Heritage set to reward good drivers

A road accident scene. FILE PHOTO | NMG

What you need to know:

  • A gadget, known as auto correct, will be mounted on vehicles to record movement data.
  • The gadget is meant to reduce the number of claims due to accidents caused by poor driving.

Heritage Insurance has launched a telematics-based comprehensive motor insurance policy that will be used to determine bad and good drivers. This will then be used to determine the premiums that one will be charged.

The gadget, known as auto correct, will be mounted on vehicles to record movement data. The results will be relayed to a central command centre for rating.

According to Heritage managing director Godfrey Kioi, the gadget is meant to reduce the number of claims due to accidents caused by poor driving.

“If I encourage you to drive better in the hope that you will get a better rate, I think that will motivate you. If during the year we see that you drive better, then the system will reward you with better scores and, therefore, we will be able to say: ‘This is a good driver,”’ he said.

He added that the pricing for the gadget will be four per cent of the value of the car, with an opportunity to lower it two per cent.

Mr Kioi said the system is not used to track vehicles but rather to send messages if an incident happens. Also, if there is an impact or when the vehicle is not moving. We will actually call you and find out how we can assist. “The benefit to the insurance company is being able to provide better services to motorists,” he added.