How to find out what car insurance I have

At some time in your life, you might find yourself not knowing if you have car insurance. This might be the case if you're going through a divorce or taking over a loved one's finances. You might not even know what carrier you have.

It's vital to know whether you have current car insurance, even if you don't need to file a claim. In most states, having car insurance is the law. It's also best to keep your car insured because you never know when an accident will happen. Most states also require proof to renew your license plate and registration. Learn how to find out whether your car is insured.

• Car insurance is important, so if you're not sure whether you have it, there are a few ways you can find out.
• You can take a look at financial statements or look in the car, as many people keep insurance information inside the vehicle.
• Getting a new insurance quote, checking the Secretary of State's office, or calling common carriers can also help you figure it out.

If you're taking over the finances for a family member and can't find car insurance information, review their bank statements. Look for payments to common carriers like GEICO or State Farm. If they've paid monthly, it will be fairly easy. If they pay every six months or make yearly payments, you may need to go through the accounts for the last year or more.

Check your registration. Many states list the carrier and your account number on a vehicle's registration. This could be one of the best ways to see if you have an active policy.

Search your car. The visor, the center console, and the glove box are the most common places to store insurance cards. Some people like to put them in the car manual inside the glove box. There should almost always be a current proof of insurance card in one of these places in states where you're required to have insurance.

Your state DMV might be able to help you. Many states require insurance companies to keep them informed about insurance policy changes. The office nearest you may be able to tell you who the carrier is or was.

Finding this card is a quick way to know if you have car insurance. It should give you the carrier’s name and the name of the agency that services the policy. Call the carrier or agency to figure out whether your account is up to date.

Getting a quote can also help you find out if you have car insurance. Agents can run a CLUE report that tells them your current carrier, and it can also tell them if a policy has lapsed. However, not all show up in a CLUE report, so this may not work 100% of the time.

Tell the agent you're talking to about the situation. Let them know you might have a current policy but that you need help finding out. The agent might be able to tell you what carrier you have; call it and request a copy of your declarations page and proof of insurance.

You should be able to get the information over the phone, so you know what they cover. However, it's still vital to ask for a copy of the declarations page, so you have it.

Many Secretary of State offices track car insurance coverage. Some states, like Texas, even track your policy to make sure it is up to date. Call or go to your local Secretary of State office and ask about your car insurance. It doesn't hurt to ask, and it could save you the time and effort of looking through piles of paper trying to find the car insurance information.

Virginia and New Hampshire are the only states that don't require auto insurance. In Virginia, you have to pay $500 to drive without insurance. In New Hampshire, insurance is only required in certain circumstances; but if you're at fault in an accident, your license will be suspended until you pay for damages.

Many drivers get insurance through popular firms like Progressive and Allstate. If you can't find any paperwork in your car or home, contact some agents and ask whether they have an auto policy out for you or your loved one.

If you've found a homeowners or renters policy, contact the company listed. Most companies offer discounts for buying multiple policies; there's a chance that your loved one bought your car insurance from the same company your other policy is with.

There is nothing wrong with not knowing if you have car insurance. In fact, it happens more than you might think. If you've gone through a divorce or a loved one's death, you might need to learn about your family finances. A little digging can help you figure out if you have car insurance. If you don't, it's time to shop around and collect a few quotes for a new car insurance policy.

However, every insurance policy whether a third party plan or a comprehensive policy is purchased with the registration number of your car. Let us dig into the details of this number and understand how it can be utilised to check the status of your car insurance.

What Is a Car Registration Number?

A car registration number is a number issued by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) of the particular district. This registration number is distinguished for every car because it helps in the identification of the car as well as the car owner. After the purchase of a new car, it has to be registered with the local RTO within 30 days of its purchase. After the registration of your car, the RTO releases a unique registration number for it that you should fix at the front and back of your car after getting it printed on a number plate. Its attachment to your car will help in its identification.

The registration number comes in a specific format which is AA DD AA DDDD. Here ‘A’ represents the letters, while and ‘D’ symbolises the numerical digits. The first two letters denote the code of the state, where your car is registered. The next two digits signify the district code and the next two alphabets indicate the ongoing series of the RTO, which is designed for vehicle classification. In the registration number, the last four digits serve the purpose of identification of your car. In short, if your car has a number i.e., UP 32 GA 1988, then UP would stand for the state where the car registered, which is Uttar Pradesh, 32 implies the district of the state where the RTO exists, GA would be the RTO sequence number and 1988 would stand for the unique identification number of your car.

The basic concept behind this registration number is that its first six characters could be the same in various cars, but the last four figures can never be the same as they are unique and created for the identification of the car.

Guide To Find Car Registration Details Online

The process to find car registration details is easy. You can trace car owner details by registration number online through a national registry known as VAHAN. The website is a central database that contains all crucial vehicle data or information like fuel type, owner name, road tax details, car class or type, registration date, registration number and so on. Insurance Expiry Date. It centralizes all information pertaining to driving licences and vehicle registration certificates from different DTOs and RTOs. Below is the step to check vehicle registration details online-enabled through VAHAN:

Step 1: Visit the website of VAHAN to check the car owner name.

Step 2: Click on ‘Know Your Vehicle Details’.

Step 3: Enter the vehicle registration number which is your Car Plate Number.

Step 4: Enter the human verification code and click on ‘Search Car’.

Step 5: Make a note of the car owner’s name and other details of the car.

How To Check Car Registration Details With SMS?

You can find out the RTO car information who wants data without checking it online can also check car registration details with SMS. Here are the steps to find out how:

Step 1: Enter VAHAN Vehicle Registration Number.

Step 2: Send the SMS to 7738299899.

You will get complete details of the car in addition to the car owner’s name, RTO details, make and model, RC and FC expiry, insurance details, and so on.

Reasons To Find Car Details With Number Plate

In India, several cars are being purchased every day which can be new and used. Many cars are registered on a daily basis the details of which are difficult to trace. Below are some reasons due to which you should find car details with number plate:

1. Hit and Run Case

To track a car owner with a car registration number can be a tedious task, especially in a hit-and-run case. With VAHAN, you can find the car owner details through number plate details.

2. In Case of Accident

If your car gets meets an accident and gets damaged that arise a dispute between you and a third party, you can trace your car owner’s details through their vehicle’s registration number.

3. Buying A Used Car

If you are buying a used vehicle directly from the owner or through a dealer, you should check the detail of the vehicle or its owner through VAHAN. It ensures the genuineness and authenticity of the vehicle and its owner.

4. No Objection Certificate

With VAHAN, RTOs across the nation can access your car data through the centralized database or the national registry of vehicle’s registration certificates, due to which you can avoid presenting a NOC for your car.

How to Use the Registration Number?

The registration number of a car serves a lot more than providing uniqueness and helping in the identification of different cars. Some other benefits of a registration number are as follow:

To Purchase a Car Insurance Policy

You can not buy a car insurance policy without having a registration number. Whenever a car insurance plan is offered by an insurance company, the registration number of the insured car is entered in the policy document which confirms that the insurance policy is created and issued to a particular car.

To Renew a Car Insurance Policy

During the renewal process of your car insurance policy, every policyholder will have to enter the registration number of his or her car to renew the car insurance cover. When it comes to the purchase or renewal of your car insurance policy, it is never possible without your car’s registration number.

To Request the Claim for Insurance

To request an insurance claim for compensation against damage or loss sustained by your car or even by a third party, you must fill up your car registration number along with your car insurance plan number. In fact, you may also require to submit a registration certificate of the car to process your insurance claims.

To Check Details of Car Insurance

The best registration number of a car is that it can fetch the car insurance plan even if you do not have an insurance policy number. Hence, you should always keep it safe with you. To get the details of the car insurance plan you just have to enter the registration number of your car.