Smartphone on a Prepaid Card

My car insurance is now requiring a smartphone to use their tracking device. Can you have a smart phone run on a prepaid card like Tracfone?

I've never had one before so don't understand too much about it. Would that mean the phone would have to be on all the time you are driving? That would take the minutes down fast.

Tracfone is now selling some smartphones at a reasonable price.
Insurance app requires a phone compatible with Android 7 or higher and iOS 12 or higher.

Any suggestions on this would help me understand it better. Thanks.

I don't want my insurance company to look up the place I go to every Friday at 4pm thanks to the locator in my phone.

I don't want my insurance company to know that every now and then I drive WAY over the speed limit.

GOOGLE-> Prepaid Phones and see what your options are.

Yeah, I'm not too thrilled with this set up either.

So prepaid would work then?
I don't need the smartphone so I resent having to do this at all.
Don't know what to buy to fulfill the requirements either.

I've been looking around for info on those tracking devices, called telematics devices by the industry and I haven't seen any examples where they are mandatory. Maybe double check with your insurance company and if they say it is perhaps tell them you'll switch insurance companies. The whole thing sounds legally suspicious to me.

https://www.google.com/search?biw=12...4dUDCA0&uact=5

I already know they aren't mandatory and as for looking into other companies they are all going to this tracking deal. I've had the plug in type for years now and it does save about 30% on the premium.

Doesn't sound right but that's the way they are doing it.

I just realized that if the phone has to be on all the time you are driving a prepaid card would get quite pricey.
Best deal I see if $200 for 1 year with 1500 minutes allowed.
That would be about 28 minutes of driving time a week.

So guess this won't work out and that puts me back to finding a data plan with a carrier - something I don't even need except for this insurance app.

Guess I'll be paying the higher rates.

If a smartphone is required, your cost savings on the insurance will be offset by the cost of the phone and the annual data cost. The minutes should not be affected, since the phone will not be used for voice (at least for the insurance app), just data. How much data it would use is another question. The other drawback, as already mentioned, is the surveillance aspect, and the fact that hackers may at some point be able to access that data. Also, if the GPS has a glitch, it may report that you were going 140 mph in a 25 zone and your premium savings disappears.

Right and I talked to a smartphone sales guy today and he said Tracfone does not go by minutes with their smartphones. It's by the month so that would be $20 to $30/month to them.

Just not a good plan!

I wouldn't mind buying the phone but I'm not paying that much monthly for this.

Have you really looked into how the PP work? I think most only charge for out going calls.... Incoming calls and texts are free...

I think you'd fall into the world of DATA Usage.

How have you managed to not have a cell phone?

I do have a cellphone, it's just not a smartphone. I can text, send emails, browse, and all that on my prepaid Tracfone.
Mine uses minutes but apparently with a prepaid smart phone they use monthly charges. I looked at a new phone yesterday and it ran from $20 to $30 per month.

Call or have a look at your cell phone service provider's web site and see if they offer free cell phones when you sign up for a plan. Mine gives me a new smartphone every two years when I renew my plan. The choice of phones is pretty decent. Or perhaps switch providers to one who does offer that.

eg: https://www.whistleout.com/CellPhone...ll-phone-plans

Thanks, good link.

Ok, I bought a smartphone. Not so sure about putting that insurance app in thou.