Many drivers don’t realize the importance of a car insurance identification card until the misfortune event of being involved in an accident, especially in fender benders in which they are at fault. It’s also possible when being pulled over during a traffic stop to show proof of vehicle registration and car insurance coverage. Also, it’s mandatory before leaving the scene of an accident to provide some form of verification that you’re properly insured to both the state police and any other parties involved.
An auto insurance card is simply some form of documentation from your insurance company verifying the basic details of your current coverage. Usually, the ID documents are small enough to fit into your wallet; however, it’s recommended to store the ID safely in your vehicle’s glove box. It’s important to keep the ID in the correct vehicle, using the VIN to correctly identify which ID card belongs in which vehicle.
Upon purchasing auto insurance, your agent will provide you with an insurance ID card for each vehicle covered on your policy. Generally agents provide a temporary card, and then mail a permanent ID along with your policy within a few days of buying insurance coverage. Other insurers, however, don’t provide policyholders with instant temporary ID. In such situations until you receive the proper documentation, keep your insurer’s name and contact information in the insured vehicle in case of an accident. Fortunately, some states are opting to rely on an electronic- database tracking system to verify current insurance coverage.
What’s listed on an ID Card?
Although various companies handle the distribution and the specific information that’s included on car insurance ID cards, the following are basic details that are printed on most ID cards:
• Name of the car insurance company
• Name of insurance agency in which coverage was purchased
• Date insurance went into effect
• Date insurance expires
• Policy number
• Named insured covered by the policy (it’s possible for additional drivers to also be listed)
• Make, model, and year of the vehicle covered
• VIN number of vehicle covered.
It’s important to keep in mind that your car insurance ID card may not list every driver included on the policy. For example if you give your friend permission to drive your car to work, the friend would be covered; however, your car insurance policy is considered secondary to your friend’s coverage.
If you have additional questions about obtaining a car insurance ID card, contact your agent or insurer for more information.
