Auto Insurers' Teen Monitoring Devices

Several auto insurance companies have come out with teen monitoring devices that allow parents to get text messages or emails when their children drive too fast, hard breaking, swerving, and other risky behavior. There is a small camera installed in the car. In some of the programs, parents can monitor the location of the car. The insurers believe these programs will create better teen drivers. Below is a review I've written of each program after having visited the programs' websites. The programs have similarities and differences.

Teen Drivers' Programs:

The Teen Safe Driver program is for American Family Insurance customers, they developed the program in association with DriveCam, Inc. The video and audio camera only captures risky driving behaviors. Reports are then sent to parents for review online. The monitoring device does not enable parents to track their teens' whereabouts. The cost of the program is free for a period of one year.

The program for Safeco customers is called Teensurance. In this program, you can know the location of your teen. You can set notifications for boundary, curfew, destinations & speed. You can locate the vehicle in real time, get real-time messages sent to your phone, and other options. The cost of the program is 14.99/month.

AIG has recently launched the AIG Teen Driver Program and have partnered with MobileTeenGPS. This program has speed alert, current vehicle location, if the car is at an unapproved location, and a find vehicle now option. Alerts can be sent to your cellphone, email, you can call toll-free, or login to the website. Currently this program is free to set up, and monitoring is free for the first month, and then 19.95/month.