Had someone on Facebook claim that their insurance company called them and scolded them for driving too many miles and that their rates were going up as a result. Someone told them in the replies that it probably came from their oil change place.

I had never heard that so I did some Googling and it's true. Oil change places sell your information to insurance companies.

Maybe this is common knowledge, but it was news to me! I can't believe that oil change places are not required to disclose this.

https://splinternews.com/how-c...r-mileage-1793860442

How car insurance companies spy on your mileage

Your car insurance company may have a surprising way to spy on your odometer.

Earlier this month, Ryan Hurst tweeted a letter a friend had received from State Farm informing his friend that it was revoking his plan's "low annual mileage" rating because he'd driven too many miles. Driving more means a greater chance that an accident could happen and thus more expensive car insurance. State Farm included the person's odometer reading from March 14, 2016, explaining it had obtained the reading from a third party.

"Looks like oil change companies sell non-anonymized mileage data to insurance companies," Hurst wrote in his tweet. The friend, who didn't wish to talk to the media, later clarified that, by process of elimination, it seemed most likely that his car dealership had outed him to State Farm.



Another Twitter user chimed in saying he'd stopped taking his car to Valvoline after the details about the work done on the car at every visit showed up in a CarFax report. Valvoline did not respond to a request for comment.



Sevag Sarkissian, a State Farm spokesperson, confirmed that the company gets mileage information for cars it insures in a variety of ways: from customers directly, from telematics technologies if a customer has plugged a monitoring device into their car, and "sometimes through the use of a third party vendor."

"It is important to note that when it comes to mileage verification, it works both ways; meaning updated mileage from a customer can result in classifications moving from short to long, or long to short annual mileage," said Sarkissian by email.

Sarkissian said that State Farm informs customers this might happen, and that the following message is included in their policy:

quote:

Your auto insurance rates have been reduced through our low mileage rating. To ensure we've priced our insurance coverage accurately, we verify odometer readings through a third party provider. If we're unable to verify the information needed, we may follow up with you to provide your odometer reading information.

But what about the third party vendors, such as the dealerships and oil change companies, that record people's mileage? Do they inform their customers that they might sell information collected during a car's check-up? Is it in the fine print somewhere? If they're following privacy best practices, they should be disclosing to their customers that they're passing that data along to third parties.

If the information is linked to "a specific vehicle or consumer," it is personally identifiable information, says Jules Polonetsky, the head of the Future of Privacy Forum.

"As privacy 'futurists,' we predict that the scrutiny in the next years is likely to focus intensely on insurers," said Polonetsky by email. "Data like this may be surprising, but has long been collected by vendors to the insurance market. As insurers seek even more data that is accessible, data that can have real consequences for setting rates, exposing fraud or denying benefits, the attention to this regulated industry is going to become a focus of major debate."

It's another reminder of how hard it is to keep track of who is collecting information about you and what information might prove valuable enough to sell. In the meantime, the next time you take your car in for work, read the fine print on anything you sign (and feel free to send me a copy).

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BamaJeepster,

WTF. I just hate the way this happens.

Nobody should have any right to give or sell any information about me. Period. Especially without my knowledge.

quote:

...."It is important to note that when it comes to mileage verification, it works both ways; meaning updated mileage from a customer can result in classifications moving from short to long, or long to short annual mileage," said Sarkissian by email.

I wonder how many emails State Farm has sent out saying "guess what, we got your mileage from your oil change provider, you get a rebate on your car insurance premium".

(btw, I change my own oil.)

Reason #32098761 the insurance industry on the whole is loathsome at best.

just in the last month, and there is no way for them to deny it, my Jeep dealer service contact became known to Sirius radio trolls, who hit me up with '2 month free trial" buzz on both email & surface mailing.

Not interested.

I change my own oil. Even if I didn't, this info would make me start. I hope oil change places that sell info suffer greatly for it.

I've changed my own oil for 17 years. I do it myself for a variety of reasons, this is more justification to me.

We're using State Farm now. A 2014 Kia Sportage is $114 a month and a 2003 Honda Civic is $104 a month. Really? The Civic has 171,000 miles on it , it's fully paid off and I only have liability on it.

Looks like we'll be switching soon.

I've used a small independent shop for a few years when I realized that it only cost me about $10 for them to do it (over the cost of supplies for me to do it on my own, and they vacuum, air up tires and check fluids). They are a great tire shop/oil change/mechanic shop that have treated me great over the years. I'll be asking them if they sell my information the next time I'm in. I hope they don't, I really don't want to have to go back to doing it myself!

What about OnStar? Do they sell the info?

quote:

Originally posted by k5blazer:
What about OnStar? Do they sell the info?

Yes, they can, according to their current privacy statement:
https://www.onstar.com/us/en/f.../privacy-policy.html

quote:

Use

We may use your information to improve the quality, safety, and security of our products and services, to develop new products and services, and for marketing. See below to learn more.

Sharing

We may share your information to provide you with products and services, to improve the quality, safety, and security of products and services, to comply with applicable law, to respond to your requests, and to allow recipients to use for marketing or other purposes subject to your consent where required. See below to learn more.

I saw a bunch of articles out there, and don't know if they have changed their policy since 2011, but as of then:
OnStar Is Tracking Your Speed And Location Even When You Cancel Your Service

I don't know about other states, but I NY, annual inspection information goes to the state, and they either sell it of give it away. Ever get a Carfax report? It has the mileage information annually. Where do you think they get it?

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
I don't know about other states, but I NY, annual inspection information goes to the state, and they either sell it of give it away. Ever get a Carfax report? It has the mileage information annually. Where do you think they get it?

No state requirement for inspections here, a couple of the large cities require it, but not here. No idea how or where carfax would get my mileage information without my permission.

quote:

Originally posted by Edmond:
I've changed my own oil for 17 years. I do it myself for a variety of reasons, this is more justification to me.

We're using State Farm now. A 2014 Kia Sportage is $114 a month and a 2003 Honda Civic is $104 a month. Really? The Civic has 171,000 miles on it , it's fully paid off and I only have liability on it.

Looks like we'll be switching soon.

Something is not right there I have State Farm and my 2002 Explorer was $82 a month full coverage and got rid of it for a 2014 Sienna full coverage is $102.

Well when I get my car smogged every 2 years i know they note the mileage and their computer is plugged right into the computer in Sacramento.

So people were lying about their mileage to their insurance companies and got caught, and people are upset? And they say insurance companies are loathsome. Pay for what you get, when you don't we all get hit with more charges.

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:
So people were lying about their mileage to their insurance companies and got caught, and people are upset? And they say insurance companies are loathsome. Pay for what you get, when you don't we all get hit with more charges.

No, people are upset because companies are selling their personal data without disclosing it.

What if you had a sick relative who lived out of state and had to travel there a couple of weekends a month for a couple of months and then the insurance company jacked your rates up for driving more than your average? Do you think they would reverse that after you are done caring for your relative?

It's like the .gov collecting and reading your emails and phone conversations - it's OK if you have nothing to hide?

All your secrets are belong to us! That will be the next blow. The foreign companies will be getting all that juicy stuff. China will know more about you than your spouse.

A while back we were saving for a downpayment on a house. Pretty common. Then one day a guy called from an investment firm. He was serious in telling me I had a large balance in my checking account that could be earning me significant returns. Wow, was I pissed. So the next day after work I stopped at the local branch. Yes, its right in their disclosure. They sell the names and information of anyone with a balance larger than the target amount.

Sure, I don't even remember getting my "opt out" form years before. But my failure to go to the trouble to send in information to accomplish the Opt out resulted in me opting in. Forever, it seems.

Soon we'll be cashless, and anyone can then trace all of our transactions.

Apparently, so too does Mercedes. How does THAT trip your switch?

Only place our car has been since purchased and just got a letter from State Farm yesterday.

For the record we didn’t ask for a low mileage policy, our agent screwed up, but then said to leave it alone until next renewal.

It’s time to change mine soon. Where do I report my mileage and get my check? Might as well cut out the middleman and sell the info directly.

quote:

Originally posted by BamaJeepster:
What if you had a sick relative who lived out of state and had to travel there a couple of weekends a month for a couple of months and then the insurance company jacked your rates up for driving more than your average? Do you think they would reverse that after you are done caring for your relative?

^^ THIS ^^

Personally, I just made a 2000+ mile drive in the past 2 months because Hurricane Harvey cancelled my flight and I had to be at the destination. I've lived in Texas 9 out of the last 20 years and I've never made that drive before and am unlikely to repeat in the next 20 years. Sure wouldn't want my insurance to go up forever because of it.