California is the only U.S. state that bars insurers from using telematics — phone or dongle tracking of braking, speeding, and miles — to set auto rates. Coverage in August 2026 said lawmakers were weighing AB 311, which would allow optional behavior-based data in exchange for possible discounts. CDI’s legislative director told the Senate insurance committee the bill created liability loopholes and pushed rate-setting toward unregulated vendors. Harvey Rosenfield, who wrote Proposition 103, remains the public face of the opposition.
Prop 103 already requires a 20% good-driver discount and lets insurers use safety record, miles, and driving experience. Telematics is the fight over whether a carrier can watch the commute in real time. Optional on paper often becomes the cheaper quote in practice.
Until the bill is law, nothing in your California auto rate should depend on a tracking app. If a carrier asks you to plug one in for a discount, read whether declining it changes the price. We will quote it both ways.
If this is on your renewal, call the office at (619) 420-8600 or start a quote. We will tell you what the market will actually write.
Sources: Beinsure on AB 311.