By Nadine Bourgeois, Director, Communications and Public Affairs at RCCAQ
On February 5, I attended a very interesting training activity entitled "Auto Insurance and Behaviour Management: Experience and Future Prospects".
The event was presented by the Chair of Actuarial Science at Laval University's Faculty of Science and Engineering and was geared towards P&C insurers, distribution professionals, advisors, planners and members of the university community.
Here are a few highlights:
• Telematics is a source of concern for some and a source of motivation for others. Concerns are centred on the possibility that almost all of our driving habits will be monitored (shades of Big Brother) as part of an encroachment into our personal lives. From a more positive perspective, it can be seen as a tool for improving our driving by means of accurate data on our behaviour.
• Quebec's insurance board (SAAQ) recently announced that it would be offering the telematics option to consumers in early 2016 in a bid to improve road safety. This program will also include a system for adjusting insurance premiums: good drivers will stand to benefit while bad drivers will be punished. Meanwhile, Industrial Alliance's Mobiliz program, geared towards 16 to 24-year-olds, has already yielded positive results by encouraging young people to improve their driving habits.
• Nicolas Saunier, a professor of transportation at Polytechnique Montreal, explains that very little research has been done in the area of telematics due to the recent advent of this technology. It is essential, however, that we swiftly analyze the impacts not only of telematics integration, but also of driverless vehicles, which are beginning to appear on the market. We will also have to discuss various technology-related ethical and legal issues: Will the authorities have access to our driving data in the event of a legal dispute? Who will be liable if a driverless vehicle runs over a pedestrian?
• Even though the issue has prompted a range of strong reactions, only three insurers in Quebec are currently offering a telematics option: Intact, Desjardins and Industrial Alliance. According to these insurers, the day is not far off when this technology will be used industry-wide and integrated in all vehicles.
We are tempted to conclude that telematics is here to stay, despite the reluctance of some drivers.
Needless to say, the RCCAQ will continue to lobby for the adoption of a legal framework governing the ownership and use of telematics data.
And how about you? What do you think of the future of telematics in Quebec?
