GM Is Expanding Some of Its Premium Services Beyond GM Owners
Aleena Juarez
· 4 min read
Automakers are notorious for only offering the
highly sought after features
everyone wants to those willing to upgrade. It helps bring in extra revenue, and creates a bit of pride for the owners who get to show off their fancy new car
.GM is breaking the mold, however. It's not only offering its premium service Onstar to all of its customers, it's offering it to everyone else. It might also be expanding into
car insurance
.GM is expanding Onstar
If you've seen all the commercials for Onstar and wished you could have it, now is the time. GM is planning to offer subscriptions for US and Canadian drivers, even if they don't currently own a GM vehicle.
This is a means to help generate recurring revenue, according to
Insurance Journal
. This might be in part due to the pandemic
, which hasn't been kind to the auto industry. There is also a chip shortage which is affecting more than one automaker.By expanding beyond just making and selling cars, GM is taking a step towards not being dependent on this part of its business, and it could mean great things for the future. So how much does GM think it can bring in? According to Insurance Journal, about $30 billion.
That all sounds great for GM, but why would you actually want an Onstar subscription? What does it actually do?
Onstar is more than a handy app
Onstar is an app you can download to your iPhone or Android device. It offers
roadside assistance
for a variety of situations, such as a flat tire, car accident, or anything that leaves you stranded on the side of the road.Onstar really shines when it comes to
crash
responses. It's not always possible to call 911 when you've hit your head. You don't know where you are, it's hard to think, and the chances of your phone being within reach may not be that good. This is where Onstar comes in handy. Someone from Onstar will contact you and ask if you're okay. They'll stay on the line until help arrives, and will even contact 911 on your behalf.
There are other good aspects to Onstar. It can help keep track of your loved ones. This is perfect for concerned parents who have
young teenagers
just learning how to drive. As seen in a commercial launched to promote Onstar, it's also useful for kids to track parents who have health problems. For anyone who is always concerned about their loved ones, this is a great tool to have. The best part is that the Onstar subscription only costs $15 a month. GM isn't done there, however.
GM is offering insurance now
Part of staying afloat in any business is thinking outside the box, and breaking into new arenas. GM has decided to do this by expanding into insurance.
The American automaker is planning to offer
insurance
as part of the Onstar program. This would be offered as part of a bundle. In the future, it might even expand to people who want location-based emergency services whether or not they are in their vehicle. For anyone who likes to park their vehicle and then get out and hike, this could be a game changer. As long as you have a signal, of course.
GM hasn't put out much information about what this insurance bundle will look like yet, so it's most likely still in the planning stages. We do know that GM is working on offering insurance incentives and data analytics to fleet operators.
Are you looking to sign up for a new insurance policy or look at the new offers available if you switch? Let
Jerry
do the work for you. It only takes 45 seconds to sign up, and then we'll take care of the rest. 
