A woman says she opted in for State Farm’s “Drive Safe & Save” program in order to be able to afford her car.
TikTok user Roderiqua Harris (@roeriquaharris) uploaded a video explaining her choice on April 2. She received 96,100 views on the clip.
“So apparently I just sold my soul to the devil,” she says holding up a Bluetooth beacon with the State Farm logo on it.
She explains, “This little buddy here called a beacon … tracks everything that you do. Tracks how fast you drive, how hard you accelerate, how hard you hit your breaks, how fast you turn the corner.”
Harris adds, “I don’t know how I feel about it, but it’s really the only way I could afford life. So I guess I really don’t have a choice.”
She breaks down her expenses and claims that using the “Drive Safe & Save” tracker allows her to save $116 on her monthly insurance payment that would otherwise be $500.
“So if you see me driving 25 miles an hour in a 35, mind your business. If you see me turning a corner like a turtle, mind your business,” she says at the end.
What is State Farm’s ‘Drive Safe and Save’ program?
In 2022, State Farm introduced the “Drive Safe and Save” program. This plan allows drivers to get discounts based on their behavior on the road.
The company uses an app or beacon to track driving habits and safe drivers can get a discount of up to 30% on their auto insurance. Drivers also get an additional 10% off just for enrolling in the program.
You can opt out of the program at any time, but it’s important to note that you’ll immediately lose your discount and go back to paying the original amount.
Viewers offer hacks to get around the tracker
Several other viewers verified the savings they were making thanks to signing up for the “Drive Safe & Save” program.
“This little thingy made my insurance drop to $75 month for full coverage. Lol I was originally paying around $125,” one driver claimed.
“I saved $249!!!! And that was only for two months,” another shared.
However several people cautioned against using it.
“This definitely collects your driving history data and will be applied in future,” one person posited.
Another said, “As someone who works in insurance, please don’t use these unless you need to because you can’t afford it. Even if your scores are good they end up negatively affecting you more in the long run.”
State Farm’s website says it doesn’t sell customer data, and only shares it with third parties in “limited situations.” The data is used specifically to calculate the amount of your discount.
One person offered a way to possibly get around the “Drive Safe & Save” tracker.
“Turn off Bluetooth and disable location, only worry about self reporting the odometer reading when you get that email notification,” they wrote.
Another said, “You can make yourself as a passenger too. Just don’t do it too often.”
@roderiquaharris Mad about it 🤧 #statefarm #drivesafeandsave #carinsurance ♬ original sound – Roderiqua Harris
The Daily Dot reached out to Harris via TikTok direct message, and to State Farm via email.
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