What are the benefits of a dashcam?

Are you wondering, “should I have a dashcam?” Dashcams are small video cameras used for recording while driving, also known as driving cameras or car cameras.

As opposed to conventional video cameras or recording devices like an iPhone or GoPro, dash cameras have many additional features and advantages over regular cameras. Keep reading to compare the pros and cons of installing a dashcam and learn how it can protect you from insurance fraud.

What are the benefits of a dashcam?

Considering how quickly and unexpectedly a major vehicle accident can happen and the associated resulting trauma, it’s no wonder that many drivers’ recollections and descriptions of events may differ significantly from what actually happened, despite their best efforts. This is how you can be incorrectly blamed for an at-fault accident.

A video recording, on the other hand, provides conclusive proof of what actually occurred and may even help identify the responsible party during the incident. This factual record your dashcam produces can speed up insurance payouts and police reports alike.

Similarly, a dashcam can protect you if you were incorrectly cited for a traffic or vehicle infraction, like wrongful parking tickets from broken meters. Many courts allow the submission of video that supports your innocent plea.

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How do dashcams work?

What separates a dashcam from a normal camera is how it functions and captures the details of its environment. A dashcam will automatically turn on using motion sensors, unlike a cell phone camera or GoPro, which you’d have to turn on manually every time.

This is how having a dashcam lowers auto insurance rates, albeit indirectly.

A dashcam will record everything, including when your car gets scratched by someone who parks inconveniently close, if another car runs into you while making a turn, or if someone ever vandalizes or tries to break into your vehicle.

You can view the video and prove your claim to insurance while not being penalized for something that wasn’t your fault. You’ll have video-documented proof of anything that occurs to your vehicle as it occurs or immediately after, saving you the grief of wishing you’d turned your camera on.

Top 5 Benefits of Having a Dashcam

While dashcams provide verifiable proof during an accident or insurance claim, installing one has many more advantages. The sections below compare the advantages and disadvantages of having a dashcam.

These are some of the benefits of a dashcam.

Dashcams are Small and Inexpensive

The price range for car cameras is only between $75 and $150, depending on the model. Compare this to other types of traditional video cameras, GoPros, or smartphones, which can cost up to thousands of dollars and be quite large. Dashcams are also just as incredibly compact and small.

Dashcams are Automatic

Dashcams turn on and off by themselves, as needed. Many people take these features for granted, but they’re actually among the dashcam’s most useful and practical features.

If you were to use any other kind of recording device, you would have to install it every time you got into your car and then turn it on and press record. This is a major inconvenience because you might be pressed for time and forget to set it up. One mistake is all it takes to ruin you severely.

Additionally, motion detectors automatically switch on and activate to ensure the dashcam can monitor your car around the clock, even when the vehicle is turned off.

Dashcams Deter Insurance Fraud

Staged auto accidents are becoming more and more common, which hurts both insurance companies and honest drivers. When a car accident is staged, and the perpetrator attempts to blame you for receiving a free insurance payout, this is known as traffic accident fraud.

A different kind of fraud is pedestrian fraud, in which a pedestrian runs out in front of your car while claiming you weren’t paying attention, so they can claim a sizable insurance payout to cover their medical expenses.

Dashcams deter insurance fraud by recording the incident as it occurs so both the police and the insurance company can see who was really at fault.

Dashcams Prevent Rate Increases

Does having a dashcam lower insurance? Yes, considering filing a “no-fault” accident claim might raise your insurance premiums by 4% on average.

This table shows how auto insurance rates change after an accident.

Average Monthly U.S. Full Coverage Auto Insurance Rates with an Accident
Auto insurance rates are based on 45-year-old drivers with an accident vs. drivers with a clean record.

So, does having a dashcam reduce your insurance? Not directly. Dashcams can prevent your insurance from going up if the accident is not your fault. Still, a no-fault accident will raise your average premiums much less than if you were found responsible or at fault.

Dashcams Offer Peace of Mind

Like the feeling you get full coverage for added protection against unforeseen circumstances, a dashcam can help you relax as a motorist and enjoy a more carefree driving experience.

What are the disadvantages of a dashcam?

Dashcams are not without flaws when it comes to driving and car insurance. These are some of the disadvantages of having a dashcam.

• Distracting and view-obstructing. Dashcams can cause a blind spot when driving because they are placed on the dashboard or windscreen, respectively.
• • Relatively easy to steal. Dashcams are typically placed in plain view of onlookers and can be easily removed from their 12v power socket, then re-used.

• Privacy violations. Having footage of someone without their permission could present a legal issue, especially if a third-party app that monitors the video feed has a backdoor. Thus, a cybersecurity issue is always present.

• No dash camera insurance discount. Dashcams do not usually earn an auto insurance discount, and no insurance-approved dashcams currently exist, as cameras are plentiful, constantly getting better and cheaper by the year, and difficult to standardize.

To save even more on your auto insurance rates, see our list of auto insurance discounts you may also be eligible for.

Considering that you only get one opportunity to install a camera now to record a potential hit-and-run or reckless driver in a parking lot, the indirect cash value it represents could be vastly more than just the sticker price of the dashcam itself. That’s why it’s important to weigh the pros and cons before you decide to get a dashcam.

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The Bottom Line: Are dashcams worth it?

We think dashcams are worth it, depending on your risk tolerance and budget for risk mitigation when it comes to owning and operating a motor vehicle.

Why use a dashcam? Dashcam use is encouraged in ride-share, public transportation, and truck fleets, especially for professional drivers. It can record auto accidents and provide evidence in hit-and-run incidents or if you catch someone driving while intoxicated.

Wide-angle dash cameras can also record people who may be endangering drivers’ safety, such as pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users.

The video footage can be given to the police if you happen to witness a vehicle driving carelessly, whether it be excessively speeding or running a cyclist off the road. If you witness a hit-and-run, waiting for the police to arrive and sharing dashcam evidence can help identify the offender and help the victim.

So while you may not earn a discount for an insurance-approved dashcam, the benefit of having a dashcam could save you time and money if you’re ever in an accident or need to file an insurance claim.

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