
Why should you own a dashcam? There are many benefits of dashcams when it comes to insurance claims. If you’re on the fence about getting a dashcam, read on to discover all the reasons a dashcam can benefit you.
What, exactly, is a dashcam?
A dashcam, or dashboard camera, is an audio/visual recording device that you attach to your windshield.
It continuously records through your front windshield, and you can sometimes see a second device that records through your back window.
The device never stops recording, so anything that happens to your vehicle, whether you are driving or not, is recorded and stored.
1. Dashcams make insurance claims easier
This is one of the top benefits to dashcams.
Not only does having a record of any collisions ensure that there is proof as to who was at fault (such as proof that you were legally stopped when another vehicle hit you), but it also proves that the event happened at all.
Sometimes you need to prove that a collision occurred in order to get someone’s insurance to pay for it, and having a dashcam gives you clear evidence that the event occurred.
2. Dashcams help with criminal cases
Things like hit and runs are not as uncommon as they should be, especially if your car was parked when the collision occurred.
Having a dashcam will give you the exact time the event happened, and it will usually give you the licence plate of the perpetrator, letting you both prove that it was a hit and run and find the person who needs to be charged.
Related: Demerit Points in Alberta: 9 Things You Absolutely Need To Know
3. Dashcams prove your innocence
If you were unfairly given a ticket for a traffic violation you didn’t commit, your dashcam can offer evidence to prove your innocence.
For items such as a ticket that you didn’t come to a full stop at a stop sign or turning at a red light, your dashcam can prove that you did in fact some to a full stop (but be sure you actually did come to a full stop before using footage to prove your innocence).
Other things two-way dashcams can be offered as proof against are distracted driving charges, or potentially, speeding. Dashcams provide undeniable proof of what happens inside and outside of your vehicle.
4. With dashcams, someone is always watching
There’s a different kind of benefit that comes from dashcams in the sense that they hold drivers accountable.
If you know that there is constant recording of every time you are in a vehicle, not only will it potentially make you more cognizant of your driving (such as obeying all traffic laws, speeding less, being less aggressive) but it also allows you to review anything that happens when you are in fact not driving.
No one is going to borrow your car without permission or drive irresponsibly if they know their every move is being recorded.
5. Dashcams can potentially lower your insurance premiums
This is a big maybe, and it depends entirely on the individual insurance broker. However, having a dashcam will sometimes lower your insurance premium if it’s disclosed from the beginning.
Undeniable proof of all occurrences with the vehicle being insured is a huge load off any insurance broker’s back, so installing a dashcam can sometimes be a way to negotiate a lower premium.
Related: Distracted Driving in Alberta: Everything You Really Need to Know [2020]
6. Dashcams allow you to store your memories
Another reason a dashcam is beneficial is a little lighter, it’s the fact that you have a record of all your road trips.
Anyone who’s driven through Drumheller has likely thought to themselves that they wish they had a video, but because you can’t pull out your phone, you don’t have one. Insert the dashcam, recording everything you see without any of the distracted driving.
Your Trusted Car Insurance Brokers in Edmonton
Sadler Insurance is your trusted, locally-owned Edmonton insurance broker, proudly serving Edmonton for over 80+ years. Learn more about our Auto Insurance policies or get a quick & easy quote on auto insurance today!