State Farm has begun offering an optional feature that lets owners of 2020 or newer Toyota and Lexus vehicles share vehicle-generated crash data directly with the insurer during the claims process, according to a June 24 announcement from State Farm. The data points the company can access, with a customer's consent, include the vehicle's direction of travel, speed, point of impact and the loss location on a map, the type of detail estimators and appraisers already use to evaluate how a vehicle was damaged.
The announcement adds to a list of insurers and automakers that have introduced tools capturing vehicle-generated crash data before a shop or adjuster inspects the vehicle.
The new feature stems from a collaboration between State Farm and Connected Analytic Services, LLC (CAS), a Toyota affiliate, the company said in the announcement. CAS can process data from Toyota and Lexus vehicles equipped with data communication modules once a customer opts in.
“This service helps make the claims process easier by providing faster insight into what happened and what needs to happen next,” Jennifer Megargell, vice president of property and casualty claims at State Farm, said in the announcement. “By using real-time data, we can more quickly confirm important details and help move claims forward efficiently. At the same time, customers continue to receive the personal support and guidance they expect from their State Farm agent.”
How the feature works
Customers can review and manage their consent through the Claims Hub section of the State Farm app, according to the announcement. If a customer provides express consent, claims representatives may access accident information including the vehicle's direction of travel, speed, point of impact, and the loss location displayed on a map.
State Farm said the data is accessed only for the date and time of the loss and used only for claims resolution. The company said the driving data collected is not applied to rating or underwriting, and that opting out of data sharing does not affect a customer's ability to file a claim or change their preferred claims experience.
Part of a broader industry trend
The Toyota and Lexus data-sharing feature follows other recent moves by insurers and automakers to route vehicle-generated crash data into the claims process before a shop or adjuster sees the vehicle.
In March, Cambridge Mobile Telematics announced a $350 million strategic investment led by TPG and Allianz X, with State Farm also participating, intended to accelerate the company's AI-driven crash-detection and road-safety platform.
State Farm previously rolled out real-time crash detection through its mobile app in Illinois and Florida, a feature that can automatically contact emergency services after a severe collision and begin claim initiation when a driver requests a tow.
Progressive launched a similar capability in November through a partnership with telematics provider Cambridge Mobile Telematics, using smartphone and in-vehicle sensors to detect crashes and reconstruct collision details for claims staff within minutes. That service is not available in California, where telematics-based insurance data collection faces regulatory scrutiny, the report said.
