Ford Motor Co. is offering to help consumers cut their insurance premiums by equipping cars, trucks and SUVs with monitors that, if owners approve, can be used to collect information on driver behavior and day-to-day vehicle usage.
Ford has secured agreements with several major insurance carriers, including State Farm, Allstate and Liberty Mutual, to support usage-based insurance policies, several more partnerships with insurance carriers are under contract and will be announced, according to the automaker.
“Connected vehicles present new opportunities for us to help customers save money and improve their experience with Ford products,” said Alex Purdy, director of business operations, enterprise connectivity, Ford Motor Co.
(Ford wants America to “Finish Strong” in battle against COVID-19.)
Ford’s collaboration with insurance carriers across the U.S. can help customers save money on premiums based on driver behavior, utilizing the built-in connectivity technology on eligible vehicles, he added.
In addition, Ford Insure and Lincoln Motor Company Insure, underwritten by Nationwide, offer a simple way to secure usage-based policies through Ford’s insurance agency subsidiary.
Owners of eligible Ford vehicles who select usage-based insurance policies and choose to share connected vehicle data about how they drive may qualify for discounts based on the data.
“Whether customers are purchasing through Ford Insure or working with another carrier, we are committed to giving them the ability to choose the right option for themselves – and to potentially earn big discounts based on how they drive,” Purdy said.
The vehicles’ telematics data is shared with insurance carriers using an embedded modem, which allows the insurance carrier to use that information to analyze driving habits and offer potential savings. The modem is now standard on all Ford vehicles.
Additionally, the automaker can work with insurance companies to use connected vehicle data to develop “usage-based insurance programs, improve their underwriting practices, and pass along driver behavior discounts to those Ford vehicle owners who qualify,” Ford representatives said.
The systems also should give Ford customers the ability to have an impact on how much their premiums cost, the company added.
Customers with eligible Ford and Lincoln vehicles can obtain a quote, buy a policy, and bundle their policies through the FordPass or Lincoln Way app. They can also use one of two websites: fordinsure.com or lincolnmotorcompanyinsure.com.
(Ford looks at consumer life, post-pandemic.)
Ford originally launched the usage-based, connected-vehicle insurance products offered through Ford Credit’s insurance agency subsidiary, American Road Services Co., in 2019.