Big Brother, or Good Risk Management?

Although we tend to focus on the life and health side of the insurance business, we are InsureBlog, so we sometimes stray into P & C (that's Property and Casualty) territory, as well.

Did you know that more teens are killed in auto accidents than by any other cause? Neither did I, but as the father of two teenage daughters, this story got me thinking about it:

"Susan Schauer never gave her teenage son the car keys without also handing him something he wasn't nearly as thrilled about - a small computer chip that kept an eye on his driving.

Plugged into his family's Mazda 626, the chip recorded his speed, miles traveled and any fast starts or stops. If Ben removed the chip, it recorded that too."

There are a number of such devices on the market now, and as more become available, and as their use spreads, prices should come down somewhat. I spoke with some of my P&C colleagues about these widgets, to see if any carriers were offering discounts to folks who had them installed. Apparently, though, this tech is still under the radar.

I'm ambivalent about the idea: on the one hand, I do worry about my kids. On the other, I trust them, as well.

Any thoughts from IB readers?