Good driving has its merits

belairdirect launches app to reward good driving with discount on insurance

VANCOUVER, Sept. 26, 2017 /CNW/ - Many of us take pride in being good drivers and to help reward these drivers in Alberta and British Columbia, belairdirect is launching a new app called automerit.

Besides the bragging rights of being a good driver, the automerit app assesses customers' driving skills, helping them save on their insurance premiums while providing valuable insight into their driving habits. belairdirect customers will have the data right at their fingertips as proof of their good driving behaviour – and have an opportunity to earn a personalized discount of up to 25% on their car insurance premiums.

"We recognize that good driving should be rewarded and the launch of the automerit app in western Canada is just one of the many ways belairdirect is setting itself apart within the insurance offering space," said Henry Blumenthal, Vice President of Sales and Operations Western Region, belairdirect. "Alberta and British Columbia offer some of the most scenic drives in Canada and the fall is the perfect time to take on a road trip. We hope our customers think of us as their driving partner and let automerit provide insight into their driving behaviour and reward them for their good habits."

The key factors used to determine the potential discount include:

• Hard braking: Hard braking increases the risk of being involved in an accident. The app will calculate the ratio of hard braking events on total kilometres driven to determine your personalized hard braking factor.
• Rapid acceleration: Rapid accelerations increase the risk of being involved in an accident. The app calculates the ratio of rapid acceleration events on total km driven to determine your personalized rapid acceleration factor.
• Time of day: Driving between 12 a.m. and 4 a.m. increases the risk of being involved in an accident. Many elements such as reduced visibility and fatigue, make this time of day the riskiest. Knowing this, the program evaluates the time of day that you're driving to determine your personalized high-risk period factor. The less often you drive during risky periods, the more you could save.

The app is available to belairdirect customers. In order to receive the personalized discount on renewal, customers must complete an assessment period. For enrolling, eligible customers could receive a one-time 5% discount on their car insurance premiums, which will be replaced by a personalized discount of up to 25% on their next renewal following the assessment period.

To participate in the automerit program, customers must have an:

• iPhone 5S;
• iPhone 6/6 Plus;
• or a more recent model with iOS 8.2 or later;
• or an Android device with version 4.3 or later.

For the full details of the automerit program, please visit www.belairdirect.com.

About belairdirect
Founded in Quebec in 1955, belairdirect provides car and home insurance products directly to consumers. It currently employs more than 1,600 people. The company offers a simple but complete solution, allowing customers to communicate with an agent by phone, online or in person through its network of branches. belairdirect was the first property and casualty insurer in North America to sell car insurance products online (www.belairdirect.com), attesting to the company's innovative character. belairdirect is a subsidiary of Intact Financial Corporation, the largest provider of property and casualty insurance in Canada (TSX : IFC - www.intactfc.com). For more information, please visit www.belairdirect.com or follow belairdirect on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

SOURCE belairdirect