Driver warning as cars ‘spy on you’ to drive up insurance fees – 3 key steps to avoid being a ‘smartphone on wheels’

DRIVERS noticed their insurance premiums rising, even if they’d never been pulled over or in an accident – data may be to blame.

Your car collecting driving data could be costing you more per month.

Getty

Getty

Getty

Florida drivers already pay more per month in auto insurance premiums than most of the country, with the average rate being 44 percent more than most, according to Insurify .

The study stated that accident claims in the state tend to be more expensive, as well as rising cost of new vehicles, high costs for repairs, and fraud were the main reasons for high monthly costs.

However, some cars report driving data directly to the driver’s insurance company.

Information about a driver’s average speed, how often a speeding limit is breached, and hard braking or acceleration habits are reported.

Depending on how that data is interpreted, the insurance premium can spike anywhere from 20 to 80 percent.

If the data suggests someone’s habits make them a risk, the more they pay.

Jen Caltrider, a leader for the Privacy Not Included Project at Mozilla, discovered that 25 automakers collect and sell driver data to insurance companies.

While it may seem intrusive – and many argue that it is – Caltrider says some reporting can be beneficial to report.

“Some of this stuff can be useful, remote stopping or starting your car or a camera that tells you if you’re falling asleep are useful safety features ,” she told NBC affiliate WFLA .

However, data being collected and sold to insurance companies can sometimes be harmful.

“The problem is the car companies are collecting way more data than they need to get us from point A to point B safely and using that to make money off of us.”

Many drivers unknowingly agree to share their driving data when using mobile apps that come with cars.

Especially if users have to read and accept terms before having access to an app.

Something U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor didn’t take lightly, as she believes data collection should be regulated.

“For automakers, this is a side hustle ,” she said.

“It’s not fair for them to do this without your consent and do it in such a sneaky way.”

How to opt out of data collection

Consumer advocates warn that keeping data secure won't be completely possibly until laws are passed, but it can be limited until then.

Here’s how to limit the data being shared with your insurance company:

1. Look up your car’s VIN here to see what your car is capable of reporting, as only modern cars have the technical capabilities.
2. Run a privacy check to see what data is being collected.
3. Consult your owner’s manual to learn the process of disabling the connectivity features.
4. Avoid installing an automaker’s companion app on your phone.
5. If possible, don’t use or install Apple Car Play or Android Auto.
6. When using Bluetooth, decline permissions to access certain data, like address books.

Source: NBC affiliate WFLA

She mentioned it’s a “sneaky” way for insurance companies to raise premiums.

Castor also mentioned drivers can opt out of data collection, and is currently pushing a bi-partisan bill to limit the kind of data that can be collected and sold.

She’s not the only one looking to crack down on the lucrative sale – Send. Ed Markey sent letters to 14 automakers pushing them to lay down stricter privacy policies to protect consumers.

“I’m hopeful for this but make no mistake the big tech platforms and the data brokers are very powerful in Washington, DC and we really have to put people over politics for a change and get in there and work in a bipartisan way to rebalance the scales and put the ability of people to control their personal information back in their own hands,” said Castor.