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When you purchase a new auto insurance policy, you can choose from a range of coverage options beyond your state's minimum requirements. One thing you can't choose, though: whether or not you have a policy number.
A car insurance policy number is a unique number assigned by your insurer for a specific policy, similar to an account number. It can be used in a variety of settings to identify an auto insurance policy and the driver and vehicle linked to it.
What Is a Car Insurance Policy Number?
Car insurers juggle countless policies. They may have thousands of people who drive the same vehicle as you or who have the same type of coverage as you. Your own family may have several policies with one insurer, either for multiple vehicles or for different types of insurance (like home or life insurance) to get a bundling discount.
To make it easier, your insurer issues a unique identifier—the car insurance policy number—that ties you to that specific coverage.
When Do You Need Your Car Insurance Policy Number?
You don't need to memorize your car insurance policy number; it's not something you need to reference often. But you should know where it is, since it's typically required in certain situations such as:
- When you contact your insurance company: If you need to file a claim, change coverage or get customer support, you may need to have your policy number handy to confirm your identity or to ensure you're talking about the correct policy.
- When you're in an accident: Whether you or someone else caused a collision, you'll need to exchange insurance information so your insurance companies know whom to contact for claims. Presuming you aren't severely hurt, once you call 911 and take photos of the vehicles or other damage, it's ideal for you and the other driver to take photos of each others' insurance cards since it will include their policy number in addition to their name and insurance company.
- When you get pulled over: If a law enforcement officer pulls you over for a traffic stop, they may request to see your insurance card (paper or digital) in addition to your license and registration. The officer can use your policy number to check that you have valid coverage, since driving without car insurance is against the law in nearly all states.
- When you've been caught driving without insurance: If you were pulled over and then couldn't produce valid insurance coverage—whether yours expired or you have no recent policy—you might face fines or even suspension of your license. If that happens, you'll need to obtain valid coverage and provide your state with your new policy number, among other details.
- When you're test driving or buying a new vehicle: Car dealers might not let you take a car off the lot, whether to do a test drive or buy, if you can't provide a policy number and prove you have active coverage.
How to Find My Car Insurance Policy Number
Not sure where to locate this identifier? Here's how to track down your car insurance policy number:
- Check your insurance card. Your insurance card, which should always be kept in your vehicle or on your person, will have your policy number on it along with details about you, your car and your insurer. Depending on your insurer, you might have a paper version of your ID card and/or have a digital version on your phone.
- Review your insurance declarations page or agreement. When you take out a new car insurance policy, you receive a document called a declarations page that lays out the full details of your coverage and costs. Your policy number will be on it, along with any other documentation you received when purchasing coverage.
- Log in to your account. If you have an online account set up with your car insurer, log in and look for your policy details. If you can't find your number easily, look for the digital versions of your policy documents.
- Review your bills. Whether you receive bills for your insurance premium or policy via snail mail or digitally, you should be able to find your policy number listed on that document.
- Contact your insurer. Still can't find your policy ID number? Contact your insurer (or broker or agent) through your preferred communication method and request they locate it for you.
What to Do if Someone Steals Your Insurance Policy Number
Sometimes, thieves break into cars to steal a vehicle's registration and/or insurance information. When this happens, they're typically after your vehicle identification number (VIN), which they may be able to use to register illegal cars, file false insurance claims on totaled vehicles or make duplicate keys. Since these documents contain your home address, it's also possible a thief hopes to use your information for identity theft purposes, or if they find keys or a garage door opener, to plan a break-in.
It's usually not your insurance policy number they're after. To be clear, though, it is possible someone who steals your policy number will use your information to falsify documents and make a fraudulent insurance claim on your policy.
The process of submitting an auto insurance claim requires a hefty amount of information and documentation, so it's unlikely someone would successfully file a claim posing as you, or a false claim against your policy, without your knowledge.
The Bottom Line
Your car insurance policy number is a string of digits that's unique to you, similar to your bank account number. You may not use that policy number often, but since you're required to present it in a variety of situations, it's wise to know what it is—or at least where you can quickly access it if you're pulled over or involved in an accident.