Blog

Getting into an accident is never a pleasant experience, and the claims process can often be a struggle, too. But what if everything could be instantly taken care of without the need for tedious phone calls or damage inspection? That’s exactly what Metromile is aiming to do with the launch of our automated claims service.

Introducing AVA, our new AI claims assistant who accurately verifies claims in seconds and quickly resolves them. Basically, she automates anything that doesn’t require a human touch. AVA will collect claims details to help you file, guide you through collecting damage photos and help get your payment issued as soon as possible. Soon, she’ll even be able to issue instant payment and schedule repairs, taking care of all the mundane things that can make the claims experience such a struggle.

If AVA isn’t a real person, how’d she get to be so smart? Behind the scenes, we have a team of data scientists utilizing machine learning capabilities and teaching AVA new skills that will expedite the claims process. AVA can also use opt-in sensor data from the Metromile Pulse device to reconstruct the accident scene, expediting the approval process. For certain claim types, this enables the claim to be instantly approved.

Of course, we still have our in-house team of claims professionals that are always available to help if needed. Since AVA helps automate tedious tasks, our adjusters can spend their valuable time speaking to customers and making sure everything is taken care of.

Not yet a Metromile customer but intrigued by AVA and our automated claims? Visit metromile.com/claims to learn more about our pay-per-mile insurance and get a quick quote. Ava also has an integrated tool which helps you find auto shops near you.

You’ve said goodbye to studying long hours and taking tests and said hello to life after graduating college (which often involves managing things on your own). This new adventure can be hard, but we’re here to make sure you feel protected on the road if you are getting your own car insurance.

First off, liability insurance is important and legally required. Give yourself a healthy amount of liability coverage and do more than just the state minimum requirement. Remember, your liability limits cover what your legal liability is for a covered accident that involves injury to another person or damage to someone’s property, up to the limit of liability you selected. It is often better to have more than enough liability to be safe.

Also, consider comprehensive and collision coverage. These coverages are optional but are crucial when it comes to protecting your vehicle on the road. If you finance or lease your vehicle, many lienholders do require that you have both of these coverages included on your policy. Comprehensive coverage helps to protect your auto in scenarios like fire, theft, hail, flood, an animal hitting your car, or a tree falling on it. Collision coverage covers damages to your vehicle in the event that it overturns or collides with another car or object. (Despite popular confusion, this does not include an animal).

…

Here at Metromile, some of our favorite summer memories are piling in the car with friends and family and heading out to watch fireworks on Independence Day. Here are some of our favorite places to go on a road trip to catch a fireworks display.

West Coast

San Diego: One of the top Fourth of July firework shows in America is the Big Bay Boom in San Diego. The show consists of four different fireworks areas on four different barges in the San Diego area. This is the largest firework show in the west coast with more than 500,000 viewers.

San Francisco: Drive over the Golden Gate Bridge to view Sausalito’s firework show on Richardson Bay. Or stay in the city to watch the show from Pier 39, The Embarcadero, or Fort Mason. This show includes 10,000 different effects for over 25 minutes.

Tahoe: Take a road trip to see the amazing sight at Lights on the Lake. The fireworks are visible all over town and around the lake, but the best spots can be found on El Dorado Beach, Nevada Beach, and Timber Cove Marina. We think you’d agree that nothing comes close to the view when you are out on the water watching the show.

Pacific Northwest: Stop by the Seafair Summer Fourth for a wonderful 21-minute display of fireworks on Lake Union in Seattle, WA. They also provide fun music, games, and beer gardens for day celebrations. Why not make a whole day of it?

East Coast

Washington D.C.: Catch a glimpse of one of the best fireworks shows in America at the National Mall. Around 700,000 people travel to the mall to watch the show with the Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol in the background. It doesn’t get more patriotic than that!

Philadelphia: Kick off Fourth of July celebrations with an 8 day festival in Wawa Welcome America. The grand finale is a spectacular firework show to end the celebration.

Ocean City: Enjoy the Ocean City Fourth of July Celebration in Ocean City, NJ that starts with a 9 am bike parade and kite flying competition. Before the firework show, enjoy a live music and picnic. Enjoy the show with the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean.

We hope you enjoy celebrating Independence Day with your friends and family. If you mainly use your car for road trips (like to see these epic fireworks) then you could be a great fit for pay-per-mile insurance. To see how much you could save go to www.metromile.com/insurance.

We are excited to announce that Carrie Dolan has joined Metromile as our Chief Financial Officer. With decades of strategic financial experience and a proven track record of scaling high-growth consumer brands, we’re excited to have her here to help drive Metromile’s next stage of growth.

Carrie comes to us from Lending Club, where as CFO she helped scale the company, increasing annual revenue by over 7000% during her 6-year tenure. Joining Metromile is a natural next step as our mission closely aligns to how Lending Club transformed the banking industry, using technology and data to offer better rates for borrowers. Here at Metromile, we use data and technology to more efficiently underwrite risk and process claims, providing low-mileage drivers with affordable premiums and better service.

Prior to Lending Club, Carrie spent 10 years at Charles Schwab & Co, where she was Senior Vice President and Treasurer, as well as CFO, Schwab Bank, which she helped launch in 2003. Early in her career, she held various financial positions at Chevron where she launched the Chevron Credit Bank, which offered proprietary credit cards, eventually serving on its board of directors as CFO. She holds both a bachelor’s degree in business and an MBA from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business.

In addition to her professional successes, Carrie has received several industry accolades. She’s been named one of the Most Powerful Woman in Finance by American Banker, featured in the San Francisco Business Times Forever Influential List, and recognized as the Financial Woman of the Year by The Financial Women of San Francisco for her commitment to her profession, service to community and support for the advancement of women.

In addition this important hire, Metromile also announced four recent promotions that further support our growth initiatives: James Moorhead to Chief Operating Officer, Sean Griswold to Chief Customer Officer, Katy Allen to VP of Business Development and Jason Foucher to VP of Insurance Product. We’re really kicking things into high gear, so stay tuned to see what we have planned next!

June is National Safety Month, and here at Metromile, we want to make sure our customers drive as safely as possible. Here are some important safe driving tips to keep you and your precious cargo safe while traveling on the road.

1. Focus on driving. Don’t try to multitask while you are behind the wheel. Even if you consider yourself an expert at eating a burger while driving, it’s a distraction. Put all electronics away, and make sure to get any directions needed ahead of time. Here are some ways to prevent distracted driving.
2. Be aware. Keep around a 3 to 4-second cushion between you and the car in front of you and maintain a safe following distance. This should allow for enough time for you to brake to a stop if necessary.  If there is bad weather, consider a longer allotted time between you and the car in front of you.
3. Plan ahead and don’t rush. If you are going on a road trip, get an idea of any stops you’ll make on the way to your destination (e.g. food, gas, or phone calls). Always make any adjustments to your mirror, climate controls, and seat before putting your car in drive.
4. Keep everything secured. Make sure to secure cargo that may move around while the car is getting you from point A to point B. Don’t try and reach for any items that fall on the floor while driving, just wait until you are to your destination to retrieve the item. If you do need any items, like a toll pass or parking pass, put them in an easy-to-reach place.
5. Don’t skimp on maintenance. Have your routine inspections to take care of any problems with your vehicle. Check your tire pressure regularly to avoid flats or blowouts and pay attention to your car’s brakes (if anything sounds off, here’s what to do). If you notice any abnormalities have them checked out by a mechanic.
6. Pack an emergency kit. Just in case you are in an emergency situation, have a first-aid kit handy, as well as road flares, jumper cables, flashlight with extra batteries, and drinking water. Keep a phone charger in your car in case you need to dial 911 or roadside assistance.

Safe driving is the number one priority on the road. If you are a Metromile customer and an accident does happen, follow these guidelines. If you are in need of roadside assistance and have it included in your policy, you can request roadside assistance through the app or your dashboard. We’ll do everything we can to get you back on the road as quickly and safely as possible!

Carlos S. lives in the Chicago area and regularly lets us know how much he loves being a Metromile customer. He wanted to share his testimonial about why pay-per-mile changed the way he thought about car insurance (for the better).

I just landed a new job near my home, and it turned out I was driving a lot less. I was fed up with always paying over $120 a month for my auto insurance. I decided to reach out to my old car insurance company and see if there were any discounts they could offer for my new shorter commute. After doing some competitive shopping, the best I could do was only pay $100 for the shorter commute. That is when I came across an ad for Metromile and decided to get a free quote.

After checking out the savings calculator on the quote, I discovered I will save $700 a year by having pay-per-mile car insurance. In fact, I will end up spending 50% less of what I usually pay for car insurance! Also – double bonus – not only was I spending less, but I was able to get more coverage on my car. Pay–per-mile means I can increase my coverage and lower my deductibles and still save.

The device is easy to use, too. Other insurance companies I had in the past had me plug a device into my car as well, but I became frustrated hearing the beeping noise when I was forced to slam on the brakes. It’s great to be more connected to my car without the hassle of having to worry about my driving behavior. I love that Metromile is able to customize my insurance in a way that saves me money based on how much I drive, rather than how I drive.

Even the customer service has been great. I found that I always receive quick assistance and am able to get my questions answered with knowledgeable and friendly agents.

The free app is useful as well, and I like that I can see fuel cost level and previous trips. I recently updated my lien holder information online, through a new feature Metromile recently launched, and it took only a few minutes to complete. Metromile just keeps getting better. Keep it up!

If Carlos has inspired you to make the switch to pay-per-mile insurance, then head to www.metromile.com/insurance to get started on a quote and see how much you could save.

We all pay different premiums when it comes to car insurance. This is because there are many factors that go into determining rates. While it’s pretty hard to predict the future, the goal is to determine the likelihood of there being a claim. Past driving record, claims history, insurance score and geographic location (if you live in the city versus suburbs) are factors that can determine insurance rates.

Insurance scores are often used to determine rates (in states where this is permissible) and uses similar information as a credit score. Using this information has been proven to be highly predictive. For example, a study done by the Texas Department of Insurance determined that drivers with the best credit history are involved in about 40% fewer accidents than those with the worst credit history. Keep in mind that each insurance company may determine their formula differently and how they weigh each factor, which is why rates can vary from company to company and from person to person.

There are some variables that could negatively impact your insurance score such as the presence of collection accounts, multiple past due payments, high use of available credit, and recent applications for credit. The good news is that you can positively influence your insurance score by having a long and established credit history, multiple accounts in good standing, good payment history, and controlled use of your available credit.

At Metromile, we use insurance score in states where it is allowed, in order to price policies as fairly as possible. Transparency is very important to us, so you can view our privacy policy to learn more about how ratings are determined and how to review or correct information. We also file insurance rates with the state Insurance Departments where we offer insurance, and these are usually available to the public. In general, low-mileage drivers usually see savings with pay-per-mile insurance. To see how much money you can save go to www.metromile.com/insurance.

The following Metromile review is a testimonial from Heath C., a loyal customer who wanted to share his positive experience.

I was initially intrigued with Metromile because it was pay-as-you-go insurance. I often walk to work, so there are days where I don’t even drive at all. Paying for insurance based on the miles I drive was a breath of fresh air.

I love that I can easily log in and navigate through the app and see what my current balance is for the month. I also appreciate the ability to see my car’s location and view past trips.

One of the major perks of being a Metromile customer is the savings. I like that I am in control of what I am being charged. I am saving $1,140 a year on my auto insurance and am putting these extra savings towards a fund for a down payment on a new house. Without Metromile, we wouldn’t be able to be on the path to homeownership.

Earth Day is pretty important to us at Metromile. It might sound contradictory since we work in the car industry, but we pride ourselves on incentivizing customers to drive less since they pay based on the miles they drive. Earth Day is actually a worldwide celebration — it began in 1970 and continues to be recognized in 193 countries. In the spirit of the holiday, here are tips on how to drive less and cut down on your vehicle’s carbon emissions.

Bike to work. The majority of Americans live close to their workplace. So instead of grabbing your keys to start your car in the morning, grab your helmet and start biking. Even biking one day a week can make a big impact. Check out our tips on how to enjoy your bike commute.

Walk more. Get a kickstart to your day by walking to work. You’ll get a bunch of steps in before breakfast and heat up the competition in your step challenge group.

Organize a carpool. Find a friend who lives and works close to you, and take turns driving each other to work. If no one comes to mind, here are some ideas on how to find someone to carpool with. An added bonus is that you can drive in the carpool lane all the way to work!

Or let someone arrange a pool for you. Try UberPOOL or Lyft Line, where you share a ride with other passengers on your way to your destination. This also costs significantly less than a normal Uber ride.

Invest in a hybrid car. They give off fewer carbon emissions and get better gas mileage which is definitely a win for our wildlife (and your wallet).

If these tips work for you and you find yourself driving less, pay-per-mile insurance could be a great fit for you! To learn more, or to see how much you could save, just click here.

The sun is shining and it’s finally starting to warm up outside. A great way to soak up the beautiful weather is to start walking to work. Here are our top tips for an enjoyable walk commute.

Leave the house early. If this is your first time walking to work, it could take you longer than expected, so give yourself plenty of time to get there. Even if you are a “seasoned walker” it’s better to enjoy the route without feeling rushed.

Prepare for bad weather. Grab your umbrella, rain jacket, or heavier coat if need be. And don’t forget to check your weather apps before heading out the door. Even if it appears to be sunny, there could be a rainstorm looming.

Pop on your headphones. Listen to a fun playlist, audiobook or podcast to start your day off, it’ll make your walk enjoyable. Here are some of our favorites.

Wear the right shoes. It’s important to wear comfortable and supportive walking shoes. If you want, you still can bring your nicer work shoes to change into once you get there.

Try a fitness tracker. It’ll keep you motivated to keep on stepping. You could even start a friendly competition with friends or co-workers. At the end of the day, you can feel accomplished that you beat your friends in their total steps.

Grab a backpack. Ditch your purse or briefcase. A backpack allows you to balance and carry weight easier. You’ll thank yourself later.

Stay hydrated. Fill up your water bottle and keep it handy to rehydrate yourself throughout your walk. You could even pack a snack to munch on along the way.

If you find yourself walking to work more than you are driving, pay-per-mile car insurance could be a great choice for you. Metromile helps low mileage drivers save money on insurance because the bill is based on how much you drive. Learn more and see what your potential savings could be.