What You Should Know

• The Allstate telematics program called Drivewise advertises that safe drivers can save up to 40 percent on their insurance
• Your driving habits are tracked through the Allstate Drivewise app
• Although you might save up to 40 percent, Allstate Drivewise complaints claim most drivers save much less

Allstate is one of the top auto insurance companies in the country, but it also has higher than average rates. Fortunately, Allstate Drivewise offers drivers a way to lower rates based on their driving.

Drivewise from Allstate is a telematics program that monitors specific driving behaviors and scores you on how safely you drive. This score can translate up to a 40% discount when your policy renews. Additionally, you get a 10% discount for signing up for the program. Although not all drivers see the 40% savings, Allstate doesn’t raise your rates if you score poorly.

Keep in mind that most auto insurance companies offer similar programs, so compare multiple companies before you decide if Allstate Drivewise is right for you. Read on to learn more about Allstate Drivewise and how to get the most significant discount.

What is Allstate Drivewise?

Auto insurance companies know that risky drivers are more likely to cost them money. So, they reward drivers who allow them to monitor driving behaviors.

For example, Allstate offers Drivewise, a program that discounts drivers who exhibit safe driving habits. Allstate Drivewise is a telematics app that tracks specific behaviors and scores you on how well you drive. The higher the score, the more you save.

You get a 10% discount just for signing up. Then, Allstate recalculates your discount at each renewal. So, if you score poorly, you can improve your driving skills to increase your discount. Also, your rates won’t increase if you don’t score well.

Although Allstate boasts up to a 40% discount, savings vary based on your state and how you drive. For example, some states limit discounts to 15%, which is considerably lower than advertised.

However, Drivewise is still worth a look. It saves you money, but it also makes you a safer driver by providing immediate feedback on each drive. This helps you pinpoint risky driving habits to improve.

Drivewise also offers rewards for safe driving challenges, such as going three consecutive days with no hard braking or high speeds. You can earn reward points for good driving that can be redeemed for gift cards, products, and more.

How does Drivewise from Allstate work?

While Allstate Drivewise started as a plug-in device, the program now works through the Allstate app. You can use either the Allstate Drivewise app for Android or iPhone, depending on your needs. Once you have the app downloaded, simply login to Allstate Insurance.

You must accept the terms of service and turn on your location services for Drivewise to work. Then, the app runs in the background of your smartphone and records your drives.

Drivewise provides a dashboard that lets you see your drives and how well you scored. It offers immediate feedback to show areas for improvement. Allstate considers a drive to be at least one minute long with a speed of at least 15 miles per hour.

Drivewise knows if you’re the driver or passenger, but you can change the setting if the app gets it wrong. Unlike other telematics programs, you can also delete drives if you score poorly.

Drivewise also offers crash detection through the app. If it detects you've been in an accident, you’ll receive a notification that allows you to call 911 or request roadside assistance. You can even start your claim right away.

Although Allstate says that your location data isn’t shared, it does record each of your trips. So, a telematics program might not be a good fit if you’re concerned about privacy.

In addition, Drivewise uses your battery and data. Therefore, it’s good to plug in your phone while on long drives and watch your data plan. You can check and manage these settings in the Allstate Drivewise app for iPhone or Android.

What driving habits are monitored by the Drivewise app?

Insurance companies know that certain behaviors indicate a driver is likely to cause an accident. Telematics systems track those behaviors, although not all companies look at the same habits.

Drivewise monitors multiple habits, even though not all of them affect your discount. These behaviors give a more accurate picture of the type of driver you are and what areas need improvement.

The driving habits monitored by Drivewise that affect your discount are:

• Time of day. The time of day you drive the most can affect your chances of being in an accident. Late nights, early mornings, and rush hours tend to see more accidents. This is because drivers are often tired during those periods. Visibility is often limited, and more cars are on the road.
• Speed. Speeding is very dangerous and reduces your reaction time. Drivewise lowers your score for driving over 80 miles per hour. The app also tracks your average speed for the drive and how many times you exceed 80 mph.
• Hard braking and acceleration. Hitting your brakes hard or quickly accelerating indicates aggressive driving or a lack of attention. Either of those leads to a higher chance of being in an accident.

The app also tracks distracted driving, but it doesn’t affect your rates. Drivewise records how often you use your phone during a drive to make you more aware of your distracted driving. The goal is to help you improve this dangerous habit.

Drivewise can help parents track their teen’s driving habits. For example, teen drivers are more likely to speed and use their phones while driving. Drivewise alerts parents to dangerous behaviors and allows parents to encourage safe driving skills.

What are other ways to save on Allstate auto insurance?

In addition to Drivewise, Allstate offers safe drivers other ways to get cheap car insurance.

First, Allstate offers numerous car insurance discounts based on the driver, policy, and vehicle. For example, Allstate offers continuous coverage, anti-theft device, and defensive driver discounts.

Next, Allstate offers a safe driving bonus for every six months you don’t have an accident. This is in addition to the claims-free discount.

Finally, safe drivers can take advantage of deductible rewards, which lower your deductible every year that you don’t have an accident. However, there is a limit to how low your deductible can get.

Safe drivers can significantly reduce Allstate auto insurance rates by combining these discounts and rewards.

If you rarely drive, consider switching to Milewise. This Allstate insurance program allows you to pay for coverage based on how many miles you drive. While rates vary from month to month, they are typically lower than average.

Learn if Allstate Drivewise is Right for You

While Allstate rates may be high, Drivewise gives you a chance to lower rates and still keep the insurance you like. You also get a 10% discount just for participating in the program.

The Allstate Drivewise app monitors specific driving behaviors, including speeding, the time of day you drive, and hard braking and acceleration. Then, Allstate uses your habits to calculate a discount of up to 40% based on how safely you drive.

In addition, Drivewise tracks your phone usage while driving. Although distracted driving doesn’t count against your score, the app encourages you not to use your phone while driving.

The Drivewise app also offers crash detection. In addition, it can help you call 911, request roadside assistance, and even start your claim.

Safe drivers who have Allstate auto insurance can also take advantage of other ways to save. For example, drivers can significantly reduce rates by combining Drivewise, discounts, safe driving bonuses, and deductible rewards.

Even if you don’t save 40% on your auto insurance, Drivewise is free. In addition, Allstate doesn’t raise your rates if you score poorly. So it doesn’t hurt to give Allstate Drivewise a try.