Hughes Telematics Gets $24.4M Contract With Insurance Firm

03 Sep 2010

By citybizlist Staff

ATLANTA -- Hughes Telematics Inc. (NYSE: HTC) expects at least $24.4 million in revenue over the next two years from an agreement to provide in-drive telematics services to an unnamed insurance company's customers, according to an SEC filing.

Numerex: Telematics is "an emerging and vital trend in the insurance market"

27 Aug 2010

Here's an interview with Rick Burtner, senior vice president and general manager of the Location-Based Services Group at Numerex. He speaks about the future of insurance telematics.

Sword Group Launches a New Insurance Division

08 Jul 2010

Sword Insurance will focus on software and delivery capabilities in areas including mulit-channel distribution, business intelligence and policy administration.

EU Launches European Health Insurance Card

06 Jul 2010

The European Health Insurance Card makes it easier for people from the European Union's 27 Member States plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland to access healthcare services during temporary visits abroad.

Progressive files suit against Liberty Mutual

21 Jun 2010

MAYFIELD, Ohio -- Progressive Corp. says Liberty Mutual Group has copied its idea for using an in-car monitoring system to help determine auto insurance rates.

Octo Telematics spins out of MetaSystem

21 Jun 2010

Amadeus Capital Partners, the European technology Investor, has announced its investment in the spin out of Octo Telematics from Italian conglomerate, MetaSystem, who have funded and will continue to supply components to Octo.

Catlin backs insurethebox - Per mile car cover for monitored new drivers to cut claims

14 Jun 2010

A Catlin-backed motor insurance for new-qualified drivers called insurethebox is now available, charging per mile driven and giving as many as 100 free extra miles a month for the safest drivers.

UK: "insure the box" insurance launches with Octo Telematics device

01 Jun 2010

insurancethebox provides a motor insurance product which harnesses telematics technology to assess individual driving habits.

Telematics could be "the most important factor in insurance premium determination"

27 May 2010

TU talks to Rakesh Mishra, vice president of product management at Farmers Insurance

Rakesh Mishra is a pioneer of usage-based insurance (UBI) products in the US personal auto insurance market. His collaboration with product development engineers led to the launch of the first telematics-driven, usage-based auto insurance product in 1998. Among his current priorities is the design of a cost-effective business model to implement pay-as-you-drive insurance products.

State Farm First to File Pay-As-You-Drive Request in California

22 May 2010

May 22 (Bloomberg) -- State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., the largest U.S. car insurer, is the first to apply to the California regulator to offer pay-as-you-drive coverage in which motorists get discounts for traveling less. The application is under review, California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner said yesterday in a statement.

Peter Lynch to Head LexisNexis Insurance Exchange

21 May 2010

Lynch will lead new alliance formed through The Council for Insurance Agents and Brokers, MarketCore and LexisNexis to improve the efficiency and transparency of the intermediary distribution system.

Innovative Miles-Based Auto Insurance Program Introduced for U.K. Drivers

20 May 2010

"insurethebox" promises savings and value, particularly for younger and low-mileage drivers

Beginning this week a new variable-priced auto insurance program is being offered to U.K. drivers which promises to revolutionize the way you pay for car insurance. Global economic stressors and other factors have been steadily driving up the cost of buying and owning a car.[i] Insurance is generally considered a fixed cost with respect to vehicle use and according to data published by the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, typically the third largest ownership expense, after depreciation and fuel.[ii]

CREW webcast features telematics, connected car

14 May 2010

The Collision Repair Executieve Webcast (CREW) welcomes David Ferrick, vice president and general manager Insurance Market for Cross Country Automotive Services, a pioneer in creating technology enabled service solutions for the auto and insurance industries.

Spy in the car rewards the good drivers

10 Apr 2010

The latest pay-as-you-go car insurance launches this week using a satellite black box to monitor how a car is driven and reward careful drivers. The cover from insurance underwriting agency Insure the Box is aimed at motorists who drive a limited number of miles each year, such as school-run mums and second car users. It is expected to be competitive for younger drivers who typically face high premiums.

Wireless Logic Introduces First Managed Finance Service for the M2M Industry

02 Apr 2010

London, 31st March 2010 - Wireless Logic (www.wirelesslogic.co.uk), the UK's leading independent M2M connectivity supplier, is today launching Wireless Logic Airtime Finance; an industry first opportunity for companies to gain managed financial support to fund M2M applications and an alternative to traditional finance deals. For the first time, companies will be able to bundle connectivity together with hardware and software costs, into one airtime contract.

Can Telematics Reinvent Auto Insurance?

25 Mar 2010

We've all experienced the frustration before: An auto insurer asks for some basic information-age, sex, credit score, and driving record-plugs that information into an equation, and voila! Out pops a premium that only vaguely represents how you as a driver really drive.

Wouldn't it be nice if premiums were instead determined by actual performance on the road, with law-abiding, fuel-conscious drivers rewarded with low premiums and those hard-braking, fast-accelerating maniacs stuck with higher ones?

Enter the field of insurance telematics, which proposes to use telecommunication devices to transmit real-time driving data to insurers, who can then glean a more accurate picture of driving behavior and use it to set fairer rates.

As a bonus, insurance agents can use those same devices to offer new services to their customers, like real-time navigation, vehicle diagnostics, and in-car entertainment.

Is Privacy Worth Sacrificing to Save on Insurance?

23 Mar 2010

New York Times Blog
Wheels - The Nuts & Bolts of Whatever Moves You
March 23, 2010, 2:00 pm

Would you let your insurance company electronically monitor your driving if you knew it might result in a discount?

That is what the insurance industry is trying to figure out. There is a movement to create "pay as you drive" or "usage-based insurance" that would charge people based on not only how many miles they drive, but how they drive those miles.

Allianz Changing the PAYD Insurance Game

18 Mar 2010

Thanks to Meta Systems and its Octo Telematics subsidiary, the Italian market has become the de facto European proving ground for pay as-you-drive insurance products. Octo Telematics pioneered pay-as-you-drive insurance in Italy and elsewhere in southern Europe with a connectivity box capable of providing tracking and stolen vehicle recovery services.

As a result, it is no surprise that Allianz chose Italy for the launch of its Service Pack and Pay Per Use services more than a year ago. Many insurers in Italy provide PAYD products and services. By some estimates, as many as 800,000 drivers are enrolled in such programs.

Insurance Telematics: The Game Changer

03 Mar 2010

Mar 3, 2010  01:19 PM ET

By Mike Hales, Joe Reifel, Gang Xu and Andrew Beebe of A.T. Kearney.

Introduction
Telematics-the integration of global positioning system technology and mobile communications-could dramatically alter the auto insurance industry. From personalized premiums based on individual driving data to automated emergency services and entertainment-based add-ons, telematics has the potential to upend the stable model that has dominated the industry for more than 50 years. The winners will be those early movers that capture the safest drivers, take advantage of pricing power and ease consumers' concerns about privacy. This, the first in a series of three articles, looks at some of the challenges insurance companies have faced adopting telematics, where it has been adopted thus far, and where it might offer the most compelling propositions.

Octo Telematics: Montezemolo aims at the crash detectors (MF)

10 Feb 2010

MILAN (AFX) - Which highway traveler in Italy has not heard their information about traffic and road conditions? All regular drivers, but not everyone might know that this information is provided by Octo Telematics, the company that distributes and monitors traffic sensors manufactured by MetaSystem Group in Reggio Emilia.

Well this brand is now for sale and potential buyers are not lacking; beginning with the Fiat and Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo and his son Matteo, promoters of Montezemolo & Partners (PGHN.SW - news) sgr, the company that serves as advisor for the Charme family fund.

Panda's GPS-driven insurance premiums

07 Dec 2009

The Finland-based Panda Group - an acornym for Pohjola, Aplicom, Nokia, Destia and Astarte, has announced a new pilot program testing the use of GPS data to determine insurance premiums and road tolls.

Jackson National Life Licenses CSC's Business Analytics Software

15 Nov 2009

According to a CSC-source, Michigan-based Jackson National Life Insurance Co. has licensed CSC's Business Analytics software to access and analyze business intelligence information from the carrier's multiple financial service systems. Jackson, a prominent individual annuity writer, will use the software to track key metrics and proactively address rapidly changing market conditions.

Directed Electronics and Octo Telematics Partner to Provide Telematics Solutions to Automotive Insurance Companies

03 Nov 2009

Vista, California (November 3, 2009) - Directed Electronics, the largest supplier of aftermarket vehicle security and remote start systems in North America, announced today that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Octo Telematics S.p.A., the leading insurance telematics provider in Europe, to develop telematics services for the U.S. and Canadian vehicle insurance markets.

Expert Interview: Pay-As-You-Drive/Usage-Based Insurance

20 Oct 2009

What are the success factors driving the hot topic of connecting in-vehicle telematics with the insurance industry? The commercial attraction of usage-based insurance schemes is obvious but the obstacle of consumer uncertainty has yet to be conquered. Stephen Longden, ITS & Telematics Specialist at SBD, talks about current developments and trends in Pay As You Drive (PAYD) insurance.

Octo Telematics consolidates its partnership with UNIQA Group

20 Oct 2009

Octo Telematics is the exclusive partner of UNIQA Group Austria, one of the leading insurance groups in Central Europe, which is currently expanding their new car and motor telematics policies to reach a wider user base.

California Approves Final PAYD Regulations

16 Oct 2009

Commissioner Poizner announced today that the final pay-as-you-drive regulations, which will enable insurers to offer consumers another auto insurance option, allowing rates to be based on actual miles driven as opposed to estimated miles driven, have been approved by the Office of Administrative Law and are now in effect. Commissioner Poizner originally proposed pay-as-you-drive regulations in September 2008.

Zurich Financial’s Farmers Unit to Track U.S. Drivers

24 Sep 2009

Farmers Group Inc., the U.S. unit of Zurich Financial Services AG that bought AIG's auto-insurance business in April, plans to lower premiums by charging drivers for coverage by the mile, measuring car usage by iPhone and BlackBerry.

California issues final PAYD regulations

08 Sep 2009

Steve Poizner, California's Insurance Commissioner, has issued final pay-as-you-drive regulations that will enable insurers to offer vehicle insurance rates based on actual miles driven as opposed to estimated miles driven.

GE Security teams up with Liberty Mutual Agency Markets

28 Aug 2009

GE Security and Liberty Mutual Agency Markets have partnered to improve fleet operations through the use of web-based technology - Onboard AdvisorTM. Using GE Security's NavLogix software and data from an accelerometer, the new fleet management system enables managers and fleet owners to reduce insurance, fuel and maintenance costs whilst providing an accurate account of the location of each vehicles.

New Pay How You Drive Motor Policy Could Help Reduce Accidents

21 Aug 2009

An innovative Pay-How-You-Drive motor insurance policy known as PHYD has been launched by Acorn Insurance and Financial Services.

California Releases New Draft of Pay-As-You-Drive Regulations

04 Aug 2009

"After releasing the last draft of the Pay-As-You-Drive regulations, we received dozens of comments from consumer groups, the insurance industry and other interested parties. After careful consideration of these comments, I have issued revised regulations that will continue to protect the privacy of California drivers while paving the way for insurance companies to offer innovative Pay-As-You-Drive and "price per mile" insurance," Commissioner Steve Poizner said in a statement.

GMAC Offers Pay-As-You-Go Insurance Discount to Drivers Cutting Back

28 Jul 2009

As people drive less, GMAC Insurance embraces mileage-discount auto insurance in the form of their Low-Mileage Discount program. The program concept is simple: those who drive less, pay less.

Progressive’s ‘Pay As You Drive’ Rolled Out In 15th State

28 Jul 2009

Progressive Insurance Company has rolled out its version of the “Pay As You Drive” auto insurance program, which the company has named MyRate, in Texas—the 15th state in which the program is available.

INRIX releases Historical Traffic Speeds for Europe

22 Jul 2009

With the release of INRIX Historical Traffic Speeds for Europe, INRIX has improved routing and travel times by using crowd-sourced data. Designed for mobile and vehicle-based navigation systems, the application encompasses accurate speed information for more than 420,000 km of roadway networks in Germany, France, the UK, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg.

Progressive's MyRate Plan Pegs Customers' Driving Style To Rates

17 Jun 2009

By DIANE LEVICK The Hartford Courant -- Drivers who keep their lead foot off the gas and quit jamming on the brakes could steer their way to savings on auto insurance through a program that a major insurer has just expanded to Connecticut. Progressive's MyRate plan, already offered in 14 other states, is a voluntary program for consumers who don't mind a little blue box in their vehicle that tracks their driving style and tattles to the insurer.

PAYD Insurance in 13 State Climate Change Emissions Plans

05 Jun 2009

The New American Foundation's compendium of 33 state climate action plans shows that 12 of 33 states plan explicitly cover PAYD Insurance.

An act relating usage-based rating factors for motor vehicle insurance

19 May 2009

Washington, - Insurers are permitted to develop and sell usage-based insurance if the insurance is approved by the Commissioner.

New Insurance Policies Target Young Drivers in Belgium: Octo Telematics contracts with P&V Group for “Vivium” and “P&V”

17 Jan 2009

Octo Telematics has signed an agreement with P&V Group in Belgium for the provision of cutting-edge insurance telematics applications for new motor insurance policies dedicated to young drivers. Octo Telematics is a MetaSystem Group company specialising in the provision of telematics services and systems, mainly for the insurance and automotive market, with over 700,000 subscribers to its services. With this new contract the company now supports 38 insurance clients - including all of the top five European Insurance Groups and leads the European automotive insurance telematics industry with an 80% market share.

Marelli, Octo Telematics and Meta System define a single standard for motor vehicle insurance telematic services

11 Dec 2008

The three companies will also make available the insurance telematic services of Octo Telematics through Magneti Marelli's infotelematic platform.

Connecting usage-based insurance with OE telematics

12 Nov 2008

SBD published a new report giving answers to usage-based insurance business models.

Octo & Cesar Telematics Russia founded

29 Oct 2008

Moscow, October 29th, 2008 – Octo Telematics, a MetaSystem Group company and global market leader in research, development and management of cutting-edge telematics applications for auto insurance, and Cesar Satellite, the Russian market leader in satellite surveillance services and vehicle theft prevention, announced today the formation of Octo & Cesar Telematics Russia.

Does 'Pay as you drive' insurance violate privacy?

20 Oct 2008

If the cost of filling up has you driving less, listen up.  As the price at the pump goes up, so do the amount of drivers looking to lower their mileage. 
 
Problem is whether you're driving 50 miles or 50,000 miles you're still paying the same amount for car insurance. 
 
Your insurance company may be offering something new.  It's called pay-as-you-drive insurance, and as the name suggests some drivers could save big bucks.    

But buyer beware, the latest way to save could potentially violate your privacy...

Consumer alerts article explores the controversy!

Addressing the Problem of Driving While Distracted

13 Oct 2008

DriveAssist's Innovation Helps to Eliminate Temptation of the Number One Driver Distraction - Talking and Texting on Cell Phones

October 13, 2008 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time 

COLUMBUS, Ohio--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Aegis Mobility announced today an exclusive partnership to tackle the growing problem of distracted driving with the first of its kind cell phone technology, which empowers consumers to manage the distraction of cell phones or text messaging devices while a vehicle is in motion. Aegis Mobility's DriveAssist^TM automatically detects the onset of driving and enables parents and corporations to stay in touch with their teens or employees while minimizing cell phone use when driving. Nationwide Insurance^® plans to offer an auto insurance discount for policyholders who sign up to use DriveAssist^TM.

Ditched Pay-As-You-Drive Insurance Set for Revival?

06 Oct 2008

It's not the end of the road just yet... even though Norwich Union paused their PAYD program, it was highly successful. Customers were seeing an average redection in premiums of 30 per cent, while Norwich Union saw a 30 per cent reduction in claims. High start-up and product costs were leading to this decision.

New Insurance Partnerships for Octo Telematics

01 Oct 2008

Octo Telematics, a MetaSystem Group company, both forerunner and global market leader in research, development and management of insurance telematics applications for the automotive sector, announces new agreements for the provision of cutting-edge insurance telematics applications in France with Amaline Assurances, a Groupama company and Aviva. With these two partners, the company is now doing business with 36 client-insurance companies worldwide.

New Study: Insurance Products for the Next Generation

24 Sep 2008

ZURICH: Finance News | Wednesday, 24 September 2008 10:32

Increased competition and the growing need for individualized and customized insurance products require groundbreaking innovations. Against this background, Accenture along with the “I-Lab,” a joint research initiative of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, the University of St. Gallen (HSG), and the insurance industry, has released a study on the importance of new technologies in the insurance sector.

Australian Insurer Launches Mileage-Only Pay-Per-Drive Program

23 Sep 2008

Real Insurance's trust-based PAYD program bypasses stubborn privacy and technology cost barriers.  

Getting Privacy Right in Pay-Per-Drive

19 Sep 2008

By Anthony O'Donnell
Sep 19, 2008 at 08:44 AM ET

Our recent report on Real Insurance's mileage-only pay-per-drive policy raised, once again, the question of what it will take to get drivers to use such programs. Industry observers have predicted the resurgence of telematics (the monitoring of driver behavior via telemetry) but privacy concerns continue to shape insurers' pay-per-drive strategy, as the Real Insurance example demonstrates. The Australian insurer bypasses the "Big Brother" fears associated with telematics-based pay-per-drive programs by dispensing with telemetry all together and relying instead on customer-reported mileage alone.

New Market Analysis Shows Pay-As-You-Drive Service Gaining Acceptance in Europe

18 Sep 2008

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) service is gaining increasing acceptance in Europe as it has significantly brought down the insurance premium for drivers. PAYD was first introduced as a measure to reduce insurance fraud and having proved its insurance premium benefits for the end customers, the insurance companies are now emphasising on the benefit of reducing the emission and improving the road safety.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.automotive.frost.com), An Update of European Markets for Telematics-Based Pay-As-You-Drive Vehicle Insurance, finds that the market earned revenues of €18.64 million in 2007 and estimates this to reach $141.81 million in 2015.

ABI Research identifies 10 reasons why the insurance industry should care about telematics

28 Aug 2008

Tobias Ryberg, senior anylist at Berg Insight, gives ten good reasons why insurers should care about telematics:

High-tech monitors help safe drivers save on insurance

29 Jul 2008

A high-tech monitoring device makes it possible to reduce insurance premiums for drivers who avoid jackrabbit starts and slam-on-the-brakes stops, an insurance company says. Auto insurer Progressive Corp. has begun offering its drivers the chance to cut their costs based on how they actually drive, not only on their age, credit score and number of tickets or accidents on their record.

EMB Urges Auto Insurers to Get on Board the Usage-Based Trend

28 Jul 2008

If EMB is right, usage-based insurance will become the industry standard in the next five years.

So, the global actuarial consulting firm is urging auto insurers now to adopt this method, which measures actual driving behavior and allows insurers to develop more reliable rates.

While drivers get to enjoy lower rates, auto insurers will reap the benefits of greater customer loyalty and client retention.

Pay-as-you-drive insurance is catching on

28 Jul 2008

Insurers are beginning to offer auto-insurance plans that charge motorists based on the number of miles driven. Some of these ‘pay-as-you' drive programs, which involve tracking the vehicle with an on-board monitoring device, would also charge drivers based on how abruptly they brake and accelerate. Two large U.S. insurers currently offer pay-as-you-drive discounts.

Telematics Speaks the Insurers' Language

25 Jul 2008

How can the insurance sector profit directly from using the telematics data from a FMS system? According to Alex Hall, senior consultant at Total Systems, provider of IT services to the insurance sector, building up a detailed picture of information to enable more exact rating, underwriting and risk management, benefits both policyholder and insurer by allowing a better insurance package with more competitive premiums, lower admin costs (e.g. motor insurance database compliance), reduced claims costs and quicker response times.

VDO solution for collision investigators

23 Jul 2008

VDO DTCOscope announced to give collision investigators access to and the ability to date from any make of digital tachograph.

French Insurer goes “Pay as you drive”

14 Jul 2008

Octo Telematics signed an agreement with French Group Goupama's new company Amaline Assurances to provide vehicle telematic solutions via web or phone.

Norwich Union stops 'pay as you drive' - while the Market is increasing

18 Jun 2008

Norwich Union has suspended its mileage-based insurance scheme less than two years after it was launched, says BBC. But the UK insurance company has multiple telematics- and insurance-related projects on the go.  PAYD was just one of them, with IBM infrastructure and TrafficMaster devices. The other - a fleet product - is actually pretty successful.

Octo Telematics reaches 590.000 active Telematic customers

15 Jun 2008

ERTICO - ITS Europe Partner Octo Telematics (MetaSystem Group) can now boast over 590,000 active customers of its on-board Telematics System in only three years. The service is in full deployment stage in Italy, Spain, UK, and Austria. Several insurance companies and carmakers are using Octo Telematics technology for Pay As You Drive, Pay Per Use, Stolen Vehicle Recovery and Remote Diagnostic.

MORE TH>N PIONEERS ECO FRIENDLY MOTORING TECHNOLOGY

16 May 2008

MORE TH>N has launched a revolutionary new insurance scheme that uses Formula 1-style in-car telemetry to help British motorists drive in a greener, more efficient and economical way

IRIS – Global to win „European Risk Management Product of the Year 2008”

22 Apr 2008

IRIS - Global wins "Product of the Year 2008" at the European Risk Management Awards in Paris because of its innovative "PAY AS YOU DRIVE" Personalized Insurance and Fleet Risk Management System.

Telematic insurance gains popularity among fleets

09 Apr 2008

The increasing interest of fleets in using telematics systems is caused by the intention to reduce insurance costs.

IMS to announce iPaid (TM)

03 Apr 2008

Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc. (IMS) recently presented a usage-based insurance pilot programm in North America and the United Kingdom: iPaid (TM). The GPS related pilot offers the media, advocacy groups and government policy makers the possibilty to prove the effectiveness of UBI in driver safety, insurance coverage and pollution control.

After Only Three Years, OCTO Telematics Obtains its 500,000th Customer

03 Mar 2008

ROME, February 28 - By using position tracking systems to calculate use-optimised motor vehicle insurance premiums, the Italian company OCTO Telematics has won 500,000 customers in only three years. At the CeBIT in Hanover, the follow-up products, such as personal CO2 meter for drivers and the use of traffic data for navigation systems will be displayed.

The Managed Competition Celebrated Progressive's Move

03 Mar 2008

Progressive Insurance, which is the third-largest vehicle insurer in the U.S., wants to enter the market in Massachusetts with a new managed competition system.

The safer you drive, the more you pay

29 Feb 2008

BOSTON - The issue "Insurance Telematics", above all "Pay-As-You-Drive" is getting even more discussed. The insurance rates are calculated by the facts how often you drive which distance without having an accident.

SmartServices by GMAC

29 Feb 2008

The GMAC Insurance Group is one of the biggest insurers in the U.S. Now they set up a new service for car drivers.

$4.5 Billion Reduction In Premiums

28 Feb 2008

BLOOMINGTON, Minnesota – State Farm has been cutting the insurance rates in ten U.S. states since 2003. In this four-year period $4.5 billion had been economised.

Winter Causes Damages

28 Feb 2008

WISCONSIN - The strong winter causes car accidents and claims. Insurences have to deal with problems like ice storms, rain, periods of rapid thawing and freezing.

NAMIC: Against Anti-Insurance Scoring Measure

28 Feb 2008

WASHINGTON, Connecticut – The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) investigates the use of credit-based insurance scores.

Insurance Companies: Changing Global Economy

25 Feb 2008

China is one of the world’s biggest exporters. Not only the textile and apparel business is important anymore, furthermore the electronic industry, mostly the automotive part is growing recently.