In the world of technology, time is like dog years. What happened a year ago seems more like seven years ago when we look at how quickly the world is changing. There is a major exception to this rule, though, particularly for mid-tier insurers. Over the next two months, many mid-tier carriers will be wrapping up negotiations with one of the giants of the industry, Progressive Insurance, on a licensing program that effectively will keep those smaller insurers out of the telematics market for two solid years: April 2015.

That doesn't prevent the mid-tier from undergoing the difficult task of fashioning their own user-based insurance program, it just means they can't begin to offer discounts for the safe drivers who fall into the metrics insurers believe constitute safe driving—fewer hard-braking incidents, driving within the speed limit, avoiding acceleration, and more. And woe be the insurance carrier that believes they can get around Progressive's licensing program.

An insurer I spoke with brought in a legal team to report on the Progressive patents and the success Progressive has had in defending those patents in court. After the consult, that insurer began negotiating with Progressive to take part in the licensing. Progressive's stated deadline for agreeing to the licensing program is June of this year.

The insurer doesn't believe the two-year wait is as bad as it sounds. The Progressive license applies only to companies that want to use the information for rating a policy. Companies can place data-collection devices on the vehicles they insure, collect the data, and analyze it. The insurer points out it can even provide policyholders a participation discount. What they can't do, though, is provide discounts based on the actual driving habits associated with that vehicle.

The mid-tier insurer I spoke with points out that initiating a telematics program is not something that can happen in a few months. By collecting the data and analyzing it, insurers will be ready to go into the UBI business once April 1, 2015 comes around.

"That's going to be a pretty big day for the insurance industry," said the insurer.

One other point: Every challenge creates an opportunity. In this case, insurers will be looking for expertise in analyzing the data. In other words, third-party vendors to the rescue.

If you are looking at the Progressive deal or are one of the brave souls looking at instituting a telematics program on your own, let us know what led to your strategy.

Special Reports /

Telematics Technology and Dog Years

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