Black box insurance myths busted

There’s a lot of misconceptions out there around black box insurance – we're here to set the record straight!

What is black box insurance?

Black box, or telematics, is a type of car insurance which comes with a small box that fits in your car. It’ll either be fitted by an engineer or with some of our products, you can do it yourself.

This device looks at your driving style and measures things like your braking, speed and the time of day you drive.

It gives you a chance to show your car insurer you're a safe driver. Your renewal price is then based on how safely you drive - so if you’re a safe driver, you could save money.

We call our black box insurance LittleBox.

Some black box myths

Flood Force

So, let’s get down to it. What’s true and what’s not when it comes to black box insurance?

Will my driving habits mean the price of my insurance goes up?

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How will I get my driving feedback?

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If I need to contest a parking ticket or speeding conviction, can LittleBox help me?

Do I need to remove the black box before I sell or scrap my car?

Will my data be shared with other insurance companies?

What does LittleBox measure?

What happens if I drive abroad - will I be penalised?

How big is the box - can my friends tell I have one?

Will you cancel my policy if I drive badly?

Will the black box distract me?

Can it turn down my music?

Will it give me a curfew?

Will you tell the police if I’m speeding?

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Will my driving habits mean the price of my insurance goes up?

You can check your driving score anytime and pick up handy tips to help you drive safely and get the best discount.

When it’s time for your policy to renew, we’ll take a look at your driving data and set your price based on how well you’ve driven.

Most of our LittleBox customers enjoy a discount when they renew. But if your score isn’t great, your price could go up.

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How will I get my driving feedback?

You’ll get your feedback in the app or via email, depending on which type of LittleBox you have. It’s colour-coded, so you can see how you’re getting on:

Green

You're driving well - keep doing what you're doing!

Amber

You’re doing okay! Use our handy driving tips to help boost your score.

Red

You're driving unsafely right now - use our tips to improve.

Just a reminder

If your driving score drops too low, we could cancel your policy. Don't worry - we'll send you helpful tips every week so you can improve your score and stay covered.

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Can LittleBox help with a parking ticket or speeding conviction?

If you want to appeal a parking ticket or speeding conviction, you might want to use some of your driving data from LittleBox as evidence.

We might be able to help with that, but it depends on the situation. Get in touch and we'll do our best to support!

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Do I need to remove the black box before I sell or scrap my car?

It depends on what type of LittleBox you have!

If you have the LittleBox which is installed by our engineers, there's no need to remove it if you're selling or scrapping your car. Give us a call and we'll remotely deactivate it.

If you have our LittleBox Pod or our Plug & Drive, you'll need to take it out yourself. But don't worry, it's super simple. Just unstick it from your windscreen or unplug it from your 12-volt socket.

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Will my data be shared with other insurance companies?

No, we never share your details or data with other insurers.

Your privacy matters to us - that’s why we take lots of steps to protect it. All your data is safely stored and encrypted, and we don’t share it with anyone else.

There are a few situations where we might have to check or share your data, but this doesn’t happen often. For example, if the police ask us during an investigation, or if we need to confirm something with the DVLA.

If that happens, we’ll only share the minimum information needed and nothing more.

For more information on how we handle your data, head over to our privacy policy.

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What does LittleBox measure?

We look at things like:

  • How smoothly you drive - this includes things like how safely you accelerate, brake, and take corners.
  • Speed - we keep an eye on your speed, so make sure you stay within the law!
  • The time of day you drive - regularly driving at night between 10:00pm and 4:00am will lower your score, as this is when accidents are more likely to happen. That’s because people tend to be more tired and the visibility is worse.
  • Phone use - if you have the LittleBox Pod and you use your phone while driving, it’ll lower your score. And remember, it’s also illegal!
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What happens if I drive abroad?

Depending on the level of cover you choose, LittleBox customers could be covered to drive in Europe for up to 90 days! Check your policy documents to see what's included with your policy.

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How big is the box - can my friends tell I have one?

It depends on which type of LittleBox you have.

  • Original LittleBox - this one is fitted out of sight by our engineers, so your friends won't be able to see it.
  • LittleBox Pod - this sits just behind your windscreen mirror, so it might be visible.
  • LittleBox Plug & Drive - this plugs into your 12-volt socket, but you can tuck it away if you'd prefer. You can use velcro strips to stick it under the passenger seat or by the side of your centre console.
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Will you cancel my policy if I drive badly?

We could cancel your policy if you drive unsafely or your driving score stays very low.

But don't worry - we'll never do this without warning. If your score drops, we'll let you know by email or in the app.

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Will the black box distract me?

No, it won’t.

It’s a small unit that’s fitted discreetly in your car, whichever type of LittleBox you have.

The only version of LittleBox that you’ll be able to see is the LittleBox Pod, which is fitted behind your windscreen mirror.

Once it’s fitted, you can just forget it’s there and drive as normal!

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Can it turn down my music?

No, LittleBox doesn’t interfere with your car and can’t turn your music down.

We’re not interested in how loud you listen to your music while you drive - as long as you’re driving safely, that’s all that matters.

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Will it give me a curfew?

No, there's no curfew with LittleBox.

But accidents are more likely to happen late at night, between 10:00pm and 4:00am.

If you drive a lot during these hours, your driving score will drop. That could mean you don't get as good a discount when it's time to renew.

If you need to drive at night a lot - for work or other reasons - LittleBox might not be the best option for you.

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Will you tell the police if I’m speeding?

We'll only share your driving data if the police ask for it during an investigation or if there's been a serious incident.

Remember, speeding is against the law and will lower your score because it shows you're driving unsafely. If you speed often, we could cancel your policy.