Geico DriveEasy review: How it works and whether it’s worth it

If you’re a driver with a solid safety record, you might benefit from Geico’s DriveEasy program. This telematics-based system can help you potentially earn discounts by tracking your driving habits and rewarding safe behavior. However, it’s important to understand how it monitors your time on the road and what behaviors could lead to penalties. Our comprehensive Geico DriveEasy review will help you grasp how the program works and what it could mean for your insurance premiums. Bankrate’s expertise will guide you through the details, providing insights to help you decide if the program is a good fit for you.

What is Geico DriveEasy?

Like many of the best car insurance companies, Geico created its telematics program, DriveEasy, in an effort to help keep roads safer and help policyholders save money. The program is currently available in 37 states and Washington, D.C. The app is telematics-based, which means that your real-time driving information is transmitted to Geico via your smartphone. The app monitors your behind-the-wheel practices, rewarding safe behaviors.

Signing up for Geico DriveEasy could save you money on your premium if the telematics data proves you’re a safe driver. In addition, the program is designed to be easy to manage. Once you’ve downloaded the app and logged in, you don’t need to open it again when you get in your car. Instead, it automatically records trip data as you drive as long as you remain logged in. The app can even distinguish if you are the driver or passenger or when you are using public transportation.

What does DriveEasy track?

Although DriveEasy can’t monitor every factor of your driving, it is capable of analyzing simple driving habits that indicate how safely you may drive, such as hard braking, fast accelerations, speeding and cornering. The safer you drive, the higher your driving score will be, up to 100 points. The app can also log your trips, giving you a sense of how many miles you’ve traveled and where you might be able to improve your driving.

Factors that impact your DriveEasy score

• Hard braking: DriveEasy can tell how quickly you decelerate when you press the brakes. Hard stops should be avoided unless necessary to avoid an accident. If DriveEasy determines a hard brake, predictive crash detection called Crash Assist will note your location and ask if you were in an accident, taking you to the claims section of the app to start a claim.
• Distance traveled: By using location data from your phone, Geico DriveEasy can review your daily miles traveled and adjust your insurance based on how much time you are spending behind the wheel.
• Time of day: Depending on when you do most of your driving, you may be considered a safer or riskier driver. DriveEasy monitors driving habits and it may negatively impact your score if you spend more time on the road after dark rather than during the daytime. Those commuting late at night may be adversely affected by this.
• Distracted driving: The DriveEasy app monitors distracted driving through tracking active phone use, such as handheld phone calls and any sort of typing or scrolling. If a passenger is using your phone while you are driving, you will need to report this in the app to avoid a distracted driving report.
• Road type: DriveEasy can tell if you’re engaged in difficult driving, such as rush hour on a busy highway, or easy driving, such as slowly cruising down a neighborhood street in the middle of the day. Road type factors into your driving score.
• Weather: Bad weather makes driving harder and the app includes this factor in your score. It’s able to access weather data to see if you are driving in rain, fog and other bad weather.
• Cornering: Sharp turns present the risk of losing control of your vehicle. If you take corners tightly or too fast, DriveEasy may recognize this and it may negatively affect your driving score.
• Acceleration: If you frequently change your speed or accelerate quickly, it could increase your chances of getting into an accident and negatively affect your DriveEasy score.
• Speeding: Staying within the posted speed limit will help you stay more in control and limit your risk of getting into an accident. The less you speed, the better your DriveEasy score could be.

Pros and cons of Geico DriveEasy

Although many telematics programs are similar across companies, each may have slightly different policies. Comparing telematics programs from each carrier may be a valuable aspect of the insurance shopping process. Consider these pros and cons to determine if Geico DriveEasy is right for you.

DriveEasy pros

• Automatic trip tracking: The app tracks your trips while you're logged in, making it easy to monitor your driving habits.
• Driver/passenger distinction: It can typically distinguish between when you're driving and when you're a passenger.
• Possible savings for enrollment: You may be eligible for savings just by signing up for the program.
• Safe driving encouragement: The app encourages safer driving habits, potentially helping you avoid accidents and traffic tickets.
• Crash assist feature: This feature could help you file a claim more easily following an accident.

DriveEasy cons

• Rate increases for risky driving: Your insurance premiums might increase if risky driving behaviors are detected.
• Mandatory participation: In most states, all listed drivers are required to participate in the program.
• Penalties for phone usage: If a passenger uses your phone while you're driving, the program could incorrectly penalize you, requiring manual corrections.
• No personal/professional distinction: The program currently can't differentiate between personal and work-related driving for those using a work vehicle.

How do I enroll in Geico DriveEasy?

Geico policyholders in eligible states can get started with the DriveEasy usage-based program by downloading the Geico Mobile app on their smartphone. Then, follow these steps to enroll in the program:

1. Once downloaded, enter your mobile phone number and input the confirmation code texted to you.
2. The app will then walk you through setting your privacy and location permissions to use the DriveEasy function.
3. When you’re done, the app will ask for mobile phone numbers for all drivers on your policy. It will provide a text with a link to send to each driver, so they can download the app and you can start logging trips.

How much of a discount can you get from DriveEasy?

When you sign up for Geico’s DriveEasy program, you might receive an undisclosed discount as a sign-up incentive. Following that, your driving habits will determine any additional discounts, which could reach up to 25 percent. The exact discount you receive depends on your driving behavior, as tracked by the program. Safe driving patterns may lead to significant savings on your insurance premiums, while riskier behaviors might limit or negate potential discounts.

Is Geico DriveEasy right for me?

Most insurance companies now have telematics programs, such as Progressive’s Snapshot or State Farm’s Drive Safe and Save. Each program has unique features, but all monitor your driving habits and typically reward safe practices. If you’re unsure if Geico DriveEasy is worth it, consider comparing it with similar programs to see which one best fits your needs.

Telematics programs like Geico DriveEasy can help you become a better driver by highlighting risky behaviors and encouraging safer habits. If you have a young driver on your policy, enrolling them could promote safe driving practices. However, repeated risky driving could increase your Geico insurance rates in some states, so it’s crucial to understand how your habits could impact your premium. Remember that even if you unenroll from the program, your rates might not immediately change if they’ve already been adjusted based on your driving behavior.

Frequently asked questions

• • Can your rates go up with DriveEasy?

    Yes, depending on your state, your rates could go up if you exhibit poor or unsafe driving habits while using DriveEasy. Geico’s online resources clearly state: “Riskier drivers may see a higher rate — depending on the state you live in.” However, the risk may be minimal if you are actively working toward improving your driving skills.

  • Do all cars in a household have to participate?

    While there is no obligation for every car in a household to participate in DriveEasy, all drivers listed on a single policy will need to participate in the program to receive its rewards. Each car and each driver will need to sign up to be counted. To avoid losing out on potential discounts, all drivers registered in the program should actively participate.

  • How does DriveEasy know if I’m a passenger rather than the driver?

    DriveEasy uses technology that detects movement and relies on your phone’s sensors to determine if you are the driver or the passenger. It should also be able to identify if you’re on a bus or a train instead of a car. The technology isn’t perfect, but it’s possible to access your account and make changes if the app gets it wrong.

  • Can I participate in DriveEasy more than once?

    Yes, you can participate in DriveEasy more than once. If you’ve previously decided to stop participating in the program, you can log into your online Geico account, go to “additional discounts,” find the DriveEasy enrollment and complete the steps to re-enroll in the DriveEasy program.

  • What is Geico DriveEasy Crash Assist?

    The Geico DriveEasy Crash Assist is a feature that has predictive crash detection. If the app detects a hard braking event, it will place a pin in your location. Then, a pop-up may appear asking if you’ve been in an accident. If so, it will help your contact emergency services, contact a tow truck or take you to the claims section of the app so you can start the claims process. If not, you can click “no,” and the app will continue tracking the trip.

  • What counts as distracted driving in DriveEasy?

    In the DriveEasy program, distracted driving usually includes actively using your phone while driving, such as making handheld calls or interacting with apps. If a passenger uses your phone while you’re behind the wheel, it can also be counted as distracted driving since the app can’t distinguish who is using it. However, these activities only count as distracted driving if the vehicle is traveling over 6 mph.
    
    
    Using Bluetooth for hands-free calls, GPS for navigation or streaming music won’t generally be flagged as distracted driving unless you’re also actively interacting with the phone while doing so.