Are you ready to unlock a new level of engagement with USAA, potentially earn rewards, and even boost your driving safety? Many USAA members aren't aware of the powerful features available through the USAA DriveSafe™ App, which leverages your phone's motion and fitness sensors to provide valuable insights and benefits. Let's dive in and get you set up!
Unlocking the Power: How to Turn on Motion & Fitness for USAA
Turning on motion and fitness for USAA primarily refers to enabling these permissions for the USAA DriveSafe™ App (formerly known as SafePilot®), a program designed to reward safe driving habits with potential discounts on your auto insurance. It's not about tracking your general fitness activities for health benefits, but rather using your phone's sensors to understand your driving behavior.
This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process for both iOS and Android devices, ensuring you can take full advantage of this program.
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| How To Turn On Motion And Fitness Usaa |
Step 1: Confirm Your Enrollment in a USAA Safe Driving Program
Before you even think about permissions, the most crucial first step is to ensure you're actually enrolled in a USAA safe driving program, such as USAA SafePilot® or USAA SafePilot Miles™. Without enrollment, the app won't be able to provide you with any benefits or require these permissions.
How to Verify Enrollment:
- Check Your Auto Policy Summary: Log in to your USAA account on their website or through the main USAA Mobile App. Navigate to your auto policy summary. You should see an option to enroll in or manage your safe driving program.
- Contact USAA Directly: If you're unsure or can't find the option, don't hesitate to call USAA customer service. They can quickly confirm your enrollment status and guide you on how to opt-in if you haven't already.
- Look for the Enrollment Link: After enrolling, USAA typically sends a text message with a link to download the USAA DriveSafe App. This is a good indicator that you're on the right track!
Step 2: Download and Install the USAA DriveSafe™ App
Once you've confirmed your enrollment, the next step is to get the app on your smartphone.
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A. For iOS (Apple) Devices:
- Open the App Store: Tap on the "App Store" icon on your iPhone's home screen.
- Search for "USAA DriveSafe": Use the search bar at the bottom of the screen to find the app.
- Download the App: Tap "Get" or the cloud icon with an arrow pointing down to download and install the app. You may need to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your Apple ID password.
B. For Android Devices:
- Open the Google Play Store: Tap on the "Google Play Store" icon on your Android device's home screen.
- Search for "USAA DriveSafe": Use the search bar at the top to search for the app.
- Install the App: Tap "Install" to download and install the app.
Step 3: Initial App Setup and Verification
After installing the app, you'll need to go through an initial setup process to link it to your USAA account.
A. Open the USAA DriveSafe™ App:
- Find the newly installed "USAA DriveSafe" app icon on your home screen or in your app drawer and tap to open it.
B. Get Started and Verify Enrollment:
- Tap on "Get started."
- Enter your mobile phone number: Make sure to use the same phone number you used when enrolling your policy in the program. Tap "Submit."
- Enter the activation code: USAA will send a text message with an activation code. Enter this code into the app and tap "Submit." If you don't receive it, tap "Send another code" or text "START," "UNSTOP," or "YES" to 855-242-6088.
C. Review Documents:
- The app will prompt you to review the terms and conditions and notice to policyholders. Read these carefully as they outline how your data will be used. You'll typically need to check a box to agree and then tap "Continue."
Step 4: Granting Location Permissions (Crucial for Trip Tracking)
The USAA DriveSafe App relies heavily on location data to accurately track your trips and determine driving behaviors. This is a critical permission to enable.
A. For iOS Devices:
- The app will display a screen explaining it needs your location to understand your trip history. Tap "Next."
- At the prompt, select "Allow While Using App."
- Tap "Next" on the subsequent screen.
- This is key: At the next prompt, you'll see an option to "Change to Always Allow." Tap this and then select "Always" in your phone's settings. This ensures the app can track your trips even when not actively open, providing the most accurate data for your discount.
B. For Android Devices:
- The app will inform you it needs your Location information. Tap "Next."
- At the prompt, tap "Precise" and then select "Allow only while using the app."
- The app may then instruct you to "Open settings." This will take you directly to your phone's Location settings.
- Within your phone's Location settings, find the USAA DriveSafe App and select "Allow all the time." Also, ensure "Use precise location" is turned on.
- Tap the back arrow to return to the app. The app will confirm that in a few days you'll get a prompt to continue using Location – tap "Dismiss" when that appears. Tap "Next" to continue.
Step 5: Enabling Motion & Fitness Activity / Physical Activity Permissions
This is the core of your request! These permissions allow the app to understand your movement and distinguish between driving, being a passenger, or even detecting phone handling while driving.
A. For iOS Devices:
- The USAA DriveSafe App will display a screen stating it needs access to your "Motion & Fitness activity." Tap "Next" or "Allow" (wording may vary slightly based on iOS version).
- At the prompt that appears from your iPhone's system, select "Allow" to grant the USAA DriveSafe App access to your Motion & Fitness activity.
- Troubleshooting Note: If you don't get this prompt or are having trouble, you might need to pre-enable Fitness Tracking in your iPhone settings before reinstalling the USAA DriveSafe App. Go to: Settings > Privacy & Security > Motion & Fitness > Fitness Tracking and ensure it's turned On. Then, you may need to delete and reinstall the USAA DriveSafe App to get the prompt again.
B. For Android Devices:
- The USAA DriveSafe App will show a screen explaining it needs "Physical Activity" information to understand when you're handling your phone while driving (e.g., texting). Tap "Next."
- At the prompt, tap "Allow" to give the USAA DriveSafe App access to your Physical Activity.
Step 6: Granting Additional Permissions (Android Only - Phone & Nearby Devices)
For Android users, there are a couple more permissions typically required for the app to function optimally, particularly concerning phone handling detection.
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A. Allow Phone Permissions:
- The app will explain it needs "Phone" information to understand when you're making or receiving calls while driving. Tap "Next."
- Tap "Allow" to give the USAA DriveSafe App access to your Phone information. (Rest assured, USAA states they don't log, listen to, or store anything about your calls.)
B. Allow Nearby Devices Permission:
- The app may prompt for "Nearby Devices" permission to determine if your calls are hands-free or handheld. Tap "Next."
- Tap "Allow."
Step 7: Allowing Notifications
While not directly related to motion and fitness tracking, allowing notifications is highly recommended for the USAA DriveSafe App. This enables you to receive important updates, tips, and even crash detection alerts.
- Tap "Next" to get advice and updates from the USAA DriveSafe App.
- Tap "Allow" when prompted to allow notifications.
Step 8: Complete Enrollment and Start Driving!
- Review any final program overviews or onboarding screens within the app.
- Tap "Let's Begin" or a similar button to complete your enrollment.
- The app will now enter a 14-day "learning period" to understand your driving behaviors before trips count towards your score.
- Start driving! The app will automatically begin recording your trips.
Important Considerations and Tips:
- Privacy: USAA emphasizes that they take your privacy seriously and will not share your driving data with other companies, except as provided in their Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. The data is primarily used to calculate your driving score and potential discount, and may be used to assist with claims after an accident.
- Battery Life: Apps that continuously track location and motion can impact your phone's battery life. Be mindful of this and consider how it fits into your daily charging habits.
- Accuracy: The app uses various phone sensors (GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer) to detect trips and driving habits. While generally accurate, there might be occasional instances where it misinterprets a trip (e.g., if you're a passenger). The app usually allows you to review and edit trip data if it's incorrect.
- All Drivers: For the maximum potential savings, ensure all eligible drivers on your policy download the app and enable the necessary permissions on their respective devices. Each driver will need to set up their own account within the app.
- Discount Factors: Remember that your discount is based on several factors, including phone handling, harsh braking, and annualized hours driven.
- Crash Detection: The USAA DriveSafe App also includes crash detection, which can automatically notify USAA if a potential accident is detected, helping with next steps and claims. You cannot opt out of this feature.
By following these steps, you'll successfully enable motion and fitness (physical activity) tracking for the USAA DriveSafe App, putting you on the path to potentially saving money on your auto insurance and becoming a safer driver!
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10 Related FAQ Questions:
How to check if USAA DriveSafe™ is actively tracking my trips?
You can usually open the USAA DriveSafe™ App and navigate to a "Trips" or "Driving History" section within the app. This will show you a log of your recorded drives and whether they've been scored.
How to adjust motion and fitness permissions if I accidentally denied them?
For iOS: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Motion & Fitness. Find "USAA DriveSafe" in the list and ensure it's toggled On. If it's not listed, you might need to reinstall the app after ensuring "Fitness Tracking" is enabled under "Motion & Fitness." For Android: Go to Settings > Apps > USAA DriveSafe > Permissions. Locate "Physical activity" and ensure it's set to "Allow."
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How to interpret my USAA DriveSafe™ score?
The app provides a driving score based on factors like phone handling, harsh braking, and hours driven. The app typically offers insights and tips on how to improve your score, which directly correlates to your potential insurance discount.
How to ensure the USAA DriveSafe™ App doesn't drain my phone's battery?
While the app runs in the background, minimizing other background apps, regularly closing apps you're not using, and keeping your phone's operating system updated can help optimize battery life. Consider charging your phone more frequently if you drive a lot.
How to determine if I'm eligible for the USAA SafePilot® program?
Eligibility often depends on having an active USAA auto insurance policy in participating states, being a licensed driver listed on the policy, and being in good standing with USAA. You can check your policy summary online or contact USAA directly.
How to add another driver from my policy to the USAA DriveSafe™ program?
Each eligible driver on your policy needs to download the USAA DriveSafe™ App on their own mobile device, log in with their USAA credentials (or create an account if they're an additional driver), and follow the setup prompts to enable permissions.
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How to know if my driving data is truly private with USAA?
USAA states they do not share your driving data with other companies for marketing purposes. The data is primarily used internally to calculate your discount and for claims processing as outlined in their privacy policy and program terms.
How to manually correct a trip if the app misidentified me as the driver?
The USAA DriveSafe™ App typically has a feature that allows you to review individual trips and classify them as "not a drive" or "passenger" if the app incorrectly identified your role. Look for options within the trip history section of the app.
How to receive crash detection alerts from the USAA DriveSafe™ App?
To receive crash detection alerts, you need to ensure notifications are enabled for the USAA DriveSafe™ App in your phone's settings. The app will send an alert if a potential accident is detected and offer next steps.
How to contact USAA for further assistance with the DriveSafe™ App?
You can typically find support contact information within the USAA DriveSafe™ App itself, on the USAA website under their support or SafePilot sections, or by calling USAA's general customer service number.
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