belairdirect launches app to reward good drivers in Alberta and B.C.

belairdirect announced on Tuesday that it is launching a new app to help reward good drivers in Alberta and British Columbia.

Screenshot of belairdirect’s automerit app from Google Play.

The automerit app assesses customers’ driving skills, helping them save on their insurance premiums through a discount, while providing valuable insight into their driving habits, belairdirect said in a press release on Tuesday. “belairdirect customers will have the data right at their fingertips as proof of their good driving behaviour – and have an opportunity to earn a personalized discount of up to 25% on their car insurance premiums,” the company said.

The key factors used to determine the potential discount include:

• Hard braking – Hard braking increases the risk of being involved in an accident. The app will calculate the ratio of hard braking events on total kilometres driven to determine a driver’s personalized hard braking factor;
• Rapid acceleration – Rapid accelerations increase the risk of being involved in an accident. The app calculates the ratio of rapid acceleration events on total kilometres driven to determine a personalized rapid acceleration factor;
• Time of day – Driving between 12 a.m. and 4 a.m. increases the risk of being involved in an accident. Many elements such as reduced visibility and fatigue, make this time of day the riskiest. Knowing this, the program evaluates the time of day that a person is driving to determine a personalized “high-risk period factor.” The less often a person drives during risky periods, the more they could save.

The app is available to belairdirect customers. In order to receive the personalized discount on renewal, customers must complete an assessment period. For enrolling, eligible customers could receive a one-time 5% discount on their car insurance premiums, which will be replaced by a personalized discount of up to 25% on their next renewal following the assessment period, belairdirect explained in the release.

To participate in the automerit program, customers must have an: iPhone 5S, iPhone 6/6 Plus or a more recent model with iOS 8.2 or later, or an Android device with version 4.3 or later.

“We recognize that good driving should be rewarded and the launch of the automerit app in western Canada is just one of the many ways belairdirect is setting itself apart within the insurance offering space,” said Henry Blumenthal, vice president of sales and operations for belairdirect’s western region. “Alberta and British Columbia offer some of the most scenic drives in Canada and the fall is the perfect time to take on a road trip. We hope our customers think of us as their driving partner and let automerit provide insight into their driving behaviour and reward them for their good habits.”

Founded in Quebec in 1955, belairdirect provides car and home insurance products directly to consumers. It currently employs more than 1,600 people. The company offers a “simple but complete solution,” allowing customers to communicate with an agent by phone, online or in person through its network of branches, the release said. belairdirect is a subsidiary of Intact Financial Corporation, the largest provider of property and casualty insurance in Canada.