Allstate Drivewise Review 2024

Allstate Drivewise is a usage-based insurance discount program from Allstate. Drivewise tracks the following:

• Speed: Keep under 80 mph
• Braking: Limit sudden stops
• Night driving: Limit nighttime driving — 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. on weekdays and 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. on weekends.

According to Allstate, you can save 10 percent for signing up, and up to 40 percent depending on your driving habits. Only a few other providers offer as high of a usage-based discount, including Nationwide. For comparison, the most I can save with State Farm’s Drive Safe & Save discount is 30 percent.

However, exact savings will vary by state, and may be lower. For example, as a Pennsylvanian, I was quoted a 10 percent discount if I signed up for Drivewise. But in other states, customers report the sign-up discount is as low as 3 percent and the safe driving discount goes up to only 15 percent. In California and Arkansas, Drivewise is unavailable altogether, and Allstate has begun phasing out Drivewise in Alaska.

So, while it’s possible to save up to 40 percent with Drivewise, whether these exact savings are available to you depends on where you live.

Another important factor that varies by state: In some states, Drivewise can actually increase your auto insurance rates for risky driving. The agent I spoke to informed me that this is true where I live, in Pennsylvania. If you’re deciding whether to sign up for Drivewise, this is worth asking about. While I consider myself a safe driver, it gives me peace of mind knowing that State Farm will never use its usage-based discount to increase my rates, only to lower them.

Enrollment

Setting up the Drivewise discount is straightforward, as it’s integrated into the Allstate mobile app. Simply log in, tap “Drivewise,” and accept requested permissions. On Android Samsung and Google Pixel devices, you’ll need to take a few extra steps to adjust your location settings.

To maximize your savings, make sure every person on the policy downloads the app and activates Drivewise.

Since I don’t have firsthand experience with the Allstate mobile app, I looked at app store data for this review. The Allstate mobile app, which tracks your Drivewise discount, receives mixed to positive reviews. iPhone users may have a better experience than Android users.

The most common complaints about the app include:

• Does not record trips (which could prevent you from reaching the 50 trips needed to earn higher savings)
• Drains battery by monitoring location in the background
• Sends too many notifications to check if you’re driving

Regarding the third point, I see this as another advantage of State Farm’s using a Bluetooth device to monitor my driving. Since my phone connects only to the Bluetooth device in my car, Drive Safe & Save never mistakenly registers me as driving.

Positive reviews suggest that customers have the best luck resolving these issues by working with their agent.

Here’s how Drivewise compares to other major insurance companies’ usage-based discounts:

* If you receive a discount for low annual mileage but end up driving over 7,500 miles in one year, your rates may increase.

If you’re unsure about enrolling in Drivewise, you can still save money on your policy. Aside from the Drivewise program, Allstate offers other discount opportunities that can lower the cost of your auto insurance:

• Bundling: Bundle your auto insurance with homeowners or renters insurance to save on all policies.
• New car: If you just bought a new vehicle, you can save money on your insurance for being its first owner.
• Good student: Allstate awards discounts for students under the age of 25 who are unmarried and meet one of three requirements — having either an average grade of B- or higher or a GPA of 2.7 or higher, completing the teenSMART driver education program, or attending school at least 100 miles away from home.
• Car features: Get a discount for having either antilock brakes or an antitheft device to prevent auto theft.
• Payment: You can also save by setting up automatic payments, going paperless, paying your policy in full, and paying your policy on time for the past year.
• Early signing: If you sign up for your policy a week or more before it becomes effective, you’ll get a discount.

Additionally, if you drive infrequently or have a car on your policy you rarely drive, you might benefit from Allstate Milewise, one of the best pay-per-mile insurance programs on the market.

In many cases, I’d say it’s worth enrolling in Drivewise. The 10 percent enrollment discount alone could save you hundreds of dollars on your policy, which was the case for my quote. And depending on your driving, you’ll likely save even more than that at your next renewal. With car insurance growing increasingly expensive, it’s worth taking advantage of any discount you can find.

Additionally, I have found that tracking my driving for a discount has helped me develop greater awareness around my habits behind the wheel. While I considered myself a safe driver to start, I’ve become even more mindful about accelerating, hard braking, and speeding. And for families with teen drivers — the riskiest age group — Drivewise is a piece of technology that can help teens drive safely.

That said, there are also a couple reasons I might pause before enrolling in Drivewise. The biggest one is that I live in a state where Drivewise can actually raise my premium. Before signing up, ask your agent whether this is the case in your state. I would also ask about the maximum savings you can earn with Drivewise. In some states, this number will be well below the advertised 40 percent.

In summary:

We use the following methodology to evaluate usage-based insurance discount programs like Allstate Drivewise.

Tracked Behaviors and Data

We examine what data the program uses to determine discounts. Typically, programs track braking, acceleration, speed, cornering, miles driven, phone use while driving, and the time of day you’re driving. We prefer programs that detect trips automatically. Crash detection is an extra feature we appreciate, but it’s not a necessity. Ideally, the insurance company encrypts this data and doesn’t share it with third parties for marketing purposes.

Availability

We consider where the program is available, as not all programs are available in all states. We also take into account whether the discount varies by location, and by how much.

Telematics Technology

Whether the program operates through a mobile app, a plug-in or Bluetooth device, or a combination of the two is a personal preference. While mobile apps are more straightforward than plug-in devices, they may drain your phone battery and are more likely to mistakenly track trips where you’re a passenger, like rideshare or taxi rides. (For this reason, I tend to prefer plug-in or Bluetooth devices). If the program uses an app, we check its ratings on Google Play and the Apple App Store.

Rates

We prefer programs that offer potential insurance discounts of up to 30 percent or higher, plus discounts just for signing up. Another essential feature we consider is whether the program could increase your premium instead of reducing it. Some programs could increase your cost if you drive unsafely, so we prioritize programs that won’t do this, regardless of driving data.