Black Box Insurance – Driving caution and premium increase process
Discover more about how we feed back on unsafe driving, to help you develop driving skills
The caution and additional premium process
The first red journey
The second red journey
The third red journey
Option 1: Pay £85 to undertake a Young Driver Improvement module with IAM RoadSmart (subject to availability).
Option 2: An additional premium of £125 will be payable on the policy.
Cancellation of the policy
If you do have a further red journey whilst you are in a 90 day probationary period, you will be issued notification that the policy will be cancelled. We will confirm, in writing, that the policy will be cancelled 7 days from the date of us notifying you in writing.
Of course, we hope that it will not be necessary to cancel your policy, and we do not set out to obtain further payments from you. These measures are purely there as a deterrent and a means of demonstrating there could be consequences for not driving safely. It is in everyone’s interests to stay ‘Green’, and we are here to help you achieve that.
Marmalade’s black box provides a means of recording the journeys and driving behaviours of the people named on the policy. Marmalade is passionate about encouraging, promoting and supporting safe driving behaviours as it not only reduces accidents, but can help you save money by proving you’re a safe driver.
You’ll be pleased to know we’re not watching your every move – if you’re driving safely, staying within the speed limits and accelerating and braking appropriately, you won’t hear from us. The technology will only flag to us when mistakes are made. We are not seeking to punish every mistake, but, by providing feedback as soon as possible afterwards, it allows the driver to see what may have gone wrong and to learn from it.
Stage 1 - After the first premium increase
After you have a second red journey, you will enter this stage, and a probationary period for 30 days.
If you do not have a further red journey within this 30-day period, the probation will expire and the policy will continue. You will remain in Stage 1. A subsequent red journey (outside the 30-day probationary period) will result in a new Stage 1 notification being issued, during which you’ll start another 30-day probationary period.
If you do have a further red journey whilst you are in a 30-day probationary period, you will be required to pay an additional premium of £125 on your policy. However, if this is your first red journey in Stage 1, you will be offered the option to book and pay £85 to attend a Young Driver Improvement module with IAM RoadSmart (subject to availability). This is a 75 minute on-road driving module with an instructor.
What happens when I take the Young Driver Improvement module?If you take up this option, we will give you the contact details to arrange an appointment with IAM RoadSmart within the next 3 working days. They will work with you to arrange a convenient time within 28 days to conduct the module.
The session will take place in your car around your local area. It will provide training on management of speed, cornering, braking and acceleration as well as hazard awareness and planning. At the end of the module you’ll receive verbal and written feedback and a detailed report on your driving style and skills.Once you’ve completed the session, you will return to where you were after your ‘free warning’ and it will be as if you had not entered Stage 1. However, if you do have a further Red Journey, you will be entered into Stage 1 for 30 days. If you have a subsequent Red Journey while in this 30 day period, you will be required to pay the premium increase - even if you have taken the Young Driver Improvement module.
What happens when I am required to pay the £125 premium increase on policy?Once the additional premium of £125 is applied to the policy. You will have 7 days to make payment in full – it cannot be added to a monthly direct debit plan, where one exists. If payment is not received within this time, you will be issued notification that the policy will be cancelled. We will confirm, in writing, that the policy will be cancelled 7 days from the date of us notifying you in writing.
Once payment of the additional premium of £125 is received, you will be entered into Stage 2.Stage 3 - After the second premium increase
Once payment of the additional premium of £250 is received, you will be entered into Stage 3 with a probationary period of 90 days. Once you have been placed in Stage 3, you will remain there – you cannot go back to Stage 2.
If you do not have a further red journey within this 90 day period, the probation will expire and the policy will continue. You will remain in Stage 3. A subsequent red journey (outside the 90 day probationary period) will result in a new Stage 3 notification.
Staying ‘Green’ is definitely the way to go, as we will not need to take any further action, or need to make contact. Plus, our safest drivers can earn an extra safe driving discount on renewal.
‘Red Journeys’ are the ones to avoid, as if they continue to occur, they can attract premium increases (of £125 and £250) and can lead to the policy being cancelled. Don’t worry though, you have a couple of free warnings before it would get to this stage – plus the chance to undertake some driver training.
Stage 2 – after the first premium increase
Stage 2 begins with a probationary period of 60 days. Once you have been placed in Stage 2, you will remain there – you cannot go back to Stage 1.
During this time:If you do not have a further red journey within this 60-day period, the probation will expire and the policy will continue. You will remain in Stage 2. A subsequent red journey (outside the 60-day probationary period) will result in a new Stage 2 notification being issued, during which a further 60-day probationary period will be applied.
If you do have a further red journey whilst you are in a 60-day probationary period, you will be issued notification that a further additional premium of £250 will be applied to the policy. You will have 7 days to make payment in full – it cannot be added to a monthly direct debit plan, where one exists. If payment is not received within this time, you will be issued notification that the policy will be cancelled. We will confirm, in writing, that the policy will be cancelled 7 days from the date of us notifying you in writing.
How are the journeys measured?
GREEN JOURNEY
Three to Five Stars
AMBER JOURNEY
Two Stars
RED JOURNEY
One Star
GOOD TO KNOW...
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