What is black box car insurance?

Black box insurance (also called telematics) is car insurance where a small box is fitted to your car. The black box measures various aspects of how, when and where you drive. This data can be used to calculate a personalised renewal quote, or in services like the Accident Alert and Theft Recovery.

Get your quote

How does it work?

When you buy car insurance with us, information is collected from a clever little black box, or telematics box, that we fit out of sight in your car. The SIM card inside the box means it works rather like your mobile phone – it sends us your data for us to analyse how safely you drive.

We give you a summary of the data collected by your black box in Your Portal, so you keep up with your driving style.

We’ve developed this telematics technology to help you drive in a safer, smarter way. By driving safely you’re be able to earn up to 100 Bonus Miles each month. Plus, when you renew, we’ll be able to calculate your new premium looking at exactly how you drive, and not how all the other members of your age group drive. The black box can help you get a cheaper renewal – if you’re a safe driver.

What’s inside the box?

There are 4 main elements to the black box we fit to your car.

  1. GPS system, which tells us where and when you drive, and the type of road you’re on
  2. Motion sensor (or accelerometer), which provides information about impacts on the car – this could be from heavy braking or an accident
  3. SIM card, which sends the information to our database
  4. Computer software, which controls how the information is analysed and transmitted

What information does the box record?

The data from a black box tells us:

  • the time of day or night you drive
  • the speed you drive at on different sorts of roads
  • if you brake or accelerate sharply
  • if you take breaks on long journeys
  • your motorway miles
  • your total mileage
  • the total number of journeys you make.

Don’t worry, we won’t share your driving data unless we’re required to do so by law or we suspect fraud.

What do you use the black box data for?

We’ve introduced this technology to drive down the cost of car insurance and help make the roads safer. We can use the information we collect to:

  • assess your car insurance risk
  • help calculate the cost of your renewal premium
  • give safe drivers Bonus Miles each month
  • try to help you if you have an accident
  • track the location of your car if it’s stolen
  • manage your claim after an accident
  • have a better overview of an accident to help recover money from the person responsible.

Why should I have a box fitted to my car?

Here are just a few reasons why it pays to choose black box car insurance.

It can save you money. The black box lets us treat you as an individual so when you come to renew, we’ll take into account how safely you’ve driven giving you a chance for a discount. Safe driving can also help you earn Bonus Miles during the policy year.

It can keep you safe. The black box alerts us when it senses a strong impact, so if you have an accident we’ll alerted and can try to call you and make sure you’re OK. In serious cases we may call the emergency services to request that they attend.

It can help us find your car if it’s stolen. When you choose insurethebox black box car insurance, the box works as a theft tracking device, so if your car is stolen we may be able to locate it for you. Remember to report it to the police first though.

It gives us valuable information to handle any claims. If you have an accident, the data from the box can help provide really useful insight when it comes to processing your claim. For example, we’re able to find out where any impact was felt on the car.

How do I see the information recorded by my box?

In Your Portal you can see a summary of your driving information, including your miles usage and your driving score for each of our 5 safe driving criteria:

  1. Speed
  2. Acceleration and braking
  3. Time of day
  4. Taking breaks on long journeys
  5. Motorway miles.

Fitting the black box

Who fits the box? One of our specially trained engineers will fit your black box at your home or place of work. This needs to be done within 14 days of you buying the policy, but you’re insured before it’s fitted.

Will the box affect the functioning of my car? No, the black box won’t affect your car’s performance, or any electrical components and systems.

How can I get one?
You can get a black box insurance quote with us instantly!