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Wawanesa Drive Change FAQ

Getting Started

What is the Wawanesa Drive Change program?
Wawanesa Drive Change is a usage-based automobile insurance program that rewards safe driving. The Drive Change smartphone app tracks your driving behaviours and calculates a score for each trip you take. Through safe driving habits you can qualify for a discount on your insurance premium and earn rewards points that can be redeemed for gift cards.
What are the benefits of joining the Drive Change program?

You will receive a 10% discount upon signing up for the Wawanesa Drive Change program on all eligible vehicles for which you are the principal driver. If you are switching to Wawanesa from another insurance provider’s usage-based insurance program, we will match the discount you are receiving from that program up to 20%.

Additionally, by using the Drive Change app you can earn rewards points for safe driving which can be redeemed for gift cards.

How do I sign up for the Drive Change program?

Currently, the Drive Change program is available in Ontario to anyone who is the principal driver on a Wawanesa personal automobile or motorhome insurance policy. Reach out to your broker to confirm your eligibility and enroll in the program.

Can all listed drivers enroll in the program?

All drivers listed as the principal driver of a personal use private passenger vehicle or motorhome on the policy have the option to enroll in the program. Wawanesa does not require all principal drivers to enroll in the program for any individual principal driver to be able to participate in the program.

No secondary drivers can use or be tracked using Drive Change, nor is the app available to non-Wawanesa members.

Once enrolled, how do I download the app?
Once you have signed up through your Wawanesa broker, you will receive a welcome email that includes links to the app store where you can download the app, as well as instructions to get started. Reach out if you need assistance.
Can the app be installed on any smartphone?
The Drive Change app will be supported on most modern smartphones, but the operating systems must be iOS 13 and above for Apple and Android 8 and above.
Will the app drain my phone's battery?
The app performs like a GPS app when in use, and consumption will depend on how many trips are made and for how long. When the app is not recording it defaults to a background function.
Does the app track me when I’m in a vehicle as a passenger?

After each trip, the Drive Change app will prompt you to select your role as driver or passenger. All trips are recorded regardless of your role, but only trips in which you identify as the driver will impact your discount and rewards points.

Over time, the app will learn your routine and will begin setting your role based on your regular behaviour. However, it is your responsibility to ensure your role is correct for each trip. You can change your driver/passenger assignment of any trip by going to the Trips tab in the app. Assignments can only be made or adjusted within seven days of the trip being recorded.

Who can use the app?
Each principal driver enrolled in the program will have their own individual app and it should not be used by any other drivers on the policy.

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Your Driving Score

How is my driving score calculated in the app?

Each trip score is determined by the following driving behaviours:

  • Speeding – (safe speed for the road condition and adhering to the speed limit)
  • Harsh cornering
  • Harsh braking
  • Harsh acceleration
  • Context
  • Distracted driving (physically handling your phone while driving)

The driving behaviours listed above may be contextualized by the following factors:

  • Road type
  • Time of day
  • Distance travelled
  • Day of week
Where can I see my score?

To see your overall score, visit the Dashboard in your app. At the top of the screen you will see dials that display your scores for the previous seven days and the previous six months.

View the Trips section of the Drive Change app to see a listing of all of your logged trips. Click “Go to map” beside any trip to identify the various points along the route that indicate which driving behaviour(s) triggered a reduction in your score.

How can I improve my score?

Looking ahead and trying to anticipate what's coming is a good habit to get into, as it will mitigate the need to take corners quickly or brake abruptly. In addition to negatively influencing your score, sudden fast acceleration can also impact your fuel economy.

There are two parts to the speed rating: the safe speed of the road and adhering to speed limits. Safe speed is about judging the road conditions; for example, is traffic heavy, or is your visibility impaired due to the type of road?

Context measures how and when you use your car, and includes considerations such as the time of day, trip volume and trip duration.

What happens if I have multiple drivers on my policy?  Do they all need to participate in the Drive Change program and is it an average of our score?

No, each principal driver can choose if they would like to participate or not. Drivers that are only assigned as occasional drivers cannot enroll in the program.

What is Distracted Driving?
The Distracted Driving component of the Drive Change app monitors behaviours such as physically handling your phone and/or actively using it while the vehicle is in motion. These behaviours will result in penalties to your Driving Score. Passengers or children holding your phone while it’s tracking your trip will also trigger a Driving Score reduction. No reward points are given when any distracted driving occurs during a trip. 
Does using my phone to pay at a drive-thru count as distracted driving? 
Driving through a drive-thru or through some automated carwashes is indistinguishable from driving very slowly, so if the phone is picked up and manipulated, it may be considered an "in-motion" distracted driving event. If the driver only picks their phone up when stopped at the drive-thru window, it is unlikely to be flagged as a distracted driving event.
What if I want to contest a score? The last trip indicated distracted driving, but I never touched my phone. 
To dispute an event, please contact the Drive Change support team.
Is my score calculated for a set period of time?
The app tracks your trips on an ongoing basis over the life of your auto insurance policy. In the app dashboard, you can view your score for the last seven days and the last six months.

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Drive Change Discount

What discount will I receive for using the Drive Change program?
You will receive an initial 10% discount on your auto insurance policy at the time of program activation. Going forward, the app will track your driving behaviours so your future discount will be based on your Driving Score and will be applied upon policy renewal. See the Projected Discount section of the Drive Change app to see your upcoming discount amount.
Do I have to activate the Drive Change app to receive my discount?
Yes. Upon signing up for the Drive Change program with your broker, you must download and activate the app within 15 days or your discount will be removed from your auto insurance policy.
What is the highest discount I can get?
Please visit the Projected Discount section of the app to see how the discount is calculated.
I am using a similar app with another insurer. Will you honour the same discount if I switch to Wawanesa?
Yes. If your current program gives you a discount that exceeds our standard 10% discount, we will match it up to 20% when you sign up for a Wawanesa policy and activate the Drive Change app. The prior discount must be from a Canadian insurance policy.
What information do you need to match my current discount?
Wawanesa will strive to be as flexible and accommodating as possible. Any proof, including an in-app screenshot or a copy of a declaration page showing the discount applied will be accepted so long as the proof is dated within the last 60 days.
Is there a minimum distance of travel required to qualify for a discount?
Yes. At the time of your policy renewal, you will need to have driven a minimum of 1,000 kms within the prior six months.
If I don’t get a good driving score, will my policy be surcharged?
No. Any scores under 75 will simply not receive a discount. The Drive Change program does not apply surcharges based on your driving score.

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Drive Change Rewards Program

How do I receive rewards points in the Drive Change app?

You will earn rewards points when:

  1. A trip is recorded in the app
  2. Your role on the trip is recorded as the driver
  3. There were no distracted driving events identified by the app during the trip.

Rewards points are tied to the Distracted Driving score. By staying alert and avoiding using your phone while driving, you will achieve a score of 100 on Distracted Driving for that trip and will be awarded points that can be redeemed in your app for a variety of gift card options.

What counts as a distraction while driving?

The Distracted Driving component of the Drive Change app monitors behaviours such as physically handling your phone and/or actively using it while the vehicle is in motion. Passengers holding your phone while it’s tracking your trip will also trigger a Distracted Driving score reduction. No reward points are given when any distracted driving occurs during a trip.

Though other factors are not specifically measured by the Drive Change app, it’s important to remember that anything that takes your attention away from the road is a distraction. Eating, drinking, smoking, vaping, fixing your hair, putting on makeup or even fiddling around with the stereo could all be considered distractions. Doing your best to avoid these activities will contribute toward reducing your risk on the road and making your community safer.

How are reward points calculated? 

The longer your trip, the more points you can earn by avoiding distracted driving.

  • 3 points for trips shorter than 10 minutes
  • 6 points for trips between 10 and 20 minutes
  • 9 points for trips 20 minutes or longer
How do I redeem points for rewards?
You can view and redeem your points through the Drive Change app. Go to the Rewards tab to see your points balance and apply it to any of the available rewards options.
What companies are part of the gift card program when redeeming reward points? 
Visit the Rewards section in your app to see your points balance and the list of available gift card options.
Do reward points expire? 
Your points will expire if not redeemed within two years from the date they’re earned.
Can I redeem my points if I leave the Drive Change program?
You must redeem your points before leaving the program. If your enrollment is terminated, by you or by Wawanesa, you will lose access to your points and you will not be able to redeem them.
I don’t want any of the gift cards offered. Can I get the cash value of the gift instead?
The points you have earned cannot be redeemed for cash. Your points do not have any monetary value, are not transferable, and cannot be combined with the points of any other driver.
I selected a gift card but changed my mind. Can I exchange it for a different one?
It is not possible to swap a gift card once you have made your selection, so please complete your gift card purchase only when you are sure of your choice.
I redeemed my points for a gift card in the Drive Change app, but haven’t received my gift card by email.
First, check your email junk folders. If the email isn’t there, double check that you have entered the correct email address. If you discover an error, you can follow the link again to re-enter the correct details and select ‘resend’.

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Privacy

What information is the app collecting about my driving?
The app records your trips and information about how you’ve been driving. This includes data on where you drive, the speed that you drive, cornering, braking, acceleration and whether or not you become distracted by your phone while driving. For more information, refer to the Program Terms and Conditions and App Privacy.
What permissions does the app need on my phone?

You will need to have ‘Location Services’ set to ‘always’, enable notifications, and, for iOS specifically, you will need ‘Motion and Fitness’ enabled. These settings will ensure the app performs correctly. The app will guide you through all the right permissions and will let you know if something gets turned off that is needed.

Do you share my data with third parties?
We may share your personal information with third parties as required under the program Terms and Conditions. Third parties are only provided with the personal information that is required. Your personal information may be transferred to third parties located outside of Canada in jurisdictions that do not have laws offering the same level of protection. Regardless of the location of the third party, we have contracts that hold third parties to standards of confidentiality and security concerning your personal information that are similar to the standards that we adhere to. See our Terms and Conditions.
If I cancel my policy with Wawanesa, will the app stop tracking me?

Yes – cancellation of your Wawanesa policy will trigger unenrollment from the Drive Change program. Once you are unenrolled, you will no longer have access to your Drive Change account and the app will no longer track your driving.

To initiate a policy cancellation, please contact your broker.

Do I have to contact my broker if I want to keep my policy but no longer want to participate in Drive Change? Or can I just delete the app? 

You will automatically be unenrolled from the Drive Change program at your next renewal period if you have deleted the app or if the app hasn’t registered at least 1,000 kms of driving in the past six months.

However we do recommend you contact your broker if you wish to remove the Drive Change program from your policy. This will ensure immediate termination from the program, and you will also be automatically unenrolled from the program at renewal.

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Troubleshooting / Accessibility

I didn’t receive the activation email. Where can I find this information?
First, check your junk email – the email will come from DoNotReply@drivechange.wawanesa.com. If you still don’t see it, please reach out to your broker.
My app doesn’t seem to be working. What should I do? 
Ensure your phone has all of the latest updates, and that your operating system is iOS 13 and above for Apple or Android 8 and above.
I keep getting a prompt to allow location tracking. Is this necessary?
Yes – in order for the Drive Change app to detect when you begin a new driving trip, location tracking is required to be activated.
If one of my passengers uses my phone while I am driving, does it register as distracted driving? 
Yes. The app cannot tell when passengers who are not driving are using the phone that is recording the trip. 
 I received a Driving Score for a recent trip, but I was a passenger – not the driver. Can I adjust this?

Visit the Trips tab in the app to adjust your role for a trip to be driver or passenger. Role assignments can only be made or adjusted within seven days of the trip being recorded.

All trips are recorded regardless of your role, but only trips in which you identify as the driver will impact your discount and rewards points balance.

Why aren't all my trips recorded?

There are a few reasons a trip may not have recorded. Here are some common things to check:

  • Go to 'Permissions' in the app to ensure all of the correct permissions are turned on
  • Are you using the latest version of the app? Check the app store for any updates.
  • Check your settings to make sure your phone's operating system is up to date.
If you've checked all these and still find your trips aren't recording, please contact us.
The route shown on my trip report isn’t accurate. Why is this?
We are continuously updating our GPS software to reflect the most recent version of all street maps, however on occasion it may not read accurately. Discrepancies can also happen when the app has been inactive for a period of time and needs a little time to re-calibrate during the trip.
I've completed a trip but it isn't showing in the app.
If your trip is under 500 metres or in an area with little/no coverage, sometimes you will not see data for these trips. Check back in the app after 48 hours and contact us if the problem persists.