Google is reportedly preparing to enter the US auto insurance market

[Shawn Knight]

Google has transformed itself from a basic web search provider in the late ‘90s into one of the most diverse technology companies the world has ever seen. After dabbling into the world of self-driving vehicles, it only makes sense that Google’s next target would be the US auto insurance market, right?

That’s exactly what the search giant is working on behind the scenes according to Forrest Research analyst Ellen Carney.

Google has reportedly been pitching a service called Google Compare Auto Insurance Services to insurance providers for more than two years now. Through the site, users would be able to compare and buy insurance policies from a number of partners.

As of now, the entity is licensed to do business in some 28 states including California, Texas, Arizona and New York.

Google has been offering a similar service in the UK since 2012 that allows users to compare more than 125 auto insurance options. The search giant takes a cut for its service when a user signs up for a policy either online or by phone. Insurance comparison sites are popular in Europe but not so much in the US as laws dictate that the entity providing a quote must also be licensed to sell.

Carney expects Google Compare Auto Insurance Services to launch as a pilot program in California sometime this quarter followed by rollouts in Illinois, Pennsylvania and Texas.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/59360-google-reportedly-preparing-enter-us-auto-insurance-market.html

 

[Guest]

YIKES! Just don't do any web searches for "how to beat a speeding ticket" or be viewing youtube Ferrari street racing videos before you check on prices! and remember Google knows a lot about you and they will eventually calculate all of that into the price. Since most of the web uses Google advertisements, Google tracks your browsing habits, not just your searching history.

 

[Guest]

Forgot to mention, your android phone's gps tracks your speed and location 24/7, I'm sure that will eventually be used to set your rate....

 

[davislane1]

YIKES! Just don't do any web searches for "how to beat a speeding ticket" or be viewing youtube Ferrari street racing videos before you check on prices! and remember Google knows a lot about you and they will eventually calculate all of that into the price. Since most of the web uses Google advertisements, Google tracks your browsing habits, not just your searching history.

You think major insurers don't know all of these things as well? Google et. al. don't collect and sell server rooms full of data on web users simply to satisfy corporate curiosities.

 

[Guest]

I trust my current insurance company a lot more than I trust Google and its plethora of spying and data collection activities.

 

[cliffordcooley]

I trust my current insurance company a lot more than I trust Google and its plethora of spying and data collection activities.

Google collects data for a reason. I'm sure they will sell anything to anyone willing to pay for their collection services. But then I'm not convinced either one would have anything to do with the other. So in my mind data collection is irrelevant to the topic. Your insurance company doesn't need Google to have access to traffic violation reports.

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

Google is reportedly preparing to enter the US auto insurance market.

No they're not. That's completely false according to what's written in the article. In the article it says they're going to make a service to compare insurance rates, they're not actually selling insurance. Does Google run an airline because of Google Flights? https://www.google.com/flights/

Seriously, I know you're supposed to write headlines to get us to click but at least make them true.

 

[tipstir]

Online Google Search company growing out of control. Why in the world would I allow them to manage any vehicle insurance. They don't have the experience and no how to do it. They own and run ad double click.net dumps more ad ware on everyone system through cookies. Right now there about 40 companies that do this.

As for insurance companies it's all a racket. They need to just give you vehicle insurance only. No they try to give you maintenance breakdown insurance another racket you don't get card for it all behind the scenes. So you take your new SUV into your dealer for service. Still covered by the new car policy, now you have extra MBI that starts as soon as you drive the new car off the lot for 7 years or 100,000 miles. Your rates will go up by 10% after the first year.

Once your 3 years are completed on the new car. Then you only have 4 years with MBI. First deductible is $250 any amount over $250 they'll have a CC that will pay it. You have to tell the service manager to call your insurance company then connect tot he MBI department to get them to paid the bill. Once that happens your rates will increase for MBI.

Not worth to have MBI. Also check your policy for if any other glass gets damage on your vehicle it might not be covered as you think! Only the wind-shield is covered but there are some limits to that too. There are two different type of vehicle glass replacement.

OEM and OEE. You really want to have the OEM installed because the OEE is the lowest knock off brand that duplicates the OEM glass but it has defects in the glass like for example: bad focus area, glass might not fit right, edges are not correctly rounded. There is no imprint of vehicle maker or code in the glass.

OEM glass is the same glass you had on your vehicle it has special tabs to make the glass fit like a glove where the OEE will not be the same type as OEM. OEM cost lot more than the OEE where the insurance companies will always install OEE since the limit is around $250.

 

[Guest]

It is my observation that this is the only thing that will protect Google from ultimate devastation when these self-serving...ahh...self-driving vehicles start killing and maiming people. It is sort of like doctors insuring themselves against liability issues, where their own companies, using pseudo-claim analysts, deny such claims (similar to how many insurance companies deny claims now to avoid paying).

Insuring yourself in risky ventures seems a classic way to avoid liability issues by putting a non-accountable buffer between yourself and the risk.

By the way,this is a self-driving car! The driver doesn't need insurance (the cars certainly won't be sold to anyone, only leased or rented; this makes for easy termination in case they don't like something about the passengers, like a low credit score or low medical score or some unknown factor that might place Google at risk).

THE DRIVER IS GOOGLE! Google needs insurance to protect themselves against claims by the passengers and other vehicle drivers/owners.

Or, passengers (those who lease or rent or ride) will be required to acknowledge and accept a hold-harmless clause to protect Google!