Your Information from Your Twitter and Facebook Accounts May Increase Your Risk to Auto Insurers

Millions of people use social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter. Most people do not think twice about the consequences of posting personal information and photographs of themselves online. Now drivers may want to think about keeping their online profiles private because their auto insurance coverage provider may use that information against them.
We all know that auto insurance companies set a person’s monthly premiums based on the amount of risk that they bring to the situation. Many people have clean driving records but they act irresponsibly. It is important for auto insurance companies to be able to have an accurate picture of how responsible their policy holders are. For example, many college students have photographs of them drinking and wearing provocative clothing. This may seem like harmless fun to some people but to auto insurance companies they see red flags and may increase a person’s premium rates.
Some policy holders have stated that there are serious legal and ethical issues here. They say that any information other than a person’s driving record, credit history, and other factors relating to a person’s driving history should not be taken into consideration when determining insurance premiums. They feel that the highest monthly insurance premiums might be unfairly given to people who cannot afford them. Statistics have shown that Internet usage is increasing now and that more than 65 percent of motor vehicle operators use social networking sites and could be negatively impacted if the information on them is taken into consideration.
People in the auto insurance industry have argued that employers currently use information from social networking sites when they are in the hiring process.  Most human resources employees research their job candidates to find out more about them. The old adage is that if you want something to stay private then do not post it on the Internet. Nothing is a secret once it is posted online so concerned drivers should remember that. Consumers should contact their auto insurance coverage providers and see how they currently assess risk and if they will obtain information from social networking sites in the future to do so.
 
Source:
Wired PR News