Zuno General Insurance has announced significant early traction for its app-based usage-based insurance product, Zuno SmartDrive, which has recorded over 1 crore kilometres since its launch in March 2025. The digital insurer attributes the growth to increasing acceptance of behaviour-driven, personalised insurance among younger Indian drivers.
The company has expanded access to its telematics-based model by launching the Zuno Driving Quotient Challenge, a five-day free trial available to non-customers. Participants can download the Zuno app, complete a driving assessment, and receive a personalised score that unlocks discounts on car insurance and gift vouchers. Zuno describes this as the first large-scale, app-based pre-purchase driving test in India offering direct financial benefits.
Driving Patterns and Regional Insights
Data from 1.5 lakh trips shows an average driving score of 92%, with the highest participation from users aged 28 to 40. The company’s analysis identifies frequent hard braking and rapid acceleration as the strongest predictors of lower scores and higher risk, regardless of location or vehicle type.
Major metropolitan areas including Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata recorded an average score of 91%. Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab and Tamil Nadu emerged as states with the safest driving patterns, each maintaining scores above 92%. Speeding was more prevalent in Pune and Kolkata, while harsh braking was frequently observed in Guntur and Vizianagaram.
The data revealed minimal gender differences in driving safety, with women scoring 92.83% compared to 92.81% for men. High-scoring behaviour was most common during weekday daytime driving, and top-tier scores between 96 and 100 showed a 40% lower claims risk.
Road Safety Context
The launch comes against the backdrop of India’s ongoing road safety challenges. Provisional data for 2024 from the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways indicates over 4.7 lakh road accidents and more than 1.7 lakh fatalities. Final 2023 data recorded 4.81 lakh accidents, 1.73 lakh deaths and over 4.6 lakh injuries, equivalent to roughly 20 deaths and 55 accidents per hour.
Shanai Ghosh, MD & CEO of Zuno General Insurance, said the company aims to build a fair and transparent insurance experience that reflects actual driving behaviour. “The early numbers show that young India is driving safer, smarter and more mindfully, and they’re getting rewarded for it,” Ghosh stated.
Zuno SmartDrive includes real-time crash detection using mobile telematics, which automatically alerts the support team in case of an accident. The system coordinates emergency support, roadside assistance and priority claims handling without requiring the customer to initiate contact.
The company’s analysis found that seasonal weather changes do not significantly impact driving patterns, with high-scoring drivers maintaining consistent performance across summer and monsoon seasons.
Zuno General Insurance, formerly Edelweiss General Insurance, began operations in 2018 and currently serves over 8 million customers through an omnichannel distribution network. The company has partnerships with major automotive manufacturers and financial services providers across India.