The premiums you pay on your auto insurance are usually based on your age, gender, and where you live. Pay As You Drive insurance however is different. It’s based on the number of miles you drive. Drive fewer miles, pay lower premiums.
The obvious advantage of Pay As You Drive, then, is cost. Since Pay As You Drive premiums are computed on the basis of how many miles the vehicle is driven, it is extremely easy to reduce the monthly insurance bill. Simply reduce the number of miles driven. Not only does this save money on the insurance bill, it also means less on gas and maintenance and repair. The fewer miles driven, the longer the vehicle lasts. It may be possible to keep the vehicle long after that last car payment is made, and in our tough economy, who can’t find things to do with the money that otherwise would be spent on a car payment?
Another benefit of Pay As You Drive coverage is that it is possible to customize the insurance program to personal needs. Premiums are determined either within a range of miles driven, or hours driven. The owner may elect to a Pay As You Drive plan that focuses on a specific time period, such as six months, or just the total number of miles driven. Freedom and flexibility in Pay As You Drive allows drives to design the insurance coverage that works best for them.
Because Pay As You Drive incentivizes driving less, it makes it less likely you will get yourself into an accident. Low-mileage drivers are usually more focused and careful behind the wheel, too.
Mileage monitoring is required with Pay As You Drive insurance, but there are plenty of options for drivers. You can have certified odometer readings, much like you do when you have your vehicle’s safety inspection. Or you can have a GPS based monitor installed in your vehicle, or you can simply have the computer data uploaded from your vehicle. Since only periodic mileage readings are needed to track the mileage for Pay As You Drive insurance, the cost associated with mileage monitoring will most likely be offset by the money you save in insurance premiums.
The Brookings Institute found that two-thirds of American households would save an average of $270 per year with Pay As You Drive. In the current economic situation, that is welcome news.
Not only does Pay As You Drive insurance save you money, it also helps protect the environment. Fewer vehicles on the roads mean a reduction in auto emissions. Reduced traffic also means less congestion and traffic jams, which means less time wasted in the car.
There are many advantages to Pay As You Drive. See or call your insurance agent to get more detailed information about a Pay As You Drive policy that meets all your insurance needs.
Tom Martens is the content syndication coordinator for Carinsurancesa.co.za. South Arica?s leading car insurance portal.
