How Safe Drivers Can Get a Discount on Liberty Mutual Auto Insurance

Car insurance has gotten so expensive in the past few years that it's driving some Americans to cut back on groceries. Are you tired of getting saddled with ever-escalating auto insurance premiums?

Several companies offer special safe driver discounts based on your personal driving data. These data-driven car insurance plans are called "usage-based insurance" or "telematics" car insurance. If you sign up and agree to share data, your insurance company will give you an app or other smart device that records your behavior and decision-making behind the wheel. Safe drivers can earn big discounts on car insurance.

Liberty Mutual's RightTrack® safe driver discount program has some interesting features that might make it a good choice. Let's look at how RightTrack® by Liberty Mutual works, and how it could help you save money on car insurance.

Liberty Mutual telematics car insurance: RightTrack®

Liberty Mutual is known for offering customizable insurance packages, where you can save money by only paying for the coverages you need. The Liberty Mutual RightTrack® program lets you choose to share driving data with Liberty Mutual via the company's mobile app.

Here are a few types of driving data that Liberty Mutual's RightTrack® program considers:

• Acceleration: Putting the pedal to the metal could be the sign of risky driving that causes higher costs for your car insurance company. Smooth, steady acceleration could earn you a discount.
• Braking: Slamming on the brakes is also a bad sign -- this could mean that you're at higher risk for crashes. Try to maintain safe following distances and steady speeds so that you're not braking too hard, too fast, or too often.
• Nighttime driving: Driving during certain late night hours can put you at a higher risk for car crashes. If you can prove to your insurance company that you don't drive at risky hours of the night, you'll be more likely to save money.

In some states, the RightTrack® app will also watch out for signs of distracted driving, and measure your rush hour driving and "frequency at lower speeds" (how often you drive in low-speed, stop-start traffic; some insurance companies also measure this with their telematics programs).

You get an immediate 10% discount for signing up for Liberty Mutual RightTrack®, and can earn discounts up to 30% based on your driving. There are no guarantees of safe driving discounts. Exact discounts will depend on your state, as well as your driving. And risky drivers may see an increase in their insurance premium.

Liberty Mutual telematics car insurance: Pros and cons

Every car insurance company that offers this kind of "safe driver discount" program has a few unique features. Let's look at a few possible advantages and drawbacks for Liberty Mutual's RightTrack® program.

Liberty Mutual RightTrack® pros

• Instant 10% discount for signing up: You get an immediate 10% discount on car insurance just for enrolling in Liberty Mutual RightTrack®. If you want to quickly free up some extra cash in your monthly budget, this can help.
• Limited time commitment (90 days): Using the Liberty Mutual RightTrack® program is not a permanent commitment. You only need 90 days for the app to collect enough driving data to decide on your discount, and then that new discount will be applied to your auto insurance for the life of your policy.
• Big possible discounts: The safe driver discount of up to 30% is one of the biggest discounts we've seen from any car insurance company that offers this type of program. Keep in mind that not every driver will qualify for a 30% price cut -- but that's a significant cost savings if you can accomplish it.

Liberty Mutual RightTrack® cons

• Your auto insurance costs could go up: As mentioned above, some drivers that display risky behaviors in their driving data might see their premium go up. (Not every insurance company does this; some promise not to raise your rates.) Ending up with more expensive car insurance after 90 days of data tracking would be especially disappointing (and expensive) if you're already struggling with high car insurance costs and trying to catch a break. Unless you're highly confident in your safe driving skills, this program could be risky.
• Poorly rated mobile app: The overall Liberty Mutual mobile app gets high ratings on iOS (4.7 stars) and Android (4.6 stars) -- but there are lots of bad reviews for RightTrack® itself. Many customers complain that the RightTrack® program doesn't fairly or accurately track their driving, and that the app feels "rigged." Before you sign up for any telematics program, check the customer reviews on the App Store or Google Play. See if the app plays nicely with your phone, and check for recent updates to the app (or comments from the company) that might have fixed the problems identified in the negative reviews.
• Not available in all states: Liberty Mutual's RightTrack® program (as of March 10, 2024) is available in 40 states plus Washington, D.C. New York residents can use the RightTrack® Plug-in program, which uses a plug-in tracking device instead of a mobile app.

Bottom line

If you want to save money on car insurance, signing up for a telematics program like RightTrack® by Liberty Mutual could be a good move. Be aware that discounts are not guaranteed, your insurance rate could go up, and not every customer has a good experience with the data-tracking mobile app. But if RightTrack® works for you, this program offers some of the biggest safe driver discounts of any car insurance company.