitting a dash cam still makes sense
Considering just how reasonably priced many dash cams are, it seems prudent to consider fitting one anyway, even if it’s not going to lower auto insurance premiums. There are plenty of pros for getting one installed, or thanks to ease of fitment, doing it yourself. A dash cam can be purchased for a small outlay, but the savings aside from insurance costs, can still be tangible.
For starters, just having a dash cam on your windshield can act as a visual deterrent, both for thieves eyeing up your interior while the vehicle is parked. It also reminds people outside that they’re potentially being recorded. This can help prevent break-ins and also fraud attempts, such as the driver in front stopping suddenly in a bid to make a claim on your insurance. Although thankfully rare, such incidents are much easier to fight if there is video documenting the incident.
Monitor your own driving
The other potential bonus for an auto insurer if a dash cam is fitted to the vehicle is that it also monitors the driver’s behaviour. While most dash cams capture video of the road ahead, this can be enhanced by splashing out on a multi-camera package. There are dash cam bundles that include a forward-facing camera that can capture the road ahead, but with an additional lens that shoots video of the interior of the vehicle. The 70mai 360 Omni 4K Dash Cam is a neat example of such a thing.
Again, just as long as you’re happy to have your own driving monitored, fitting a more versatile dash cam model could prove to be very useful in the event of any incidents. Models like this can also be hard-wired into a vehicle and often double as a security camera to monitor any unwanted activity inside, perhaps at night when stationary on a street or in a parking lot. Hardwiring any dash cam will invariably unlock extra features and functions beyond a 24 hour parking mode, although the higher-priced models will deliver more on that front.
Which dash cam to buy
If you’re already insured, thinking about renewing an auto insurance policy or planning on buying a new vehicle, it’s a good idea to start researching early. It’s worth contacting your insurer to find out if they do offer a discount for fitting a dash cam. While there might be a saving if this is offered, don’t expect huge discounts, but it might be enough to shave a little off the premium.
Also, be sure to check if the discount might be subject to purchasing a dash cam of their choosing, or a model that comes with a preferred specification. Your auto insurance cover might not offer the discount if the dash cam model doesn’t meet their exact criteria. It’s best to know where you stand early on and before purchasing a model. One bonus, even if they don’t offer a discount, is that you’ll have recorded evidence in the event of any kind of incident.
Any other dash cam benefits?
Even if there isn’t a discounted auto insurance premium up for grabs, owning a dash cam can be extremely useful in the event of a claim needing to be processed. Having audio and video coverage of anything and everything related to an accident, or a theft from your vehicle will, in many cases, help speed up the process.
Alongside combating potentially fraudulent activity, having video evidence of other drivers’ actions – as well as your own, of course, could be the deciding factor when a claim is being processed. On top of that, there is the reassurance factor of having a dash cam fitted because it’s able to monitor every drive and keep the video recorded to either a media card or the cloud. Just don’t forget to back-up video footage for safekeeping.
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