Black Box Myth Buster
We’re addressing some common misconceptions about black box insurance, and giving some insight into how it really works!
Black box technology (also known as telematics) gets quite a bad rep, and this is mainly due to the mountain of misconceptions surrounding it. Many people believe they come with a shed load of rules designed to catch young drivers out and push their premiums up. This isn’t the case – our Black Box Insurance is designed with the safety of young drivers in mind, and to keep insurance premiums down by reducing claims! And it really works - in fact, Marmalade drivers are nearly 4 times safer! ¹
Should you be worried about black box insurance?
Absolutely not! There are so many misconceptions when it comes to black box insurance (which you’ll see below) but the main thing to know is there’s absolutely nothing no reason to be worried when getting telematics insurance – it’s only there to keep you safe and save you money!
1 Night-time curfews and penalties
A lot of people think that all black boxes come with curfews on when you can drive, such as no driving between 11pm and 6am, or that your driving score will be affected by driving at night! There are some policies like this, but not with Marmalade. There are no night-time driving restrictions so you’re able to drive where you like when you like.
2 Limited mileage on black boxes
Just like any insurance policy (black box or not), you’ll be asked to estimate your annual mileage when you take the policy out. There isn’t a cap imposed, so there aren’t any penalties to worry about. Who knows where life will take you? Commuting, road trips, just driving locally – all we ask is that you're honest about your mileage. This helps insurers make sure you’re properly protected and that you receive the best quote for you. Misleading insurers about your mileage can affect any claims that you make.
3 I’ll be penalised for driving mistakes
The box isn’t there to catch you out and the odd mistake here and there isn’t going to make your premium shoot up! 90% of customers have green journeys (green means good!) and less than 1% of journeys were red (red means unsafe) ². If you do get a red journey you don’t have to worry – a member of our dedicated team will give you a call to talk through what happened. If you consistently drive at risk, there’s an option to take a driving course to help improve your safe driving skills.
4 Speeding is automatically reported to the police
Some people believe that if you speed with a black box in the car, this data is sent straight to the police and you’ll be subject to a driving penalty. This isn’t the case either – unless you’re caught by the police or a speed camera you won’t receive a speeding ticket, however, if you consistently speed when driving this will decrease your driving score and could lead you to get a red journey. When reviewing journeys on your app, you’ll be able to see where you’re speeding so you can keep an eye on your speed in the future.
5 I can’t drive until the black box is fitted
Our insurance on your own car allows you to drive straight away (or from when you choose the policy to start), so there's no waiting around to go for a spin! All we ask is that you fit your device as soon as you receive it and pair it with the Marmalade Young Driver app.
6 Having a black box is embarrassing
Black boxes have this nifty little feature of being pretty small and barely visible! Our device fits discreetly on your windscreen, directly behind your rear-view mirror, so unless you tell someone you’ve got a black box no one is going to know you’ve got one. However, if your insurance premium is cheaper than all of your friends’ and keeps going down at renewal because of your safe driving, we’re sure they’ll start asking why!
7 Insurers are looking to reasons to increase your premium at renewal
It may be surprising to hear that insurers don’t actually want you to pay more than you need to for cover. The idea of the black box is that it allows young drivers to prove they are safe and responsible drivers in order to help them earn their No Claims Discount. Our safest drivers will also earn an additional safe driving discount at renewal! Our Black Box Insurance customers save, on average, 26% on their first renewal ³!
8 Black box is like Big brother
Contrary to popular belief we are not watching your every move. We’re not keeping an eye on how often you nip to McDonald’s or where you are at 2am on a Saturday night! The black box will only flag to us when you repeatedly drive at risk on a journey (which is rare) – at which point we will get in touch with you to discuss the journey. In truth, you’ll probably spend a lot more time looking at your journeys than we will.
9 Black Box Jammers make you invisible on the road
Devices such as GPS Jammers are used to block signals so that, in theory, your Black Box won’t be able to pick up your location. They’re cheap and easy to buy and people think that by using them, their journeys won’t be logged, and any driving mistakes won’t be picked up. This isn’t the case – yes, the signal will be blocked so the device won’t know where you are, but the box still knows the car is moving and will log this as usual – so there is literally no point in getting one of these devices. If you do get one, you should be aware of a few things.
1. They’re illegal and should you be stopped by police and found to be using one, you may incur a fine, points on your licence or a driving ban.
2. Even if you use one, when it’s turned off – all the data will be backlogged and uploaded anyway.
3. If you use one and end up in an accident, it could invalidate any claim.
1. They’re illegal and should you be stopped by police and found to be using one, you may incur a fine, points on your licence or a driving ban.
2. Even if you use one, when it’s turned off – all the data will be backlogged and uploaded anyway.
3. If you use one and end up in an accident, it could invalidate any claim.
See how much you can save with Black Box Insurance!
Get on the road today with instant comprehensive cover and start earning your own No Claims Discount - with No Curfews!
Win a Brand New Car!
Sign up to our newsletter for a chance to win a brand new car!
Visit the Driver Hub
Check out the latest stories and blogs from young drivers
Become a Marmalade Blogger!
Get involved, share your stories and earn shopping vouchers
