Did you Lose the Insurance Card for your Car?

An insurance card is what you receive with your policy in the mail about every six months, as long as your car registration is valid and your vehicle passed the technical maintenance. Many people have lost their insurance card, which is also called “proof of insurance”, due to forgetting about it or putting it in someplace they can’t ever find it again. It’s not weird, because every one of us is losing something here and there, but what we need to do is to be more cautious about our important documents and policies. The reality is that most of us don’t think about our ID until a policeman stops us, and we are looking for our documents everywhere, to realize in the end we don’t have it with us, in the car.

It is a legal requirement that every driver will pay for personal injury or property damage caused by their car, in a case they are part of some accident. However, it is impossible to check the appearance or proof of payment of a person and to determine whether they are capable or not, and that`s where insurance cards come in.
Insurance cards show financial responsibility. Since drivers must carry their insurance card with them always, losing this card can cause real issues, especially if you are involved in an accident. So, next time, after you get in your vehicle, you must check for your driving license, and every other policy you need to keep with you, so you won’t get in legal problems.

What do I do?

If you lose your card, it is crucial to request a replacement card from your insurance company as soon as possible to minimize the likelihood of receiving a ticket, fines, or liability for unnecessary court costs. You need to pay a visit to your company and tell them what your problem is. They will have no problem finding you by your name, driving license number, or the number of the registration plate. After that, it may take up to a few business days until you receive the new document. Sometimes, there are some penalties you should pay if you lose it or additional expenses for getting a new one. So, we recommend you placing the original document in some safe place in your car, and never forgetting where you put it.

Get a replacement for a lost insurance card

It is not the end of the world if you lose your insurance card, because as we already said, you can easily replace it (and pay some extra money for that, but that’s what is happening when you forget where you put your important things). You can get it directly from your insurance company, and there are usually no problems. It is easy to get a new identity card, and you can check the prices and rates on websites like general.com, and choose the option that is appropriate for your current need, to get an exact price.

Another thing you can do is to call your insurance company. You can get their phone number online, but probably you already have it saved in your phonebook. Some companies provide these services online, as we said in the previous paragraph. However, you need your policy information to log in to your online system, and you better remember all of them, so you won’t get stuck in the system, trying to get a new policy.

Next, when you call a customer service representative, tell them what you need and don’t forget to ask all the questions you may have about this very exact problem. Since it’s a service request, you don’t even need a licensed agent to receive your ID. Nowadays, cards can be sent to customers via email, fax, or mail, and you can even keep an e-card on your smartphone or print it from the mail attachment.

One limitation of this process is that most of these companies may charge you replacement cards. Usually, it’s a small fee, but some of them may charge penalties because the owner wasn’t responsible enough to take care of these documents. Even though many customers think these fees are unnecessary and that it’s against the logic to pay for that, they also need to see the things from the other side and be aware that this action is taking an extra time of the employees, who have a general schedule for their tasks, and this is moving every planned task of theirs.

Alternative to lost car insurance cards

In the event of loss of your car`s insurance card, it is vital to have some other form of proof of financial responsibility, so you can prove the vehicle is yours and you are a responsible driver who takes care of every important detail. If you were stopped by the police, you wouldn`t have a problem if you have a digital copy or duplicate of your car insurance card, or maybe some document the company is giving to you while you wait for your new copy. Unfortunately, not all states accept a digital copy, so you must have a duplicate somewhere in your car and it’s better to make a licensed copy at the very first moment you receive the original.

If the arresting officer does not accept any of these terms, you will likely be released if you display an electronic view of your insurance information by logging into your account as long as you have not committed a crime and your record is clear. But, try not to get arrested while your document is lost (and even after that) because your case can be very difficult and may end up to the court.

You must always keep a duplicate copy of your insurance card in your office or at home, and of course, to always know where you stored that copy. That should be a long-term precaution as you won’t be able to drive home to get just your duplicate if you have been stopped. Don’t forget to verify these copies with the authorities, so they can be equally valuable as the original.

You can also apply for SR-22. It is not insurance, but a document that shows that you are insured. You can always have it while your insurance is still valid, even if you don’t have your card with you. In case you get stopped while you drive, you can show this form to prove you’ve paid everything you need to pay for the vehicle.
You can also prove your financial responsibility with a letter of confirmation from your company, a copy of the application for a government insurance program, or a copy of your portfolio. But, it’s always better to be responsible for your driving documents, and store them properly, so they won’t get lost.