Today, Samsara and leading specialty transportation insurer RLI Transportation are excited to announce a new partnership that will help fleets across the country improve safety and save money. 

RLI is partnering exclusively with Samsara to provide their transportation customers with a complete video-based safety solution. In addition to free Samsara AI dash cams, RLI customers who participate in the program will receive a discount up to 5% on their insurance premium. Through the partnership with Samsara, RLI will use incident and safety data to better serve their customers with tailored safety programs and training, as well as data-driven underwriting and claims decisions.

“Transportation companies are increasingly emphasizing safety and loss control,” said Mike Haswell, RLI Transportation Vice President of Business Development and Retention. “Our partnership with Samsara will help our customers be more proactive and smarter about managing costs and keeping their drivers safe.”

A smart solution for transportation companies facing rising costs

Insurance premiums have been on the rise for the last decade across the industry. But over the last few years, a rapid increase in legal verdicts exceeding $10 million has increased the pressure on transportation companies and insurers. Some experts predict that premiums could increase 20-25% in 2020, even if a company has a proven track record of safety. This continued rise in costs has sparked a more collaborative approach to loss control, which is when insurers actively partner with their customers to identify areas for safety improvement and help them reduce costs.

“Loss costs and safety continue to be top concerns for our customers, so they are top concerns for us as well,” said Haswell. “There’s a significant need in our industry to support transportation companies with their loss control initiatives. Samsara will help us enhance the value we provide.”

“There’s a significant need in our industry to support transportation companies with their loss control initiatives. Samsara will help us enhance the value we provide.”

The RLI program offers a unique cost savings opportunity for participating transportation customers—from large, interstate trucking companies to small businesses, including construction and security firms. Haswell noted that it may be particularly valuable for small businesses who see the initial cost of dash cams as a barrier to investing in safety.

“Not only will participating customers get free Samsara dash cams—they will also get a credit on their insurance premiums just for participating and benefit from RLI’s comprehensive loss control program,” said Haswell.

Proactively improving fleet safety with an all-in-one platform

RLI wanted a technology partner that could help their customers work toward significant, long-term safety improvements. According to Haswell, Samsara stood out because of its advanced AI dash cam features, proactive driver coaching tools, and all-in-one platform.

“Samsara helps transportation companies be more proactive in their approach to reducing high risk driving behaviors,” said Jamie Wilson, Director of RLI Transportation Loss Control. “This can potentially reduce the frequency and severity of accidents when they do happen.”

Samsara provides visibility into hard-to-detect driving events, like harsh braking, rolling stops, near-misses, speeding, and distracted driving. Paired with auto-uploaded dash cam footage and driver coaching tools, Samsara is designed to improve the consistency of incident review, exonerate drivers from not-at-fault accidents, and create a culture of safe driving.

“Samsara helps transportation companies be more proactive in their approach to reducing high risk driving behaviors.”

In fact, 90% of customers say Samsara has helped improve safety within their fleet. Plus, more than 50% of dash cam customers have used Samsara footage to exonerate drivers in the past year—saving $5,000 to $25,000 on average, with some customers saving over $100,000 a year.

Beyond safety, Wilson noted that Samsara’s all-in-one platform was also an important factor in our exclusive partnership. With hardware and software to support not just safety but also compliance, dispatch, preventative maintenance, and more, Samsara provides more value for RLI's transportation customers.

“Samsara helps reduce the number of systems our customers need,” said Wilson. “For example, e-logs are part of the Samsara system. Having safety and compliance in one platform was a unique differentiator we saw in Samsara.”

Risk mitigation made possible by Samsara data

Helping RLI customers mitigate safety risks is a significant focus for RLI’s transportation loss control team, who take a collaborative approach by actively partnering with their customers to identify areas for improvement, training, and cost management.  

The RLI transportation loss control team will work closely with customers who participate in the program, incorporating Samsara safety reports into ongoing risk control and safety improvement conversations. RLI will also use Samsara’s harsh event notifications for First Notice of Loss, so they are aware of incidents in real time, can more accurately and quickly determine fault, and can process claims faster.

“RLI and Samsara share a similar approach to partnership and service,” said Wilson. “Adding Samsara to our loss control offerings enhances what we’re doing today for our customers and provides a valuable addition to our customer partnerships.”

“RLI and Samsara share a similar approach to partnership and service.”

Learn more about our partnership

"We are very excited to announce our partnership with RLI,” said Iain Denham, Senior Director of Global Partner Sales at Samsara. “Samsara is always looking for new ways to surprise and delight our customers, and RLI shares that passion. This is demonstrated in their innovative approach to investing in their customers’ safety programs."  

The program is now available to all RLI Transportation customers. With every new policy and at renewal, RLI customers will be offered the opportunity to participate. 

Want to learn more about our program with RLI? Contact jamie.wilson@rlicorp.com or reach out to insurance@samsara.com today.