FAQs

The ingenie box

1. What is the ingenie box?
   The ingenie box is the telematics box that we install in your car. Also known as a ‘black box’, this device enables us to accurately monitor your driving trends and send you feedback on how you are driving. For more information see telematics explained and fitting the box.

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2. What is telematics?
   You can find out more on this subject by reading our telematics explained page.

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3. Can the ingenie box be fitted to all cars?
   Yes, fitting of the box is simple, it gets installed by an approved ingenie fitter and generally takes less than an hour. Please take a look at our fitting the box section for more details.

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4. If I was involved in an accident and the ingenie box was damaged, would I have to pay for another box?
   In most cases the ingenie box is fitted behind the dashboard in the vehicle cabin and therefore is very unlikely to be damaged in a minor crash. However, if the box was damaged, it is unlikely you would have to pay for a replacement, as the cost of the new box would be covered by the insurance as part of the repair cost.

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5. When is the box installed?
   It's installed within the first two to three weeks of the policy becoming active, but don't worry, you are insured from day one. Fitting can take place Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5.30pm and on Saturdays between 9am and 12pm. The fitter will come to your home, college, workplace or other convenient location in mainland Britain.

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6. What does the ingenie box look like and where does it go?
   The ingenie box is roughly the size of a smartphone and is fitted out of sight, usually behind your dashboard. It has no affect on the general operation of the car.

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7. I didn’t have all of my documents to hand at the time my box was fitted – what should I do?
   To prevent us cancelling your policy unnecessarily, please contact us on 0330 303 0014 as soon as the box has been fitted. You'll then need to send the outstanding documents within a week by one of the following ways: Email: help@insurance.ingenie.com Post: Prospect House Gordon Banks Drive Trentham Lakes North Stoke on Trent Staffordshire ST4 4TW Please include your name and reference number (which is at the top of every letter we send to you). You don’t have to send the original documents – copies are fine.

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Pricing

1. How do I get cheaper insurance with ingenie?
   We use the latest telematics technology to build a picture of your driving 'DNA', including your attitude to risk and hazard perception. Then, every two weeks you’ll receive driving feedback via the ingenie smartphone app or in more depth online - providing feedback on your driving trends including speed, acceleration, braking, swerving and cornering. We’ll then review your insurance premium every three months (whether you pay annually or monthly) and if you drive well the cost of your insurance could come down. Our approach is NOT to focus on minor or isolated incidences of bad driving – the idea is to assess your overall driving style and trends. The ingenie box is not a speeding camera in disguise.

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2. How do you calculate my insurance premium?
   To calculate your initial starting price we use some of the standard risk/rating factors - including your car, driving experience and address. Then, so long as your policy details remain the same, your premium will be reviewed quarterly and could be adjusted based on how you drive. Drive well and the cost of your insurance could come down.

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3. Do I get a refund for better driving if I have paid my insurance premium annually in advance?
   Yes, all drivers in the ingenie community have the opportunity to receive a refund when their policy is reviewed every three months.

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4. Can my insurance go up in price?
   Your ingenie car insurance quote includes an initial price to start your cover and a capped price (the maximum you'll pay provided your policy details stay the same). The telematics box installed in your car assesses your driving style and trends. Your insurance premium is reviewed every three months and if you're doing your bit by driving well, you could get rewarded with cheaper insurance. However, in the event of poor driving, your premium can also rise, but only up to the capped price quoted. This allows you to budget for your car insurance and avoid any unexpected price rises. Premiums can go up as well as down.

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5. Can I pay by monthly instalments?
   Yes, you can pay your insurance with a single payment, or, subject to normal checks, by monthly instalments. You will normally be asked to pay a 20% deposit followed by 10 monthly payments.

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6. Is there an additional cost for the ingenie box?
   No, there is no additional cost for the box itself or for fitting it in your car for the first installation.

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7. Why do quotes from different insurers vary so much?
   Car insurers generally use around 20 different rating factors to determine the annual premiums they offer. The major factors are your age, driving experience, where you live, the car you drive, what you use the car for and who else drives the car. Insurers also consider trends including accident frequency, the costs of repair - including hire car - and compensation (bodily injury etc.). ingenie is different to most other insurers - to begin with we use some of the traditional rating factors, but over time (and through using the ingenie box) we are able to better understand you as an individual driver and are able to review your premium based on the way you drive.

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8. Why is my insurance premium higher than the cost of my car?
   The cost of repairing/replacing your car is only one of the factors used by insurers to calculate your insurance premium. Repairs to other cars that you may have collided with are also taken into consideration. Personal injury claims, particularly for whiplash, have also fuelled increasing insurance costs, so in some cases the insurance premium will exceed the value of the car.

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Data

For full details, please see our privacy policy.

1. What data does the ingenie box record?
   The ingenie box installed in your car records speed, acceleration, braking, cornering and usage. We also collect data relating to the type of roads you use and your car's GPS location (which may help the police to recover your car if it is stolen).

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2. How does my driving data affect my premium?
   Each customer's data is recorded for every journey to assess personal driving trends. The data is used to generate a unique driving profile. The best drivers could be rewarded with a discount every three months. However, the worst drivers might see their premium rise (but not beyond the capped price quoted).

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3. How does ingenie use my data?
   We use personal information provided by you to manage your insurance policy. This includes underwriting and handling claims as well as issuing policy renewal documents to you. These activities may involve us releasing personal information to insurers, regulatory authorities or agents providing services on our behalf. Information relating to you and your insurance policy may also be used or shared to help prevent fraud. We may (and we may work with third parties to) check your personal information against data about you and we use this information when calculating your premium (such checks may include credit checking).

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4. My parents would like to see the information on how I am driving – can I share it with them?
   Yes, this is your choice. It is easy to set up an account to let someone else view your driving style within the 'my account' area on our home page.

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5. What information will I be able to see about my personal driving style?
   Based on the data collected, we provide you with individual feedback on how you're driving including speed, acceleration, braking, swerving and cornering. In time you will also be able to see how you are driving compared to the entire ingenie community. Once the box is fitted, we spend the first few weeks becoming familiar with your driving style. You will then receive regular feedback to let you know how you are driving.

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6. How does ingenie protect my data?
   We understand that you may have concerns over how we will use your driving data.

   • We will not release your data to the police or to any civil authorities, unless we suspect fraud or attempted fraud, or if we are required to do so by law or a court order.
   • We will not be using your driving data as a 'speed camera'.
   • We will not use the data to decline your claim simply because you were driving above the legal speed limit.
   • We will use the data to help us identify if another driver is making a false claim against you.
   • We will use the data to help us identify if you are making a false claim.

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Policy

1. Can I be insured before the box is installed?
   Yes, you are insured from your policy start date, even if your box has not yet been installed. Our service centre will contact you to arrange the fitting of the box. The fitting usually takes place within the first ten days.

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2. Are there mileage restrictions on this policy?
   When you take out an insurance policy you will always have to declare how many miles you expect to drive over the year as this information is used to help calculate your premium. ingenie also require you to declare your expected annual mileage but unlike some other 'black-box' insurers we will not use the box to penalise you as soon as you go over the number of miles you declared when you took out the policy. We understand that it’s not always easy to predict how far you think you'll drive and, if during the course of the year you find you're driving substantially fewer or more miles than you declared, you should contact us.

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3. How do I get my policy documents?
   The law changed in 2011 allowing insurers to send out electronic documents. Your policy and other important documents, including your cover note, will be emailed to you once you take out a policy. Your certificate of motor insurance is emailed to you once the ingenie box has been fitted.

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4. What if I change my car or cancel the policy?
   If you change your car, you don't need to cancel your policy, but you do need to let us know so we can update your policy details. Provided we are able to insure your new car, it will need to be fitted with an ingenie box (there will be an adjustment to your premium and a £65 fitting charge will apply). We will remotely deactivate the box in your old car, so it needn't be taken out. However, if you want it to be removed, this can be arranged at additional cost. If you cancel your policy before the end of the first year, a £150 charge will apply to cover the cost of the ingenie box and its fitting. For full details of fees relating to changing your car or cancelling your policy, please see the Terms of Business Agreement.

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5. Can I insure a modified car with ingenie?
   No, and it is important to be truthful when making this declaration during your quote as the car will be inspected when the ingenie box is fitted. Modifications include bodykits, performance enhancements and non-standard alloys.

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6. Am I covered for driving outside of the UK?
   Yes, you are covered for up to 14 days per policy year for driving within the EU. Please refer to section H of the policy wording for full details of cover when driving abroad.

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7. What should I do in event of an accident?
   Please call 0330 303 0021. Our Claims line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Alternatively, if you have downloaded the ingenie app to your smartphone, there is helpful information to guide you in the event of an accident and a call button to provide urgent assistance.

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8. Breakdown cover – who provides it and what does it include?
   You can take out breakdown cover with ingenie in addition to your insurance. Our partner Aria Assistance provides the following wide range of benefits within the UK:

   1. Home and roadside assistance
   2. Vehicle recovery/onward transportation
   3. European cover including many useful features that give you protection, even before you have left home. Click here for full details of Aria Assistance's UK and European Motor Breakdown Cover.

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9. How might I recover my car if it’s stolen?
   In the event that your car is stolen, you will need to obtain a Crime Reference Number from the police and you should then call us on 0330 303 0021. We will co-operate with the police to help recover your vehicle.

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10. Can I get insured if I don’t own the car?
    Yes, provided the owner is your husband/wife/civil partner/parent or grandparent and you have their permission. The policy must be either in your name or you must be a named driver on the policy and the main policy holder must be aged 17 to 25.

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11. Can I take out legal protection cover with ingenie?
    Yes, ingenie can add this to your insurance policy for an additional £25. ingenie's legal protection policy gives you legal representation cover up to £100,000. This helps you to recover your uninsured losses if you have an accident that isn't your fault. Click here for full policy details.

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12. Does ingenie insurance include free courtesy car cover if my car is damaged in an accident?
    Yes, subject to availability, a free courtesy car is supplied, provided your car is repaired by one of our Approved Repairers. ingenie also offers you the opportunity to purchase Upgraded Replacement Car cover, which would provide you with a free replacement car for up to 21 days in the event of a crash or your car being stolen. Click here for more information on replacement car cover.

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13. As its comprehensive cover does it cover me to drive other cars?
    We would only offer this cover if you are aged 25 or older and the policyholder. If you fit this criteria and cover is shown as being included in your policy, then you would be able to drive a vehicle that is not owned by you on a third party only basis as long as you have the permission of the owner and it is insured.

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14. I’m looking to insure with ingenie in my parent’s name with me as a named driver, is this possible?
    Currently, you would need to be the policyholder. A parent will be able to be a named driver on your policy. One of the benefits of this is that you will be able to start earning your No Claim Discount in your own right.

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15. How does ingenie work when there is more than one driver insured on the car?
    For convenience, there are no restrictions and ingenie allows multiple drivers to be insured on one car. The feedback and three monthly reviews are therefore based on the combined risk of how the car is driven by all the named drivers on the policy.

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16. Are there curfews on this policy?
    There are no curfews with ingenie - you are free to drive when and where you like. There are some motor insurance companies who use 'black-box' technology to control the hours you're allowed to drive or prevent you from driving at night. What we're interested in is how you're driving - not where you're off to and when you'll be back.

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No Claims Discount

1. What is No Claims Discount (NCD)?
   Insurance companies usually reward customers by offering a No Claims Discount for each year that you insure without a claim. NCD typically ranges from 20% to 75%. Most experienced drivers have earned several years NCD. This means young drivers pay a higher price until they have a number of years driving behind them. ingenie aims to reward the best drivers with a discount based on how they drive, not just for how long they have driven claims-free.

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2. What happens to my No Claims Discount (NCD)?
   ingenie recognises NCD in the normal way. We could then add to your discount with with further money off if you are a better driver.

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3. Can I earn no claims bonuses?
   Yes, ingenie customers can earn a NCD in the normal way and this is applied to your insurance premium at renewal.

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General

1. What if I exceed the speed limits?
   We assess how you drive and look for trends in your driving style. However, persistent speeding is likely to result in the cost of your insurance rising to the capped price quoted. Only in extreme cases would we consider cancelling your insurance policy, but you would receive several warnings to improve your driving before this would happen. The ingenie box is not a speeding camera in disguise.

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