Allstate Drivewise Review: Is it Worth it?

Reviewed by licensed agent

Updated Aug 16, 2024

Safe drivers can save up to 40% on their car insurance with Drivewise. But risky drivers can see their rates go up.

It's free, simple and secure.

Pros and cons of Allstate Drivewise

Pros

Maximum safe driving discount up to 40%

Includes a participation discount up to 10%

Detects crashes and can call for help

Cons

Can make your rates go up if you're a risky driver

Penalizes you for phone use in some states

Not available in Alaska and California

Allstate Drivewise is a program that can give you a discount based on your driving habits.

You get a discount up to 10% just for signing up. Then, the safe driving program uses an app to track your driving habits and assign you a personalized discount. Every time your policy renews, you'll get a new discount based on your driving from the past six months.

Is Allstate Drivewise worth it?

Drivewise might be worth it if you're willing to risk your rates going up.

Good drivers can save a lot with Drivewise. But because the program can increase your rates, you should only sign up if you're comfortable with that risk.

Allstate Drivewise is worth it if:

You want a good discount

Allstate Drivewise can save you up to 10% when you sign up. Your driving habits can then get you a discount of up to 40%.

You're a safe driver

Good drivers will get the highest discounts from Drivewise. To maximize your savings, make sure you don't speed, stay off your phone, don't drive at night and brake slowly.

You want to improve your driving

The Allstate app records each trip that you take and gives you feedback on your driving. The info might help you learn about your driving habits and help you improve them. That could get you a better discount.

Allstate Drivewise is not worth it if:

You don't want to risk higher rates

Why? Allstate Drivewise can make your car insurance rates go up if you're a risky driver.
Better options: If you want to stay with Allstate, look into the company's other discounts to save money. But if you want to switch insurance companies for a safe driving program, consider State Farm Drive Safe & Save or Liberty Mutual RightTrack. Both programs have good discounts and they won't raise your rates.

You use your phone while driving

Why? Drivewise might penalize you for using your phone while driving. Even using your phone's maps and GPS could count against you. The Drivewise website used to say phone use didn't count against your score, but that has been removed.
Better options: If you want a company that doesn't track phone use, try Nationwide SmartRide. The plug-in device version of Progressive Snapshot is also an option, although you can't get a very big discount with Progressive.

You don't want to share your location

Why? Like other driving tracking programs, Allstate Drivewise collects info about your driving habits and uses them to determine your discount.
Better options: If you don't want Allstate or any other company to have your data, these types of discounts aren't right for you. You might save money on car insurance with other discounts. Bundling your auto and home insurance is a great way to save, for example. And you might save for not having any accidents or tickets for a few years.

It's free, simple and secure.

If you're a safe driver who doesn't spend much time on the roads, the Allstate Milewise program might be a better option. Milewise is a pay-per-mile program. It tracks how far you drive and charges you based on your mileage. This kind of discount is good if you're retired, work from home, use public transportation or just don't drive very far each day.

How does Allstate Drivewise work?

Drivewise works by collecting your driving data and determining how safe of a driver you are. The better you drive, the more you save, up to a maximum discount of 40%.

To sign up, you install the Allstate app on your phone and activate Drivewise. Then, as long as your location services are turned on, Allstate will track your driving trips and give you a driving score based on your habits. To get a safe driving discount, you have to drive at least 50 times before your policy renews.

Then, at your renewal, you'll keep your participation discount and you might get an extra discount based on your driving. Your discount will be refreshed every time your policy renews, as long as you're still active in the program. If you deactivate Drivewise, you'll lose your participation discount and your safe driving discount.

What does Drivewise track?

Drivewise looks at four things to figure out how safely you drive.

Speed: Driving over 80 miles per hour is considered unsafe. You'll get a lower score for speeding.
Braking time: If you brake too quickly, it might mean you're waiting too long to stop. That can increase the risk of you rear-ending another car, so Drivewise penalizes you for it.
Time of day: Drivewise says that driving between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. on weekends is riskier. Try to drive less at night to get a better discount.
Phone activity: Using your phone while driving increases the risk of accidents. Drivewise monitors this in some states.

Based on the data the app collects, you'll get a driving score that corresponds to a discount at your policy renewal.

How to get Allstate Drivewise

You can start the Drivewise program by activating it in the Allstate app. If you're unsure about this or help during the process, call your Allstate agent.

Download the Allstate app. You can download the Allstate app for iOS in the App Store or for Android on Google Play.
Log in or create an account. If you already have an account, log in. If you're new to the Allstate app, follow the prompts to create an account.
Select Drivewise. Tap on Drivewise. You'll be prompted to activate the program. You'll have to accept the tracking and leave your location services on.
Choose what drivers to track. You don't have to sign up every driver on your policy, but you'll be eligible for a bigger discount if you do.
Drive and review your feedback. The Allstate app will automatically track your trips. You can check the app after you've driven to see what the app thinks of your driving. If you're getting a low score, you can see what caused it and try to fix it the next time you drive.

It's free, simple and secure.

Frequently asked questions

How do I cheat Allstate Drivewise?

You should not try to cheat Allstate Drivewise. Attempting to make your driving look better than it is to get a better discount could be considered insurance fraud. If you aren't sure your driving habits will earn you a Drivewise discount, you shouldn't sign up for the program.

Will Drivewise make your insurance go up?

Drivewise can make your insurance go up if the data it collects shows that you're a risky driver. If you frequently speed, touch your phone while driving, stop or accelerate suddenly, or drive late at night, you might pay more for your car insurance.

What happened to Allstate Rewards?

Allstate discontinued its rewards program in October 2023. Previously, you could earn points for certain driving habits, like going three days in a row without braking suddenly. You could then redeem the points for things like gift cards or merchandise from popular brands. If you had rewards points when the program ended, call Allstate at 1-800-255-7828 to find out if you can redeem them.

Does Allstate Drivewise track your location?

Yes, Drivewise tracks your location. The app uses your phone's GPS to determine how fast you've braked or accelerated and to call for help if it detects a crash. If you're uncomfortable with Allstate having that information, Drivewise isn't for you.

Sources

Info about Allstate Drivewise is from the Allstate website and an Allstate Drivewise promotional flier. ValuePenguin used other insurance company's websites for information about their programs.

Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.