There’s one question we hear constantly from clients and partners in the commercial fleet insurance ecosystem:
“Which telematics service provider is the best?”
But we can’t give the right answer to the wrong question. There is no single "best" provider for every fleet, broker, or insurer. So let us prompt the right question first:
"Which TSP has the qualities of a top-tier partner that will support our specific insurance goals?"
At Draivn, we work extensively with data across dozens of telematics integrations, which gives us a unique view of the industry landscape. And we’ve learned that when it comes to commercial fleet insurance, the best TSPs bring more than just data. They bring adaptability, collaboration, and a commitment to better insurance outcomes for our shared customers.
Based on this experience, we’ll discuss what makes a telematics service provider stand out – not for us, but for the fleets and commercial auto insurance professionals we work with.
Our 5-point framework for evaluating TSP partners
From our experience, a TSP's ability to support a fleet's insurance goals depends on five key areas. And while data quality matters, it’s not the only thing that does.
1. Data quality
This goes beyond just having data, so we evaluate several critical quality factors:
- Data frequency:Higher-frequency data results in more precise analysis. Scarce data leads to weaker conclusions.
- Noise and gaps:We analyze the data for false positives and missing data points. Every gap or inaccuracy impacts the validity of risk assessment outcomes.
- Platform uptime:Inconsistent or interrupted data flow compromises data quality. Top-tier TSP partners ensure high uptime or, at least, notify us of downtimes or errors.
2. Data availability
Once quality is established, we ensure the data is complete and sufficient for the specific needs of insurance underwriting.
- Data completeness:We verify that the TSP provides the essential dataset required for a comprehensive insurance use case. This includes both non-negotiable fundamental parameters – e.g., VINs, speed, and odometer – and telematics events like acceleration and braking. Each missing parameter makes it harder to prove the fleet’s low-risk profile and hinders its eligibility for better insurance terms.
- Historical data:Access to meaningful historical data is a must. Insurers need this history to build a credible risk profile. However, the ultimate goal is to accurately predict a fleet's risk for the upcoming policy, which is the key to precise quoting.
3. User experience vs. security
Here, we put ourselves in the fleet manager’s shoes – how easy is it to connect their telematics to share data with a broker or insurer via Draivn? Even the most data-rich platform becomes irrelevant if the onboarding process feels like a 27-step nightmare.
But this coin has two sides – user experience and security.
A common misconception is that a complex, multi-step process is always more secure. But often, it only results in a poor user experience and introduces significant security vulnerabilities. Consider a workflow that requires a fleet manager to:
- Provide customer details;
- Perform 5 separate configuration steps in the telematics platform;
- Manually contact the TSP's support and request special authorization credentials;
- Finally, receive sensitive details via email, an insecure channel, which increases the chance of security breaches.
By contrast, integrations based on OAuth – an industry-standard protocol – allow fleets to authorize connections in a few clicks. It reduces friction and improves usability and security, as the user never has to handle or expose their credentials manually.
4. Integration process
Data-driven processes should have a solid technical foundation, comprising three key elements:
- Well-documented API:While the API provides the technical bridge for data, the docs make this bridge easy and safe to cross. In other words, it simplifies the creation of a secure and flawless connection to the TSP’s data.
- Reliable gateway:This ensures that the data flows consistently and without interruption, preventing gaps or errors in the information.
- Responsive tech support:No system is perfect, so having an expert support team within easy reach, we can resolve any issues quicker and keep the process going.
Stable integration ensures that fleets get seamless access to the data they need to secure better insurance outcomes; while TSPs strengthen their value proposition by offering customers a smoother path to insurance coverage.
5. The collaboration experience
The most successful partnerships flourish when technology becomes a foundation for collaboration. A top-tier partner knows that the integration isn’t the finish line, but the starting point for delivering continuous, tangible value to mutual customers. This means:
- Being open to new ideas;
- Responsive to feedback;
- Ready to change their approach to deliver better outcomes.
Top-tier TSP partners don’t just enable connections – they enable results. Such a collaboration will eventually translate into more accurate quotes, data-driven risk insights, and potentially better insurance offerings for fleets.
Some of the most impactful collaborations we’ve seen – regardless of the TSP’s size or tech excellence – were with partners who were curious, proactive, and committed to improving customer experience.
The top-tier TSP partner
So, what makes a top-tier TSP partner for the insurance ecosystem? It's a combination of:
- High-quality, rich, and accessible data;
- Focus on security and user experience.
- A genuine willingness to collaborate to bring the best service and value to fleets.
The goal is to build true partnerships, not just API integrations. Only by working together can we unlock immense value for the whole insurance ecosystem.
If you’re looking to enable better insurance for your customers, make a difference for them, and stand out among the competitors, message our CPO Zahar Poletaev, or contact us via draivn.com.
