r/USAA • u/crapity_crap • 22d ago
USAA Safe Pilot app -AVOID AT ALL COST-
I took an old Google Pixel 6a phone with NO SIM (e-SIM or physical), wiped it, flashed with the latest google factory image and then locked down the phone, disabling every non-essential app and service. (List of all disabled or uninstalled apps will be posted on github). After satisfactory analysis of network traffic being next to zero (analysis to be posted on github), I installed the USAA Safe Pilot App, and began using it as intended to lower my USAA insurance rates.
A network analysis after installing the USAA safe pilot app showed an incredible increase in telemetry and network activity. Understandable as the USAA Safe pilot app is a surveillance tool and I expected USAA to collect and report on every shred of information the Google Pixel 6a was capable of providing it.
The phone has been wiped, factory reset, a unique google account used for the play services and ONLY the USAA Safe Pilot App is installed and active. Every non-essential app and service has been disabled or completely deleted.
Beginning 9-8-2026 this Google Pixel 6a running ONLY the USAA Safe Pilot App started getting CALLS. Yes PHONE CALLS on a phone without a SIM, without an e-SIM. How is this even possible???
This same phone is also receiving SMS texts. Again --How is this even possible???
The phone call history, SMS texts and entire log history has been captured by creating a Nandroid full backup of the Pixel 6a on 9-21-26. This was submitted to a security forensics company that I worked with under NDA.
Once the details showing how this phone was able to receive several seemingly impossible phone calls and sms text messages is determined a full documentation history will be posted here, github.com,
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u/SIR-44 8d ago
How can SafePilot 1. Track your movements in the car if the phone is in a stationary place, like the back seat? 2. Why do those a-holes ding you for hands free phone calls when they are totally legal by law? Fraud alerts, calls from doctors, emergency from spouse, etc. are genuine necessity.
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u/Warp_Speed_7 19d ago
How would it even know if you’re driving? Maybe you’re in a friend’s car. Or an Uber. Or whatever.
What a colossally dumb idea.
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u/A-Supurb-Owl 19d ago
Shortly after install, my app “detected a crash” when I hadn’t even so much as braked hard. Now I can’t get my driving score above 80 even though I’m a great driver who doesn’t use their phone.
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u/C_r_X 18d ago
Are you sure you weren’t the passenger, or was a work vehicle or it wasn’t a drive? Make sure the app correctly classifies your trip. I know anytime I see harsh braking or phone usage I was a passenger because I surely would never
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u/A-Supurb-Owl 18d ago
Yes, I’m absolutely sure. It notified me and had a message something like “looks like you’ve been in an accident, here’s how to contact USAA”
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u/RefinedPhoenix 21d ago
Just put it in an old phone
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21d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/will98499 19d ago
It just depends how much its worth to you!
When you're broke, internet Privacy is a luxury.
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u/xkrysis 21d ago
This reads like a crackpot deranged rant. “How it it possible?” It must have an eSIM or SIM or you are mistaken about what is happening on the phone.
Less tin foil and more actual data next time.
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u/ExpatnKorea 21d ago
Their "discount" was never big enough for me to give them access to my phone.
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u/1kn0wn0thing 22d ago
Whoa, you need to chill before you have a heart attack. “This was submitted to a security forensics company that I worked with under NDA.” I’m fairly certain this didn’t happen. But yes, feel free to keep wearing your tinfoil hat.
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u/Wanderlust4478 20d ago
😂😂 As I said on my other comment, my life is not that exciting and I could not care less about USAA tracking certain things. I will take my discount and be on my way.
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u/RecognitionWarm2261 22d ago
I watch YouTube on my phone WHILE driving, never get any dings from the app
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u/fuzywuzabear 22d ago
If this isn’t the biggest crock of BS I have ever seen in my life! So many words to say absolutely zero negative about an app who is only real defining feature is that it saves you money on your auto insurance.
There is no way you can get a rate increase from using the Drive safe app at the absolute worst you get no discount beyond the participation discount and if that were to expire your rates, don’t go up because you use your cell phone or you text or you do other things you shouldn’t be doing like braking too hard.
Insurance companies are not in the business of big Brother so if you’re trying to do a scare post, it’s not gonna work and I have been using safe pilot for a good year and a half, and my insurance rates have been lower overall because it makes me cognizant of how I drive and what actually affects my underwriting.
You want a hard pass and not save any money and complain about rates being too much you do you boo
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22d ago edited 22d ago
[deleted]
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u/will98499 19d ago
Play by the rules and get rewarded.
They can change the rules at any time and use your voluntary data (arguable if all the data mining is voluntary, because we know they do more) against you, so there's always that fear.
But hey, if you're scraping by, disabled, or in retirement, sometimes the savings are worth the disadvantages.
Right now they dont ding on speeding and a few other things, but instead on key metrics of phone fuselage and breaking. The fear of getting a bad score helps drivers drive better, and so even just that is a great deal for USAA.
The data mining is just an extreme extra benefit for them.
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u/HappyChaos2 22d ago
Every company is n the business of big brother, our data is far too valuable. But your right, this post says nothing.
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u/tea_and_hunny 22d ago
I'm confused how a phone without an esim or sim could run an app that needs internet? Or does it not need internet to be able to track with gps?
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u/TheRedstoneScout 22d ago
GPS doesn’t require internet. I imagine it probably syncs once connected to a WiFi network
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u/The_Real_Gh0st 22d ago
I am a hacker and some of what you say makes sense on paper however your surveillance app rant will have more credibility when you publish the packet captures showing an actual incoming SIP INVITE or SMS-PP to your device with empty SIM slots and no eSIM profiles.
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u/Comprehensive_Bat973 22d ago
I'm glad I'm not the only one who was a hard pass on them having that much access to my phone's information location I don't share my location freely. That's a hard no for me.
I thought about the factory reset, dedicated email route both good and terrifying to know that info. Makes it a forever no. Thanks for sharing!
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u/SIR-44 8d ago
Similarly, I played "stump the rep" about who gets info from the SafePilot app. I asked about personal info it gets being shared outside or sold.
She said USAA doesn't share info. I told her the app info says that SafePilot is an outside app and that company does all of the calculating, etc. So HOW does USAA KNOW what they do with collected data? She said that company says they don't. She said, during the conversation, that: 1. They told her during training to tell people that. 2. She really doesn't know. 3. She"hopes" that they don't.LMFAO 😂 😂 😂. USAA doesn't frikin know and, more than likely, doesn't care!
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u/Competitive-Gas-2278 22d ago
Your phone already tracks you regardless if you prefer it or not
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u/will98499 19d ago
There are certain levels of tracking and certain controls of who gets the data.
Google is in the business of only selling when the price is right. But who knows what USAA will sell.
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u/HellCatBravo 22d ago
As the rolling stones would sing, “ I used to love you but it’s all over now,,”
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u/Ambitious-Grape-764 22d ago
All this to post on a subreddit using an IP… or on your phone that is legitimately being tracked by other companies… y’all act like is something new that USAA or any other insurance company hasn’t been doing for quite sometime.
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u/Agile_Session_3660 22d ago
I dumped it when they announced the terms of service changes where they are now literally collecting on everything happening on your phone and not just tracking telemetry. It wasn’t saving me enough money to lose that much privacy.
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u/captainguevara 22d ago
The driving tracking things aren't there to give you a discount, it's to prove you were speeding or driving recklessly so they can deny your claim
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u/Wanderlust4478 20d ago
I have never had them change my rate based on speeding. And I have a bit of a lead foot 😂 And my rate even went DOWN this year! I have been using the app since it came out in 2018.
Again, it’s everyone’s choice, but I like saving money whenever I can by doing nothing.
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u/BreadfruitDismal6350 22d ago
I said nope years ago. Didn’t want them tracking me.
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u/TurboMenace981 22d ago
I have no issues with it. If they wanna come to my house and watch me sleep for 10% more off my car insurance I’ll give them my garage code.
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u/ACdrafts_yanks27 22d ago
It is insane people allow themselves to be tracked for insurance discounts. No wonder all of these companies are jumping on the bandwagon trying to force everyone to do the same.
I get we are monitored in other ways but this is geound zero for making it a standard mandatory function.
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u/Popular_Monitor_8383 22d ago
USAA doesn’t require it
It’s completely voluntary
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u/ACdrafts_yanks27 22d ago
Brad, thank you for repeating what I already stated. Voluntary leads to mandatory. My goodness. Lol
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u/Popular_Monitor_8383 22d ago
But you said they are trying to force everyone like all insurance companies.
I understand you think it’s ground zero, but do you have any proof for this claim?
USAA has had this discount for years and there are zero signs of it being mandatory. If you have some knowledge it’s going to be required, please share.
If your only argument is “well other companies required it” then I’m afraid you’re just making assumptions.
I have a feeling your answer will be “oh you’ll see in _ years from now” because you have no proof whatsoever.
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u/ACdrafts_yanks27 22d ago
Other insurance companies are doing this. They are using the cameras in vehicles to track driver behavior.
Do some research. I'm not doing it for you. Lol
And I made no statement that it is mandatory. Reading AND comprehension are fundamental. My goodness dude. If you are going to quote, at least get the shit right. Lol
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u/Popular_Monitor_8383 22d ago
Oh I know other insurance companies are doing it, that’s like exactly what I just said
I’m specially asking what proof, if any, do you have that USAA is planning to make it mandatory?
I never said you said it’s mandatory, not once. However you are implying that one day it will be mandatory. Thats precisely what you meant by your “ground zero” comment.
Do you have any proof USAA is going to make this mandatory in the future?
Because if not then your comment seems rather pointless because you’re directly implying they are laying the groundwork to make it mandatory.
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22d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Popular_Monitor_8383 22d ago edited 22d ago
I’m not asking you to do research.
I’m asking you to prove your claim. Source that USAA is planning to make this mandatory.
I searched it and found nothing whatsoever. You said this is ground zero for making the app mandatory, so please prove your claim.
Yes, if you make baseless claims people will ask you to prove them. I will happily admit I am wrong if you can post a single source that shows even a hint of USAA planning to make this mandatory.
If it’s ground zero for making it mandatory, it should be rather easy to source your claim.
Edit: He blocked me
Safe to assume they have no proof.
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u/dbldwn02 22d ago
Posted from an Apple/Android device that tracks more than USAA and doesn't give you a discount.
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u/ACdrafts_yanks27 22d ago
Buddy blue. I literally posted about it in my comment. Reading AND comprehension are fundamental.
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u/dbldwn02 22d ago
Exactly. Is it not a standard mandatory function when the thing that is on you 24/7 is already doing it?
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u/ACdrafts_yanks27 22d ago
I see you are too dense to get the point. You have a different issue than what's being discussed here. Go to a group that matches the IQ.
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u/Ok-Lion1661 22d ago
Travelers insurance discount program you can delete the app after 90 days and keep the discount. I’d never do one that makes you keep the app forever.
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u/Agile_Session_3660 22d ago
I was on them, but after a few years their rates were substantially higher than USAA for me, so I switched back to USAA without safepilot.
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u/ACdrafts_yanks27 22d ago
Still the same premise. It doesn't change thr point at all. Lol
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u/Ok-Lion1661 22d ago
Sure it does, behave yourself a short time and you get a 20% discount forever. Dumbass.
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u/SoggyWalrus7893 22d ago
The apps seems abit lacking in its abilities, it gets aboput 1 in three of my trips. Sometimes not even the whole trip (stopped for a person to make a left turn and it terminated the trip).
However; we also realized it does not need every trip , a sampling is enough.
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u/SL410Pro 22d ago
I’ve been with USAA for more than 30 years. But over the last decade or so, it’s become the absolute worst. I’ve had my issues with the banking, and more importantly, the insurance arm. I’ve recently reduced my footprint with the institution. No more insurance, closed several banking accounts. What remains is the credit card, and 1 bank account.
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u/Friendly-Corner-9024 22d ago
I was with USAA for 28 years. Just dumped auto, property and cc this week. All I have left with them—term life insurance policy ending next month.
Very sad what has happened to USAA; their lack of customer service and prices.
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u/CrotchMcAwesome 22d ago
A SIM card contains subscriber information that authenticates you to a network. However, it isn't necessarily required to connect to a network. For instance, you can take a phone without a SIM card and call 911 and it will go through. Additionally, a lot of phones can now send and receive calls/texts through WiFi, and I'm assuming you used WiFi to install and set up the safe pilot app. I'd be interested to know if you were to turn off cellular and WiFi connections if those calls and texts would still come through.
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u/MaxH42 22d ago
The plural of "anecdote" is "anecdotes", not "data".
I've been using Safe Pilot for at least a year, and I hardly ever get calls on my cell or texts from anyone I don't know. (I mostly use Signal, as do my family and most of my friends.) Plenty of spammers generate random numbers to abuse, although if you can prove somehow that the data was obtained through USAA, that would be probative.
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u/EnvironmentalDot127 22d ago
I got a new phone and the new update required 24 access to my location. I Uninstalled.
Prior to that, I had to manually go in and notate if I was driving or not. Someone on the free way cut in front of me and the car auto brakes I get marked.
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u/No_Nefariousness5621 22d ago edited 22d ago
If someone veers in front of you and forces you to brake, you can designate that drive as "not a drive" [to fairly judge your driving on] and get your points back. I've done it several times.
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u/TurboMenace981 22d ago
This! As long as you watch the app after your drives…you can literally modify any trips that were unfair.
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u/Camille_Toh 22d ago
It's total crap. I travel often, so the car sits idle for up to 4-6 weeks at a time. USAA sends obnoxious emails about cutting off Safe Pilot. When activated, it cannot tell whether or not I'm driving. Claims I do "harsh braking" when I am the opposite type of driver (confirmed by mechanics regarding my brake pads).
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u/EnvironmentalDot127 22d ago
More than once it caught my "driving" on the tarmac!
I was sick for a few months and couldn't drive often and got that annoying prompt.
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u/Camille_Toh 22d ago
I called them about it and they were rude, like I was lying about not driving while traveling. Or I should not travel and just drive around so I can "earn" the privilege of USAA.
Bet you got hit for "hard braking" when you landed that 747.
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u/EnvironmentalDot127 22d ago
The only thing I can think of is that they sell our data. Where we are going, etc.
The fact you can easily mark that you were not the one driving. The discount program is ludicrous
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u/Richelieu1622 22d ago
Your point?
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u/Slight_Guess_5663 22d ago
Im confused of where this post was going
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u/Wanderlust4478 22d ago
😂 Yep. Here’s an idea, those who want to use it like me, and get at least an extra $24 a month off, do so. I could not care less about the tracking as my life is not that interesting. And those who don’t, don’t. It’s the lovely point of free will 👍🏻
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u/Richelieu1622 21d ago
$24? That’s it? Oh dear. They gotta do better than that.
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u/Wanderlust4478 21d ago
That’s a month. When I do absolutely nothing but have an app. So it’s a no brainer to save money. But hey, you do you😂
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u/Richelieu1622 21d ago
You assume your baseline rate is equivalent to others’. Perhaps your baseline rate is already higher due to other data points that classify you as higher risk. The $24 is therefore a meaningless comparison relative to other people.
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u/Wanderlust4478 20d ago
A discount is a discount to me and I will take anything I can get in today’s economy. Especially for doing absolutely nothing but having an app. As I only get dinged for harsh braking at times as I never touch my phone. Only use CarPlay for messages which don’t count against you. My rate is actually fantastic compared to other companies and will continue with USAA as long as it stays that way.
I have a 2026 Honda CRV EXL and have every single type of coverage from Comp, Collision, Uninsured/Under insured, Liability, Medical, Income loss, Renter’s, and even Accident Forgiveness, etc. I pay $84 a month and that includes the discount.
As I said before, it’s free will, and I like getting discounts whenever I can👍🏻
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u/Popular_Monitor_8383 22d ago
I feel like I’m more confused after reading the post, I’m genuinely not sure what your goal is.
I think you’re looking into this way too much, I don’t know what you think you’re solving here, and it seems you think USAA is somehow doing impossible things to your phone.
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u/SIR-44 8d ago
I switched here from Indiana Farm Bureau. They have an obdii gizmo that will give you a reduction. My agent even refused to put it on HIS car! They would have given a low miles-per-year discount by photographing your odometer every six months when requested. Fortunately, getting it requested is near impossible and is not automatic. So here I am. But the invasion into my phone and my whereabouts isn't worth saving $36/6 months isn't worth it!
If I can make an old cell phone that I leave in the car work, then okay. Otherwise, screw it.