For example, if I list my occupation as "Consultant", Leaky says Geico will give me a $150 discount. Bizarre.
Edit: Clarifying that Leaky says Geico will give me a discount, not that Geico actually does.
Leaky guys -- I'll try to ring Geico and tell them I'm a consultant so I'd like my $150 discount. Will let you know how it goes.
If you're in California (the only state that we officially support), we're within 1% in about 50% of cases and within 3% in about 80% of cases - and we're always getting better. However, there are still occasional outliers that we are always trying to identify and fix.
If you're outside California, well - the prices will be different. However, the magnitude changes (eg for switching cars) will be similar to what you would see in your state.
As for the occupation discounts - those come straight from the insurers' filed documents.
This, and that it is probably true, makes me embarrassed for my country and how awful we allow businesses to be to people.
The amount of information you mention is not as troubling (though you missed your email address), but I would still like to know that they will delete that information after they are done with it, not retain it forever while maintaining the right to give it to pretty much anyone they want as long as they are "affiliated" with Leaky.
And yes, a YC startup may be more trustworthy than an insurance company, but on the other hand, the insurance company needs to collect that information, and is much more heavily regulated, while Leaky, as a private company under not much regulation, can do pretty much anything it wants.