Black Box Car Insurance

Not always. You’ll need to drive safely and listen to feedback from your black box to improve your driving. Then, when it’s time to renew your black box insurance, you’ll get a discount.

If you’re considered more of a risk on the road, we’ll increase your premium at renewal. And we can also cancel your policy if you drive dangerously.

Anyone who has a full UK driving licence can get black box car insurance. It’s a particularly good option for new and young drivers with little driving experience, as you can save money at renewal.

If you’re still learning to drive, you may want to consider specialist learner driver car insurance.

Q. What’s in a black box?

We pack a lot of technology into our black box to accurately assess your driving. This includes a:

• GPS chip – this tracks your location, just like in mobile phones
• G-force sensor – this monitors how the car is driven 
• SIM card – this sends driving data to us
• Back-up battery – just in case your black box is damaged, or your vehicle loses power

Q. Does the black box restrict where and when I can drive?

No. With the RAC, you can choose your own mileage limit when you get a quote. Just make sure you provide a realistic annual mileage. If you go over your limit, your premium could increase, or we could cancel your policy.  

There are no curfews either~, so you can drive wherever and whenever you want.

Q. What if my car already has a black box or I change my car? 

Even if you already have a black box from another provider, we still need to install an RAC Black Box when you take out a policy with us. 

If you decide to change your car while your policy is running, your black box will need to be transferred to your new car. We can do this for you, you just need to get in touch to arrange an appointment. There may be a small charge. 

Q. How do I have a black box fitted?

Once you’ve bought your RAC Black Box Insurance, you need to book an appointment to have your black box installed. We’ll notify you of this by email. Just book a time and location that suits you. You need to have your black box installed within 14 days of your policy start date. 

Q. When do I need to have the black box fitted?

You’ll need to have a black box fitted within 14 days of your policy start date. We’ll do this for you – you just need to book appointment to let us know where and when. If you miss your appointment, there will be a charge of £45. 

Q. How much does it cost to fit a black box?

Unlike some insurance providers, we don’t charge extra to install your black box. Just so you’re aware, here are our cancellation terms:

• Cancellation fee within 14 days:  £35
• Cancellation fee after 14 days: £125
• Installation no-show fee: £45

Q. Can I amend my policy online?

Yes. If you purchased your insurance with us after 30/03/2021 you can log in to your online account any time to make these changes to your policy: 

• Change of vehicle (this will require new box fitting) 
• Change of use
• Change to personal details such as name, date of birth, occupation or contact details
• Change to drivers on the policy
• Accept your renewal
• Upload and download documents 

Just so you’re aware, here are our fees and charges for amendments:

Change made online yourself: £15.00

Change made via the call centre: £35.00

For existing customers who purchased their insurance prior to the 30/03/2021, please contact the customer service team to discuss our fees and charges and make a change.

Q. Can I drive at night?

Yes. There are no night-time curfews and we won’t charge you extra for driving at night. 

Just so you know, driving between 6pm and 6am on a regular basis will have an effect on your Driver Score. This is because the chances of having an accident increase during these hours.  So it could reduce any discount you may be offered when you renew your policy. 

Q. Am I insured to drive my car before the box is fitted?

Yes. You’re insured to drive your car from the policy start date.

You need to have your box fitted within 14 days of this date. Otherwise, your policy will be cancelled, and you’ll have to pay a cancellation fee.

Q. Does black box car insurance work with any car?

Yes. We can fit a black box to any car, no matter what make or model. And we’ll always install it for free. 

Q. I don’t have my car anymore – what should I do? 

Let us know by calling our customer service team. Lines are open Monday to Friday 9am-6pm; Saturday 9am to 4pm. 

If you have a new car, you can update your policy with your new car details via your online account. Online policy management is only available for customers who purchased their policy on or after 30/03/2021. Alternatively, if you no longer have a vehicle, you can cancel your insurance by speaking to a member of our team.

If you’ve declared your vehicle as off-road (with a SORN), or it’s been stolen or written-off, you also need to let us know.

Q. What if someone else drives my car, but they’re covered by their own insurance?

We calculate your Driver Score based on all car journeys, no matter who’s driving. If someone else is driving your car, you need to let them know that their driving is being monitored as it will impact your insurance.

Q. Is there a RAC Black Box app?

Yes. If you have RAC Black Box Car Insurance, you can download the RAC Black Box Driver app here:

• Download iOS app
• Download Android app

The app uses the same login details as your online portal. It’s a quick and easy way to check your Driver Score, as well as your car’s health and journey details. You can also set dates for your vehicle tax, MOT and service. 

Q. How do you calculate my Driver Score?

You’ll receive a Driver Score on a scale of 1 to 100. The higher your score, the safer your driving. 

Your Driver Score is based on 5 elements:

• Acceleration
• Braking
• Night driving (7pm-6am)
• Speeding
• Urban driving (35mph zones or below)

Each of the above is weighted and then scored in line with the amount of driving you do within a 7-day period, or when you’ve driven 200 miles. 

Q. How can I see my Driver Score?

You can check your Driver Score in your RAC Black Box Insurance Portal . Or you can download the free RAC Black Box Driver app – on iOS or Android.

Q. Will other drivers of my car affect my Score?

Yes. The Driver Score is calculated on the journeys your car makes regardless of who is driving. You will need to let any additional driver know that their driving behaviour will also be monitored and will contribute to your overall Score.

Q. Why is my driver data missing from the app or my online account?

There could be a number of reasons for this. For example:

• Your black box has been unplugged by you or a mechanic and hasn’t been reconnected.
• Your car’s in a signal black spot, such as an enclosed garage or underground car park. If this is the case, don’t worry – your black box will send the data once it regains signal. 
• There’s a delay in data showing in the app.

If you can see data in your online account but not in the app, this is nothing to worry about. Sometimes it just takes a little longer to show in the app. 

If you can’t see your journey in the app or your online account after an hour or so, it’s worth double checking that your black box is still connected. If it is, please contact the team to discuss. Lines are open Monday to Friday 9am-6pm; Saturday 9am-4pm.

Q. Why has my Driver Score changed when I haven’t driven my vehicle recently?

Your Driver Score is a rolling 7-day score. It can change even when your vehicle isn’t being used. This happens as time passes and journeys are no longer included in the driver score calculation.

This will still apply even if the vehicle has not been driven as the score is calculated against the distance travelled. 

Q. The road speed limit is incorrect – can this be changed?

We use UK and European mapping databases to make sure we have the most up to date and accurate platform.  We update the database at least every 6 months. Sometimes, road limits can change before our database is updated. If the speed limit you’re reporting has changed, we can amend that limit for future use.

Q. Will you tell the police if I speed?

If you drive over the speed limit, we don’t automatically share telematics data with the police. If we receive a request for the data from the police, or other authorities, we may disclose information collected by the RAC Black Box if it is lawful to do so.

Q. What happens if my car is stolen?

If your car is stolen, you should always report this to the police. If we can, we’ll provide you with the last known location of your RAC Black Box.

Q. I’m driving less miles now, could I be saving on my car insurance?

If you drive under 6,000 miles a year and are over 21 RAC Pay by Mile Car Insurance may save you money. Every driver and vehicle combination is unique so we can’t promise it will be cheaper. Comparing it on a like for like basis you could save up to 26%. If you find you’re increasing your mileage, then you can cancel the policy at any point. Don’t worry, there are no cancellation fees. Get a quick quote and find out if you could save.