Consumer Alert - Proof of Auto Insurance
1/6/2003 - As of Feb. 1, 2003, a new law will be in effect requiring your insurance company to send proof of your auto insurance to the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety (DMVS) for entry into a statewide database. From then on, law enforcement officers will obtain proof of your insurance from this database — not from your insurance card. It is important, however, that you continue to carry your card with you. You may need to use if to exchange information with another driver or if you travel out of state.
There have been some problems with the transmission of data from insurance companies to DMVS. There are four reasons your insurance information may not be in the database:
- Your insurance company has not submitted your data
- Your insurance company submitted the wrong VIN (vehicle identification number) for your vehicle, so it does not match the VIN that DMVS shows in their records for your car
- The VIN on your registration does not match the actual VIN of your car
- You have no insurance/your insurance has lapsed
If you are pulled over and the law enforcement officer does not see proof of your insurance in the DMVS database, you can be cited and arrested. To try to protect yourself from such circumstances, you should, as soon as possible:
- Be sure you have current auto insurance
- Check the VIN on your insurance card against the VIN on your car registration; if the two numbers do not match, contact your insurance company and let them know they need to send your corrected VIN to DMVS
- Check the VIN on your registration to be sure it matches your car's actual VIN; if not, contact your local tag office
If you want to confirm that your insurance information is in the DMVS database, you can go to your local tag office and ask the office to verify it for you. You must go in person to your tag office, and they will probably only be able to provide verbal confirmation.
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