Allstate Drivewise: Complete Guide & Review (2023)

When you buy car insurance, you usually pay a flat rate determined by factors that aren’t necessarily fair. Insurance companies look at things beyond your control, like your age and gender, because these demographics suggest the likelihood that you’ll file a claim. Finding the best auto insurance for young adults can help, but policies are still expensive. 

The standard model of buying insurance doesn’t work for every driver, especially those who put a low number of miles on their car or practice safe driving habits. With this in mind, many insurance companies offer usage-based car insurance to help people save on their coverage.

Allstate’s usage-based program is called Drivewise. Drivewise tracks your driving behaviors to determine how large a discount you’ll earn. Everyone is eligible for 10% savings when they sign up, and safe drivers can save up to 40%.

Read on to explore Drivewise features, rewards, and how it tracks your driving habits. Then compare rates with other companies to find the best usage-based insurance for your needs.

What is Allstate Drivewise?

With so many Americans working from home or choosing public transportation, many drivers are looking for an alternative to standard insurance. Today, many insurance companies offer usage-based programs to help low-mileage and safe drivers lower their rates.

Unlike Allstate’s Milewise program, Drivewise works through the Allstate app, which monitors your driving habits. People who sign up for Drivewise get an automatic 10% discount on their insurance. The safer you are while you drive, the greater your discount will be. Read our Allstate Milewise insurance review for more information. 

Depending on your driving habits, you can save an additional 30%. Allstate guarantees that your rates won’t increase if your driving score isn’t very high. You’ll never be penalized for trying Drivewise.

Allstate Drivewise Features

While most drivers sign up for the discount, Drivewise offers several other perks. Many people — especially parents or guardians with new teen drivers in the house — appreciate Drivewise’s behavior tracking.

People who practice safe driving habits can also earn cash back after 50 trips, which you can claim every six months. There are some restrictions. For example, North Carolina residents can only receive their cash back reward as credit towards their policy.

Drivewise also offers the following perks:

• Parking reminder. So you never forget where you parked or to feed a meter
• Good Hands Rescue. Which connects you with roadside assistance
• QuickFoto Claim. This enables you to submit photos when you need to file a claim
• Gas Finder. Which helps locate nearby gas stations
• Crash Detection. Which gives you access to 911, roadside assistance, or the claims form with the touch of a button

A final Drivewise feature that many drivers enjoy is Allstate’s safe driving rewards. Drivewise drivers earn points for completing challenges, like having three consecutive trips without speeding. You can turn your points in for rewards like gift cards, discounts, and sweepstake entries. This will also help you avoid having to buy bad driving record car insurance. 

Pros and Cons of Allstate Drivewise

Like other usage-based insurance programs, Allstate’s Drivewise program can help you save money on your car insurance.

Drivewise offers the following pros:

• An automatic 10% discount for signing up, with the chance for an additional 30% savings on your rates
• Other unique features and rewards that you can sign up for even if you don’t have Allstate car insurance
• Tracks driving behaviors to help drivers improve their skills

Although Drivewise can help you save money, it also has its disadvantages. If you decide to sign up for Drivewise, watch out for the following cons:

• Many drivers feel uneasy having an app track their driving
• Only eligible for drivers who put under 18,000 miles on their car per year
• Not available in every state

All usage-based programs have pros and cons, but Allstate Drivewise reviews are generally positive. Read on to explore more about Drivewise to decide if it’s right for you.

How does Allstate Drivewise work?

Drivewise by Allstate is a usage-based insurance program that tracks a variety of driving behaviors and trip data. Drivewise and Allstate car insurance policies are separate products, so you can use Drivewise to earn rewards even if you don’t have Allstate insurance.

You’ll need the Allstate Drivewise app when you agree to use it. The app collects data on your driving habits, including:

• Fast accelerations and speeding
• Hard braking
• The length of time you drive over 80 MPH
• The time of day you drive

The Drivewise app runs in your phone’s background and doesn’t require much power, so you’ll be able to use your phone as you normally would. You must always share your location with the app, or it won’t work.

At the end of every trip, Drivewise generates a report about your driving and tallies how many points you earned. You can also delete trips if you weren’t the driver.

Who should use Drivewise?

Since Drivewise doesn’t penalize drivers, anyone comfortable being tracked should feel free to try it. Unlike many other telemetric programs, your rates won’t increase, and you won’t lose your rewards if your driving habits get low scores.

The drivers who get the most from Drivewise practice safe driving habits, mainly travel during the day, and don’t put too many miles on their car. It’s also a solid educational tool for teens, pointing out areas where young drivers can improve.

How does Drivewise affect your rates?

While the extra features and rewards are a nice bonus, people sign up for Drivewise mainly to save. When it comes to savings, is Drivewise worth it?

The average Allstate policy costs $1,011, although you might see many different rates based on your unique factors. The table below shows rates for the top insurance companies with full coverage compared to minimum coverage.

The average Drivewise driver pays about $996 a month. While it’s not a big discount, it can add up after a few years. However, you might see much higher savings if you are a consistently safe driver.

The amount you might save also depends on your state. Take a look at the table below to see how rates fluctuate based on where you live. 

With Drivewise, Delaware drivers can save nearly $200 yearly on their best Delaware car insurance. Californians, on the other hand, will probably see negligible savings.

How do you enroll in Drivewise?

Enrolling in Drivewise is simple. To start, you should download the Allstate app and create an account. You don’t need Allstate car insurance to use Drivewise, though you’ll only be eligible for rewards if you aren’t an Allstate policyholder.

Once you have the Allstate app, you can request to join the Drivewise program. Once you’ve signed in and set everything up, your next step is to take a trip.

Drivewise recognizes a trip anytime you move your car more than 15 MPH. After you take 50 trips with Drivewise, you’ll be eligible to earn points and claim rewards.

Drivewise vs. Competitors

The potential savings of 40% on your insurance and the unique rewards system make Drivewise an appealing usage-based program. However, Allstate is far from the only telemetrics-based discount out there. According to Consumer Reports, there is a range of factors used to calculate car insurance discounts, and various programs define them differently.

Most major companies offer usage-based insurance if you’re interested in being rewarded for your safe driving.

As you can see, Allstate offers one of the largest discounts for safe drivers. Unlike its competitors, you don’t have to have Allstate insurance to take advantage of Drivewise rewards. However, if your insurance is with another company, you’ll probably be better served by choosing the same telemetrics program.

Is Allstate Drivewise worth it?

Drivewise is a great usage-based program that can help you see significant car insurance discounts if you’re a safe driver. You’ll also gain access to a unique rewards program, where you can earn gift cards, special discounts, and other offers specific to your location.

While Drivewise isn’t for everyone — especially drivers who don’t want to be tracked — it can help cut your insurance rates. However, Allstate has a reputation for higher prices. To find the best insurance rates and usage-based programs, compare as many companies as possible.