Octo Telematics is incorporating weather data from IBM and The Weather Company into its Octo U telematics insurance app, the companies announced.
Octo U, which is live in the UK, Italy and Spain, uses proprietary algorithms to offer personalized usage-based-insurance quotes based on driver behavior. Octo "shops" a prospect's score to participating insurers, who can offer a quote.
Now, the app also takes into account outside variables often directly affected by weather, such as road and traffic conditions, to determine driver scoring. It does it by accessing The Weather Company's current weather API through IBM Insight Cloud Services, to apply the exact weather conditions at the time of scoring through the algorithm.
"Until recently, insurers have had difficulty creating unique profiles on which to offer auto insurance for individuals," said Fabio Sbianchi, CEO of Octo Telematics. "By integrating weather data from IBM and The Weather Company with other data streams, we're able to digest real-time information on road conditions and get a better view of driving habits."
