The phenomenon of telematics – wireless technology that lets cars connect and communicate with enterprise applications – has attracted attention among insurance carriers worldwide over the past couple of years. According to a research report from Berg Insight, shipments of OEM embedded telematics systems worldwide are forecasted to grow from 8.4 million units in 2013 to 54.5 million units in 2020. Additionally, the number of cars sold worldwide equipped with handset-based telematics capabilities will grow from 7.0 million in 2013 to 68.5 million in 2020.

In fact, this was a huge point of discussion at last month's Intelligent Transport Society event in Detroit. General Motors announced the company's plans to launch a hands-free automated driving system and Wi-Fi-enabled vehicle-to-vehicle communications system by 2016 in its Cadillac CTS sedans. Calling it the "super cruise" system, the technology is aimed to help drivers avoid crashes without the need for their own intervention.

As the U.S. Department of Transportation has said it is considering putting forth legislation that would require vehicle-to-vehicle communications technology to be implemented by 2016, automakers such as Toyota, Volkswagen and Ford are also actively developing similar systems. But telematics has several other benefits outside of safety.

There are at least four ways in which connected cars will change the game for insurance carriers – or put them out of it entirely:

PREMIUMS: Premium-setting is perhaps the most discussed area by insurers. By transmitting data related to vehicle use and driving behavior, this technology will allow insurers to price their policies more accurately as the precise performance of the vehicle and the individual driver can be measured and a premium calculated accordingly. Carriers will be able to select the best risks – and groups such as younger drivers could be offered a more affordable cover based on monitored usage.

According to U.K. premium indices, car insurance premiums have risen for the first time since 2011 in the country, signaling that cheaper coverage rates (the average cost of cover was decreased by about $440 over the past three years) may be a thing of the past. Therefore, usage-based insurance will present a welcomed solution to combating these inevitable raises.

CLAIMS: Connected cars will also transform the processing and management of claims. Insurers will be automatically notified as soon as an accident occurs with sufficient detail to allow for an accurate estimation of who is at fault and, consequently, facilitate more rapid settlement. This benefit has been discussed far less than the premium setting mentioned above, but it could result in a remarkable reduction of insurers' overall costs.

On top of cost savings, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) predicts that vehicle-to-vehicle safety technology (i.e. left turn assist and intersection movement assist) could prevent anywhere from 25,000 to 592,000 crashes per year.

FRAUD: Technology that provides a constant stream of actionable information about the condition and use of a vehicle will give insurers a better opportunity for reducing fraud and other losses on policies they've underwritten. With the Association of British Insurers reporting that the cost of insurance fraud topped $1.6 billion for the first time in 2013, telematics could make a decisive difference.

CUSTOMER SERVICE: Telematics also has the capability to transform customers' perception of car insurance. Rather than simply buying a fixed policy to cover a generic risk, drivers will be able to get a personalized cover that reflects their individual driving habits and track record. Insurance will then become a service-based concept, rather than a policy-based commodity – which will make it even more attractive to safe drivers who present the lowest risk profile and the most profitable business.

Realizing any of the above advantages will depend on one thing: the insurers' ability to analyze, interpret and convert the massive amounts of data from connected cars into actionable insights. Without that ability, the data load will work against this process.

If insurers allow themselves to become too bogged down in data, premiums will become too expensive, the claims process will become too inefficient and they will be more at risk from fraud. All of these factors lead to a loss of market position as more agile carriers will use these new-found data assets to innovate and compete more effectively.

Sean Allen is Vice President of Sales with Xchanging Insurance Services, North America

Special Reports /

Telematics is moving full steam ahead – are you ready?

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