Auto insurance becomes the latest focus of GM's OnStar division
OnStar Insurance aims to create a flexible insurance program that rewards smart driving habits.
The blue button will do so much more starting next year.
The auto insurance industry has new contender as of Wednesday. General Motors has launched OnStar Insurance, which aims to create a fairer way to insure drivers .
Details are light for now, but OnStar highlighted the peace of mind it promises if you bundle insurance with the service. Those with subscriptions already have access to OnStar's suite of connectivity features, including Automatic Crash Response and the ability to contact an advisor certified for emergencies. Where the company did provide some insight into their new insurance program is how it plans to insure drivers.
The program wants to take the "biased judgement out of insurance shopping" and focus on elements drivers can control. This includes vehicle use and rewarding "smart" driving habits with discounts are all planned. It sounds similar to current programs that monitor driving behavior, but we'll have to wait and see how OnStar plans to improve on the idea. The company's systems are incredibly intricate, so the things it can likely monitor from a car are vast -- for better or for worse.
Speaking of the data, OnStar Insurance plans to expand its Smart Driver technology to provide recommendations to drivers on how they can lower their insurance rates. Maybe you clock one too many hard braking instances; Smart Driver will recommend how to get the best from the insurance program and tease more discounts along the way if you follow through. The company said the approach should make each policy personalized at the end of the day.
OnStar Insurance will first dip into the market in Arizona by the end of this year and will launch exclusively for GM employees first. In early 2021, the company plans to expand the program to the public.
