Pay As You Drive insurance is taking off in popularity. This insurance program is based on the number of miles you drive. The less you drive, the cheaper your insurance premiums. In the current tough economy, the idea of paying less for what can be a big expense is appealing. However, Pay As You Drive Insurance does have some disadvantages.

First, in order to use Pay As You Drive, you must consent to have your mileage monitored. Monitoring your mileage is not cost-free, and those costs are paid by the insured, not the insurance company. Especially for GPS monitoring, those costs can outweigh any savings gained by using Pay As You Drive. In addition, drivers have to get a new monitoring device any time they change insurance companies. That reality can make you think twice about changing companies just to get a lower rate.

Secondly, the companies that make the odometer tracking devices also charge a periodic fee for transmitting data. So, not only do you pay for the device, you pay to use it. This, again, possibly can eat away any savings from driving less when you use Pay As You Go.

Thirdly, insurers have had to develop a totally new price structure in order to offer Pay As You Go. This makes it easier for them to pass new costs on to drivers, again, canceling out any benefit derived from your frugal driving.

There are legitimate concerns about how your odometer data may be used. The devices that provide mileage numbers can be modified to tell you the company not just how many miles you drive, but where you drive, when you drive, and how often you go there. This information might be used to justify increasing your premiums, or it might be passed on to third parties for entirely different purposes, none of which is likely to be to your advantage.

Pay As You Drive fans say that driving fewer miles will result in fewer crashes. However, there isn’t a simple correlation between how many miles you drive and how many accidents you have. Low-mileage drivers do not necessarily drive more safely. It is every bit as easy for a driver covered by Pay As You Drive to have an accident as it is for a driver covered by a traditional policy.

On the surface, the cost savings of Pay As You Drive seem quite attractive. Drivers who are considering Pay As You Drive, however, should ask detailed questions before signing up for the plan. Gather as much information as you can to determine whether Pay As You Go is really right for you.

Tom Martens is the content syndication coordinator for Carinsurancesa.co.za. South Arica?s leading car insurance portal.

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