SafeCo and Liberty Mutual RightTrack: Pros and Cons
Are you a good driver? “Of course!” you’d probably say.
Well then, are you willing to prove it? You can, if you install the Liberty Mutual RightTrack telematics device in your car to track your driving habits. Both Liberty Mutual and Safeco offer customers car insurance discounts — up to 30 percent! — in exchange for participating in RightTrack. Sounds good… but it’s a little more complicated than that.
What is the Liberty Mutual RightTrack Program?
Used jointly by Safeco and Liberty Mutual, RightTrack is one of many telematics programs out there. In the car insurance world, telematics means the use of a small in-car device or mobile app to track people’s driving habits.
The benefit for customers: insurance discounts for being a safe driver.
The benefit for insurance companies: the ability to collect vast amounts of data about how, when and where their customers drive.
Having this data allows them to better calculate risk, both for an individual driver and for the pool of drivers in general.
The RightTrack program is simple. There’s no charge to sign up. In some states, you receive a little device in the mail that plugs into your car (usually into a port under the steering wheel). In other states, you get a digital tag that you stick on your windshield, which works in conjunction with the RightTrack app.
Looking to bypass this program and get cheaper insurance without going through this process? Enter your zip code below and we’ll compare the rates of 60+ insurance companies.
How Does Liberty Mutual RightTrack Work?
RightTrack is an option for Liberty Mutual drivers in most states. But where you live will have an impact on the type of device that tracks your driving habits.
If you are eligible, there are three different ways that Liberty Mutual may track your driving habits. Here’s a closer look at each.
RightTrack Plug-In
If you live in New York, Liberty Mutual will provide a RightTrack Plug-In that you connect directly to your vehicle. Once you agree to the terms and conditions of the RightTrack option, the company will ship you a device.
The device needs to be plugged into the OBD port of your vehicle. Typically, the OBD port is under the driver’s side dashboard. But you can check your vehicle’s manual if you struggle to find this entry port.
You’ll need to plug this device into your vehicle within 30 days of receiving it. Once it is plugged in, you can drive as you typically would for 90 days. You can check into the My RightTrack portal throughout the monitoring period to see how your driving stacks up and the potential savings.
Liberty Mutual will confirm your discount at the end of the 90 days. Finally, you’ll send back the device in a pre-addressed envelope.
Liberty Mutual Mobile App
In some states, Liberty Mutual will track your driving habits directly through its app. If eligible for the mobile app tracking option, you will start the process by enrolling in the program on the Liberty Mutual website.
From there, you’ll receive an email with an activation code for your Liberty Mutual app. After the app is activated, you can drive normally for 90 days. The app will take care of tracking your trips. You can check in with the app to see how much you may save based on your driving.
At the end of the 90 days, you’ll receive a confirmation of your discount.
RightTrack Tag
Last but not least, there is a RightTrack Tag option for drivers in some states.
Once you enroll, you’ll need to download the Liberty Mutual app. When you download the app, that will trigger the shipment of the RightTrack tag. After receiving the tag, you must start the program within 21 days of receiving the tag.
The device should hang in your windshield for 90 days. But you’ll need to link the tag to your Liberty Mutual app to start the 90 day tracking period. At the end of the tracking period, you will see a confirmation of your savings and return the tag in a provided box.
With any of these 90 day tracking periods, you must drive at least 125 miles. That’s because Liberty Mutual needs enough information about your driving habits to make a decision. If you receive a discount, you can hang onto those savings for the life of your policy. That means the savings could last for decades!
What Does Liberty Mutual RightTrack Monitor?
The RightTrack program is focused on monitoring four key driving behaviors. These include:
- Hard Braking: This is defined as slowing down more than 7 miles per hour/second. Hard braking is a dangerous driving habit because you don’t give yourself enough time to react to surprises on the road.
- Rapid Acceleration: This means accelerating more than 7 miles per hour/second. The opposite of hard braking, rapid acceleration is a concern for insurance companies because it’s a common cause of accidents.
- Nighttime Driving: Driving at night puts you at a higher risk so insurance companies will flag drivers who drive frequently in the evenings.
- Miles Driven: If you drive a lot of miles or long distances for work or other reasons, your risk of a car accident increases, so it’s a consideration for insurance companies.
RightTrack records all this data for 90 days, then assigns you a discount based on your driving habits. If you are able to stay within the parameters that Liberty Mutual deems safe, then you stand to save a substantial amount of money on your policy. But these safety guidelines may not be easy to meet if you live in a crowded city or have a long commute.
Throughout the 90 days, you can check in with your projected savings. That should give you a better idea of how close you are to meeting these safety parameters. If you notice that your savings aren’t as high as you’d like, consider adjusting your driving habits to better meet the safety guidelines.
Although the focus is on your safe driving, the RightTrack program collects and transmits considerable information about Liberty Mutual. This transmitted information includes:
- Mileage
- Time of day
- Acceleration
- Braking
- Location
- Technology source
- Trip type
- Mobile phone type
- Phone motion
- Technology ID number
- Ignition on and off
- Technology connection event
- Technology disconnection event
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Odometer
- Speed
- Idle time
- Battery level
- Fuel consumption
- Air consumption
- Technology diagnostics
- Vehicle diagnostics
- Vehicle onboard parameter IDs supported
All of these details are communicated to Liberty Mutual. The information helps the company gather market research and assign a discount based on your driving habits.
The company makes a point of keeping your data safe. However, it may share your data if required by law.
Who is Eligible for Liberty Mutual RightTrack?
The RightTrack program is available to most of Liberty Mutual’s auto insurance policyholders. You can be a new or existing Liberty Mutual customer. But where you live will have an impact on which RightTrack program you are eligible for.
Importantly, there are no outlined restrictions based on your vehicle’s make, model, or age. However, you will need access to the app which will require a smartphone with a relatively recent operating system that has both GPS and Bluetooth features. You can confirm your eligibility by checking out the details of your auto insurance policy.
How Do You Save With Liberty Mutual RightTrack?
The Liberty Mutual RightTrack program offers a discount of 5% to 30% off your policy’s premiums. That can add up to a considerable amount of savings each year!
An initial discount starts as soon as you sign up for the program. After 90 days, Liberty Mutual will confirm a discount based on your driving behaviors. The confirmed discount will take the place of your initial discount.
You can expect a big discount if you score well during the monitoring period. If your driving wasn’t always super safe, you’d still receive a discount of some kind. Throughout the monitoring period, you can check in to see how much you are projected to save.
Plus, you are still eligible for a small participation discount even if you don’t complete the 90 day program. That makes the RightTrack program even more attractive.
It is important to keep in mind that you can hold onto this discount as long as you maintain your Liberty Mutual policy. You can even keep the discount if you change or add new vehicles to your policy. That means you can potentially hold onto these savings for years to come!
Where is Liberty Mutual RightTrack Available?
The Liberty Mutual RightTrack program takes slightly different forms depending on where you live. Here’s a closer look at the states offering some form of the RightTrack program.
If you live in New York, you’ll be able to participate in the RightTrack Plug-In program.
You’ll be eligible for the Liberty Mutual app if you live in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Idaho, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, West Virginia, or Washington DC.
You’ll be eligible for the RightTrack tag program if you live in Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, or Wisconsin.
But you won’t find any RightTrack options in California, Hawaii, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington, or Wyoming.
If you live in an area without RightTrack we can still help you find cheap car insurance. Enter your zip code below to get started.
The Pros of Using Liberty Mutual and Safeco RightTrack
As with all insurance options, there are some advantages and disadvantages to using RightTrack. Here are the positives to keep in mind.
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- The car insurance discount: Liberty Mutual and Safeco give you an immediate discount just for signing up, then, after the 90-day tracking period, a permanent discount of up to 30 percent. That’s comparable to other insurers’ telematics discounts, like Allstate’s Drivewise (10 percent for signing up, then up to 25 percent) and Nationwide’s SmartRide (10 percent for signing up, then up to 40 percent). Plus, you won’t get penalized for bad driving (unlike in Progressive’s Snapshot program).
- The ability to check your own driving habits: Instead of just waiting and hoping that you’re earning a big discount, you can see RightTrack’s data in real-time, either on RightTrack.com or on the app (for iOS and Android). Check your projected savings and review your recent trip details. Some Liberty Mutual RightTrack reviews say the app is glitchy, however.
- The short duration of tracking: RightTrack only requires monitoring for 90 days. After that, you can stop using the device and keep your discount. You can opt out early but you will lose any discounts you’ve earned.
- The long duration of the discount: “The discount you earn will apply to your vehicle or its replacement for the life of your policy,” both Safeco and Liberty Mutual promise. That’s pretty sweet. So if you can manage to drive super carefully for 90 days, your discount could last a decade or more.
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- Highly rated app: The Liberty Mutual app has earned over 4.7 out of 5 stars in both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. With that high praise, you shouldn’t expect to run into too many glitches.
The biggest advantage of this program is the potential to save big on your car insurance bill. If you are a careful driver, you stand to save a considerable amount!
The Cons of Using Safeco and Liberty Mutual RightTrack
Of course, there are downsides to every car insurance choice. Here’s what to consider before jumping into the Liberty Mutual RightTrack program.
- Concerns about privacy: Liberty Mutual and Safeco say the RightTrack device only monitors four data sets — but, like other insurance telematics devices, it has the ability to track more, such as where you drive. Your personal data could someday be used to assign fault in an accident or be subpoenaed for a court case. Liberty Mutual says “we will not share personally identifiable driving data with any third party except to service your auto policy, for research, or as required by law.”
- The impossibility of being a “perfect” driver: Many Liberty Mutual/Safeco RightTrack reviews say there’s no way to get zero hard braking and rapid acceleration incidents. If you’re driving in the city, where stop-and-start traffic is the norm, you’ll have to brake suddenly a few times. And the 7 mph standard for rapid acceleration is pretty darn slow, especially if you’re getting on an interstate.
- All drivers on the policy impact the discount. Liberty Mutual encourages you to have all the drivers on your policy participate in the monitoring period. If some of the drivers on your plan don’t participate, that will reduce your overall potential for policy savings.
If you are able to commit to safe driving for the duration of the tracking period, you could save big. But it may be easier said than done to unlock the top prize of a 30% discount.
FAQs About Liberty Mutual RightTrack
What is RightTrack by Liberty Mutual?
RightTrack by Liberty Mutual is a telematics program that tracks driving habits. The goal is to reward good drivers with policy discounts.
Throughout a 90 day tracking period, Liberty Mutual assesses your driving habits with a special focus on hard braking, acceleration, number of miles driven, and nighttime driving. If you give RightTrack a try, you will receive an initial discount for participating. But that discount can increase or decrease to a permanent policy discount based on the driver’s habits. Ultimately, drivers can save between 5% to 30% on their policy premiums. However, you’ll need all of the drivers on your policy to participate and exhibit top driving safety to unlock the highest discounts.
Is the RightTrack program worth it?
No matter what your driving habits are, the RightTrack program promises an initial discount that you can hold onto at the end of the tracking period. At worst, you’ll walk away with a 5% discount. At best, you can unlock the top prize of a 30% discount.
Not only will you save on your policy for the year, you’ll also keep this discount for the life of your policy. That promise applies even if you add new vehicles to your insurance With that, you can potentially unlock savings for years to come.
According to SafeCo, drivers are saving up to $513 per year by participating in the RightTrack program. That’s a considerable amount of savings! But you’ll have to decide for yourself if the policy discount is worth participating in the RightTrack program.
Does Liberty Mutual RightTrack monitor location?
The Liberty Mutual RightTrack program does collect information about your vehicle’s location. The company policy is not to share this data outside of the company. However, the company does say that it may cooperate with the law by handing over your location data if required.
That’s something worth considering before signing up for this program. After all, no one likes their data to be shared without their permission.
It is understandable to feel wary of location monitoring in our hyper-connected world. But you may decide that the 90 day tracking period is worth the potential rewards. Remember, the tracking — and therefore the location monitoring — will end after 90 days.
Can Liberty Mutual RightTrack increase your rate?
Unlike some driver tracking programs out there, using Liberty Mutual’s RightTrack program will not increase your rates. In fact, you will receive a discount of at least 5% for participating in the program. Even with unsafe driving habits, you will walk away with some discount for your policy.
But if you are able to practice safe driving habits, you can increase the potential for savings. It might be worth it to commit to safe driving habits within the parameters of Liberty Mutual’s tracking for the 90 days to tap into a deep discount.
