An analysis of Discovery Insure’s clients’ driving behaviour during the national lockdown indicates that its best drivers reduced their mileage by up to 89%, and younger drivers reduced their mileage more than older clients.
Discovery Insure assessed accumulated mileage among clients along personal and commercial lines, and segmented it into the various levels of lockdown as announced by the president: A pre-COVID-19 lockdown period between 2 and 26 March, followed by a level 5 period until the end of April, level 4 until the end of May and level 3 through the months of June and July.
Here are some of the learnings:
| ● | During lockdown level 5, Discovery Insure clients only drove 13% of their pre-lockdown mileage and Discovery Business Insurance clients only drove 14% of their pre-lockdown mileage. This is indicative of the restrictions imposed during alert level 5. |
| ● | During lockdown level 3, Discovery Insure clients reduced their driving by 55% on average and Discovery Business Insurance clients’ mileage indicates they had recovered to 58% of pre-COVID levels by the end of July, indicating increased economic activity. |
| ● | The lowest mileage was being driven by Discovery’s better drivers during the various levels of lockdown over the last few months, with the most during level 5, i.e. 89%. |
| ● | Interestingly, an increase in kilometres driven occurred alongside the increased number of infection cases in the Western Cape. |
| ● | Insure drivers under the age of 30 showed the most significant drop in mileage during lockdown level 5 between the end of March and through April. |
| ● | Drivers over the age of 50 appeared to be driving more during level 4 and level 3, than our younger clients, with an increase of 48% in mileage. |
| ● | There was a 43% increase in males driving during levels 4 and 3, even though within the country more men were recorded among South Africa’s mortality figures than women. |
“Our hope is that lessons from this period and the evolution of driving behaviours in the post-lockdown world could contribute to enhancing and adapting our behaviourally-led driving programme in the months to come,” Precious Nduli, Head of Technical Marketing and Vitality Drive engagement concludes.
Click here to read the Discovery media release.
