Usage Based Insurance (UBI) PROGRAM – FAQs
(FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY)
Discount Information
-
When will the Participation Discount be applied?
The 10% discount will initially be applied when the policy is bound for the first policy term.
Action is needed to maintain the discount.
-
What does the customer need to do next to maintain the Participation Discount?
Customer will receive a welcome email from SMARTtrek Customer Care within 3 days of the
policy inception date. Please encourage the customer to complete the online registration
immediately to maintain the discount. The customer must create an online account on
www.AAA.com and accept SMARTtrek’s Terms & Conditions. After the online registration is
completed, the device will be mailed to the customer within 5-7 business days.
The goal is for customers to complete the process within 15 days. Register within 5 days of
policy inception date, then, receive the device within the next 5 days and plug-in device within
5 days upon receipt. (5 registration days + 5 mail days + 5 plug-in days = 15 days)
-
Will the Participation Discount be removed during the first policy term?
Yes, the discount will be removed back to inception if customers
 Do not register within 23 days of the policy inception date or
 Do not plug-in within 33 days of the policy effective date or
 Do not drive a minimum of 120 miles to initially calibrate the device for data
gathering.
This is why it is critical to stress the importance of registering and plugging-in the device
as soon as possible.
-
When will the Safe Driving Discount be applied?
The Safe Driving Discount may be applied at the renewal term based on the score if
sufficient data has been collected. NOTE: A minimum of 120 miles per month must be
driven to generate a score.
-
How is the renewal Safe Driving Discount determined?
The driving data from the device is used to determine a vehicle score. This vehicle score
is used to calculate the Safe Driving Discount of 0% to 30%. Driving behavior is
evaluated by observing information such as Speeding, Cornering, Acceleration, Braking,
and Stopping. One driving event is unlikely to have a significant effect on the score. The
scoring looks for patterns and themes versus isolated incidents. Approximately two thirds
of the vehicles may qualify for a discount at renewal As the agent, it is your responsibility
to inform customers that their driving behaviors will determine their discount at renewal
when you apply the telematics discounts.
-
Are the discounts capped?
No, both discounts are not capped.
-
Are the discounts applied per vehicle or per policy?
Both discounts are applied at the vehicle level.
-
Does the vehicle health affect the discounts? For example, if you have a car in poor health,
will that be reflected in your insurance rate?
No, overall health of your vehicle is not considered for the telematics discounts.
Eligibility
-
What types of prospects should I be looking for?
Safe drivers who are likely to benefit from the scored renewal discount
Households with cars 1996 and later
Non-insured members with a valid email address
Households with more cars than drivers
Households where cars are driven less than the average annual miles per year
Individuals looking for savings who value the AAA brand
Drivers seeking value added services like vehicle diagnostics, information on their own
driving behavior and fuel efficiency scoring
-
How will I know which vehicles are compatible with SMARTtrek?
The vehicle must be a private passenger auto with a model year of 1996 or later to qualify.
Input year/make/model at www.AAA.com/SMARTtrek-VET to verify if a vehicle is compatible.
There are 4 levels of compatibility that will be shown:
1. Compatible (Eligible for the program) –The vehicle is compatible with the
SMARTtrek device.
2. Compatible with restrictions (Eligible for the program) - Customer may find
that the placement of the OBD-II port in this vehicle makes it difficult to plug in
the SMARTtrek device. If they have issues after receiving the device, please
contact SMARTtrek Customer Care at (800) 814-4685 for assistance.
3. Unknown Compatibility (Eligible for the program) - The manufacturer is in the
process of testing the vehicle for compatibility. If a customer has issues after
receiving the device, please contact SMARTtrek Customer Care at (800) 8144685 for assistance.
4. Incompatible (Not eligible for the program) - The vehicle does not qualify for
the discounts.
-
Will non-compatible vehicles be loaded into PAS?
It is the agent’s responsibility to determine if vehicles are compatible by visiting
www.AAA.com/SMARTtrek-VET before binding. If non-compatible vehicles have been
identified, they are not eligible for the UBI Program.
UBI Binding & Enrollment
-
What steps must be taken by the agent before binding a UBI policy?
1. Check their VIN eligibility (www.AAA.com/SMARTtrek-VET)
2. In PAS, select the Telematics Participant discount on the Vehicle page
3. Verbally review Terms & Conditions and bind the policy
4. Explain customer steps (below)
-
What steps must be taken by the customer in order to enroll in the UBI program?
1.
2.
3.
Will receive one welcome email with 2 links within 3 business days: AAA.com online
account registration and Terms and Conditions for SMARTtrek
Must create online account at AAA.com through the online account registration link
(may need to create an account if they do not already have one)
Must accept CSAA IG and SMARTtrek Terms & Conditions via the website
-
What happens after all the above steps are taken?
After the steps above are completed, a SMARTtrek device will be mailed to the customer
within 7-10 business days. They must then plug the device into the OBD-II port of the
assigned vehicle and drive 120 miles to calibrate the device to enable on-going scoring
and keep it installed for entire policy term
-
How do I apply the Participation Discount in PAS?
Please check the VIN eligibility and Select “Yes” to “Telematics Participant?” The
Telematics Participant field will not appear unless the PPA Risk Type, has been selected
and the vehicle year in 1996 or newer.
SMARTtrek Service
-
What is SMARTtrek?
SMARTtrek is a service that extends the AAA promise by improving maintenance and
repair experiences and keeping members safe on the road by providing:
1. Feedback to help guide safe driving habits
2. E-mail/SMS text vehicle health alerts
3. Fuel Efficiency Score
-
When does the free SMARTtrek service end?
The free service is being offered to UBI customers during the first policy term. If desired,
the extension of the service may be purchased as a membership product offered by the
membership club after renewal.
-
How can a customer contact customer service?
SMARTtrek Customer Care can be reached at 800-814-4684 or
[email protected]. Customer Care is available Monday through Friday between
7 am and 11 pm ET.
SMARTtrek Device
-
How does the device work?
1) The 2 inch by 1 inch device easily plugs into the on-board diagnostic (OBD-ll) port
located under the dashboard of a vehicle. It works with most vehicles 1996 and newer.
2) Once it’s plugged into a vehicle, the SMARTtrek device begins communicating with the
customer’s SMARTtrek online account through a secure wireless cellular connection.
3) As long as the vehicle is within an area with cellular coverage, the device will be able
to communicate with the online account. (Note that if you are parked in a parking garage
or are in an area with no cellular coverage, some SMARTtrek features may not be
available.)
-
Where does the customer plug in the device?
The device plugs into the vehicle’s on-board diagnostic (OBD-II) port which is typically
located under the dashboard on the driver’s side. Follow the instructions provided in the
shipping box.
If the customer is having difficulty locating the OBD-II port or installing the device, please
contact SMARTtrek Customer Care at 800-814-4684 or [email protected].
-
After plugging it in, how soon is a customer able to see vehicle health and driving
information on the SMARTtrek’s website?
Vehicle health information (alerts, etc.) will be available within 48 hours after the device
has been plugged in. Driving information (trips, maps, etc) will be available after the
customer has driven 120 miles with the device plugged in.
-
How is the device sent to the member?
The SMARTtrek device is send via FedEx. No signature is required at delivery.
-
What if the customer never receives the device?
If the customer hasn’t received the device within 7 days after they registered online, they
should contact SMARTtrek Customer Care at 800-814-4684 or
[email protected].
-
Does this device drain the car battery?
The device has a sleep mode that reduces the draw on the battery to a very small
amount - comparable to the amount used by the car’s clock. The effect on the car battery
power is negligible. However, AAA Insurance suggests that you follow your vehicle
manufacturer’s recommendations regarding long-term storage.
-
Does installing the device negate warranties?
Your vehicle warranty should not be negated by the use of this device. Please see the
FTC Consumer Alert article #0138-Auto Warranties & Routine Maintenance for more
information.
Unplugging the SMARTtrek Device
-
Can the customer move the SMARTtrek device from one vehicle to another without prior
authorization?
No. When the customer enrolls a vehicle, they must have the device installed in that
vehicle for the duration of their enrollment in the program. Contact SMARTtrek Customer
Care at 800-814-4684 to enroll additional vehicles in the program.
-
What happens if the device is removed during the term of the policy? For example, what
happens if the customer takes the car into a repair shop and they unplug the device? Does
it reset the data?
While the device is unplugged, no new vehicle health or driving information will appear on
the website. The customer will be prompted by SMARTtrek Customer Care to plug it in
again. The data stream will continue as soon as the device is plugged in.
There may be situations where the customer may need to unplug the device from the
OBD-II port due to vehicle servicing needs or the need to plug in another device. This is
acceptable for a period of less than 120 continuous hours and less than 3 times in a 6
months period. For situations that exceed these time periods, the company reserves the
right to dis-enroll the vehicle from the program and remove the discounts.
What if my car is being repaired for an extended period of time?
Please inform us by contacting SMARTtrek Customer Care. Fail to do so may risk the
removal of discounts.
-
What happens if the customer wants to switch the SMARTtrek service between vehicles?
If the insured requests to switch the device to another insured vehicle under the same
policy, the discount will be removed from the currently assigned vehicle.
The discount will apply to the newly assigned vehicle if the insured installs the device on
that vehicle within 5 days after the discount is applied on that vehicle. If an insured fails
to do so, the discount on the newly assigned vehicle will be removed.
To switch devices between vehicles the insured should contact SMARTtrek Customer
Care at 800-814-4684 or [email protected]. SMARTtrek Customer Care will
assist the customer and notify underwriting.
Troubleshooting
-
What happens if the device breaks?
The customer should contact SMARTtrek Customer Care at 800-814-4684 or
[email protected]. If the device is indeed broken, SMARTtrek Customer Care
will send the customer an envelope to return the device. Once received, a replacement
will be sent to the customer.
-
What if something happens to my electrical system after I install the device?
Devices connected to your OBD-II port should not interfere with the proper operation of
your vehicle’s electronic system. If the problem occurs only when the device is plugged
in, please contact the SMARTtrek customer care team at 800-814-4684.
-
What if the device is defective and records faulty data about my driving?
The customer should contact SMARTtrek Customer Care at 800-814-4684 or
[email protected]. We may eliminate defective data from your record if we
determine that it is the results of a faulty device operation.
Privacy
-
What data is being gathered?
SMARTtrek records VIN, time of day, speed and location. These data elements are then
used to calculate trip duration, acceleration and braking.
-
Will the information collected be used in the event of a claim event?
No.
-
Will SMARTtrek continue to transmit data if the vehicle is in an accident?
Yes, as long as it is plugged in to the car’s OBD-II port. If fallen during an accident, plug
in the device again to resume. Previous data will not be lost.
-
Will it be able to communicate an alert to an auto repair shop?
No.
-
Who will have access to my driving data? Is it encrypted when sent from the device to my
online account?
Your data is securely collected and transmitted. Review the Privacy Policy at
AAA.com/SMARTtrek-home for more details.
Cancellation
-
Will cancelling enrollment in SMARTtrek result in a cancellation of the policy?
No.
-
What happens after I’ve received my Safe Driving Discount and I decide to cancel my
SMARTtrek subscription will that cancel my insurance policy or discontinue discount?
No, customer will continue to enjoy the Safe Driving Discount until a material change in
risk requires a reevaluation. Company reserves the right to reevaluate the risk at its
discretion.
-
What happens if the device does not get returned if insured terminates?
The customer will be asked to return the device at the end of their policy term if they
chose not to subscribe to the SMARTtrek services. If they fail to return the device within
48 days then they may be charged $100.