Allstate Drivewise Review: How It Works & What You Should Know

Allstate Drivewise is a telematics program that offers you savings on your car insurance based on how you drive.

The program uses a mobile app or plugin device to monitor speed, braking, the time of day you’re driving, and phone usage when behind the wheel. Drivewise is a free program that’s easy to sign up for, and Allstate advertises that safe drivers often save around 25% on their auto insurance premiums.

We’ll break down everything you need to know about Allstate Drivewise — including how it works, how to sign up, and what you can expect to save — in the sections below.

What Is Allstate Drivewise?

Drivewise is a free tool that Allstate offers to policyholders to monitor your driving behavior and — depending on how safely you drive — offer a discount on your premium.

The company claims you can save up to 40% with the Allstate Drivewise app, making it one of the largest telematics discounts in the industry.

You can track your driving through the Allstate app or a plug-in device. Several well-known insurance companies offer similar programs to collect information about your driving habits and miles driven, and most offer discounts or other rewards for driving safely. Other notable telematics programs include:

• Hartford Truelane
• Liberty Mutual RightTrack
• Nationwide SmartRide
• Progressive Snapshot
• State Farm Drive Safe & Save
• Travelers IntelliDrive

How Does Allstate Drivewise Work?

After signing up for Drivewise, you’ll receive a small discount for joining. Then, your driving will be monitored for six months through either the Drivewise app or a device that plugs into your vehicle’s OBD-II port. If you drive safely during those six months, you’ll receive a performance-based discount on your policy when it renews.

Your total discount amount will depend on your driving during the monitoring period. Unlike some telematics programs, your rates won’t increase based on your driving performance — they can only remain the same or go down. Your total premium will update every policy period (usually one year), and so will your Drivewise discount. The discount for each policy period will be based on your last 12 months of driving.

What does Allstate Drivewise track?

The Allstate Drivewise app tracks a variety of factors, using telematics data to determine your total discount. According to Allstate’s website, it monitors the following factors:

• Driving speed: How often you drive over 80 mph
• Braking: How often you come to a sudden stop
• Time of day: How often you drive during high-risk hours (11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. on weekdays and 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. on weekends)
• Phone activity: How often you use your phone while driving

While Allstate collects plenty of data about your driving habits, it doesn’t collect location data — only you can view your trip route map, according to Allstate’s website.

How does Allstate Drivewise know who’s driving?

Drivewise follows the driver, not the vehicle, so you don’t have to worry about how others drive when they use your car. It uses your phone to detect that you’re in a moving vehicle and uses predictions based on past behavior to determine if you’re a passenger or driver.

If the app predicts you were the driver, but you were riding as a passenger, you can correct it by changing the mode of transportation in the Allstate mobile app.

Keep in mind that your discount could be affected if you’re misidentified as the driver on a less-than-perfect driving session — so be sure to keep an eye on the app and make changes if necessary.

Who Should Use Allstate Drivewise?

You’ll benefit the most from Allstate Drivewise if you already practice safe driving habits. It’s a great program for drivers who stay within the speed limit, avoid high-speed cornering or sudden braking, and tend to limit late-night driving. If that sounds like you, you could get some serious savings by using Drivewise.

It can also be a great tool for teen drivers since it allows parents to keep track of their teen’s driving behavior and provides tips on how to develop safer driving habits.

On the other hand, if you tend to speed, corner hard, slam on the brakes, or drive late at night, you may want to look for savings elsewhere.

How Much Can You Save With Allstate Drivewise?

The exact amount you will save with Drivewise can vary dramatically since it’s based on your personal driving performance.

Allstate advertises drivers can save up to 40%, but real-life savings data isn’t available. It’s difficult to find reliable third-party information regarding actual discounts, but several online customer reviews mention their discount fell in the 20%–25% range.

How to maximize your Drivewise discount

Drivewise can result in a significant discount on your car insurance rates, but whether you get a discount is completely up to you and your driving habits. The best way to maximize your discount is to drive safely.

Here are a few tips to get the most out of Drivewise:

• Watch your speed: Maintain the proper speed — drivers who limit speeding will receive the best discount.
• Limit late-night driving: Allstate considers driving between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. to be riskier than other times, so if you can stay off the road late at night, you’ll likely receive a bigger discount.
• Stay off the phone: Distracted driving causes accidents, which results in claims. Phone use was a factor in 12% of fatal distracted driving accidents in 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This is why Drivewise monitors your phone activity while driving. Leave your phone on “do not disturb” when behind the wheel to maximize your discount.
• Avoid hard braking: Drivewise tracks sudden stops, so make sure you start braking well before the stop to get the best discount.

Follow Allstate’s safe-driving tips: Drivewise uses the Allstate app to offer insights about your recent driving performance. It can show you how often you brake hard, speed, and engage in other high-risk behaviors. Use this data to improve your driving habits and maximize your discount.

Can Drivewise raise your rates?

No, your car insurance rates won’t increase because of Drivewise. If your driving behavior doesn’t qualify for a discount, you’ll lose the small initial bonus you received for participating, but your rates will stay the same, all else being equal.

Your premiums may increase the next time your policy renews because of a recent ticket, accident, inflation, or other factors, but your driving data won’t affect your rate.

Is Allstate Drivewise Worth It? What Real Customers Are Saying

Many online reviewers seem to think Drivewise is worth it, but complaints about battery drain and frequent logins are also common.

On the positive side, many reviewers — like the one in the screenshot below shared by an anonymous user on Reddit — mention that the program is easy to sign up for, the requirements aren’t too difficult to meet, and the sign-up discount can be substantial.

On the flip side, several reviewers complained that the mobile app drains your phone battery quickly. Other common complaints were about frequently required logins, monitoring accuracy, and trips often going unrecorded. Unfortunately, the reviewer below suffered from all of these issues.

At the end of the day, the Allstate Mobile app earns a modest 3.8 out of 5 stars on Google Play and an impressive 4.8 stars on the Apple App Store.

How to Sign Up for Drivewise

Signing up for Drivewise is easy and takes just a few minutes. Here’s how to sign up:

• Download the Allstate Mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
• Log in or create an account.
• Tap “Drivewise” and activate the program.
• Accept all requested permissions so that Drivewise can track your driving.
• Enroll all the drivers on your policy.

If you have other drivers on your policy, ensure they follow the steps listed above, and you’re ready to go. Just keep in mind that each driver must make at least 50 trips during each policy term to stay active in the program.

Allstate Drivewise FAQs

We’ve answered some of the most commonly asked questions about Allstate Drivewise if you’re still looking to learn more.

Is it good to have Drivewise?

It depends. If you consider yourself a good driver who obeys the rules of the road, Drivewise is worth considering. It’s free and can result in a substantial discount on your insurance premium, making it a great way to save.

But if you tend to speed, drive late at night, and stop quickly, you might want to avoid Drivewise since a discount is unlikely.

Does Allstate Drivewise actually lower your bill?

Again, it depends. While every Allstate customer who signs up gets a small initial discount, there’s no guarantee that Drivewise will lower your insurance premium. If you generally drive safely and stay under the speed limit, you should see a discount on your policy after using Drivewise for at least six months.

Allstate advertises discounts up to 40%, but there’s little data on the average discount for real users. And if you frequently speed, drive late at night, and stop short, you’ll most likely not earn a discount.

What data does Allstate Drivewise collect?

The Allstate Mobile app collects a variety of data, including driving speeds, braking habits, driving times, and phone use.

However, Drivewise doesn’t collect location data, which may alleviate any privacy concerns.

Does Drivewise work if your phone is off?

No, your phone must be turned on, and you must be in an area with adequate cell service for Drivewise to work properly. You must also have at least 25% battery and location services enabled. However, the app can still monitor your driving if it’s closed or in the background.

Sources:

1. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Distracted Driving in 2021,” accessed December 13, 2023.
2. Google Play Store, “Allstate Mobile,” accessed December 10, 2023.
3. Reddit, “Is there any reason not to get drivewise from allstate?,” accessed December 10, 2023.