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How to Report Your Odometer Reading to an Insurance Company

Submit your odometer reading using your insurer’s specified deadline, evidence, and channel. A one-time reading is different from ongoing telematics tracking.
From TheFinanceBase Team3 min to read
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To report an odometer reading, follow the deadline, evidence rules, and submission method given by your insurer or broker. There is no single procedure that applies to every insurer or jurisdiction. Check whether the request is for a one-time mileage reading or enrollment in ongoing usage-based insurance (UBI), then submit the reading and proof in the format requested.

How to submit an odometer reading

  1. Read the insurer’s request. Identify whether it asks for a one-time reading for a discount or rating calculation, or asks you to participate in ongoing UBI or telematics tracking.
  2. Confirm the requirements. Check the due date, any required date range for the reading or proof, the accepted submission channel, and permitted file or document types. Ask your insurer or broker to clarify anything that is unclear.
  3. Record the display accurately. Read the odometer directly and enter the digits as displayed. Follow the insurer’s directions on units, decimals, leading zeros, or rounding; do not estimate or round if it asks for the actual reading.
  4. Provide acceptable evidence. If a photo is allowed, make sure the display is clear and legible. Check whether the insurer also requires a date or identifying information, and keep a copy of what you submit.
  5. Keep confirmation. Save the submission confirmation and any supporting records in case you need to follow up.
  6. Contact the insurer about a problem. If you missed the deadline or the odometer is broken, ask the insurer or broker what to do. Deadlines and consequences vary; the available sources do not establish a universal penalty, coverage consequence, or right to a retroactive discount.

What an ICBC submission in British Columbia requires

ICBC provides a specific example, not a rule for other insurers. In British Columbia, if a customer could not provide an odometer reading at purchase or renewal, ICBC allows a later submission online or through a broker. For its usage-based discount, the evidence must be dated within the seven-day window around the policy purchase or renewal date. Accepted evidence includes a clear, legible odometer photo and certain service or vehicle documents. The odometer must work, and the customer enters the reading without decimals. See ICBC’s odometer submission instructions for its current requirements.

ICBC also says it retains a submitted first reading until another is submitted a year later. Its proof options, timing, and record-retention practice are specific to this program; do not assume another insurer uses the same rules.

Does reporting a reading mean your insurer tracks your driving?

Not necessarily. A one-time odometer report is a manual submission of a reading. Telematics or UBI can instead use a mobile app, a plug-in device, or a vehicle’s built-in system to collect data over time. A one-time report alone does not establish that you have enrolled in continuous tracking.

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The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) says telematics data can include mileage, time of day, location, acceleration, braking, cornering, and airbag deployment. Mileage-based pricing can relate costs more closely to vehicle use and driving behavior, but a discount is not guaranteed: the program’s eligibility rules and rating formula determine the result. State rules and data practices vary, and NAIC says many states require insurers to obtain approval for new rating plans. See the NAIC overview of telematics and its consumer auto insurance information.

What to check before opting into a tracking program

Before agreeing to ongoing data collection, review the program’s terms and ask the insurer:

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NAIC’s consumer guidance puts the central question plainly: “Know exactly what driving data is collected and used by your insurer to determine your UBI premium.” Read its September 8, 2021 explanation of usage-based insurance before deciding whether a program’s trade-offs suit you.

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How connected-car data may reach insurers

Some driving data may be shared through a vehicle manufacturer’s services rather than a separate insurance device. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau identifies Connected Analytic Services (CAS) as a company that collects and reports driving-behavior data to insurers. The CFPB says CAS will not have data for a vehicle unless the consumer opted to share it through the manufacturer’s mobile app or another manufacturer-authorized process. This describes CAS, not every insurer or vehicle. Details are on the CFPB’s CAS page.

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