Is driving with old insurance ID card with still current policy number ok? (land, company)

[Finger Laker]

You are required to carry proof of insurance. AZ law dictates that electronic proof is permissible. Insurance carriers do send out renewal cards at policy expiration and most carriers allow you to print online.

There are also electronic feeds that go to the MVD. This impacts your ability to register your car and the registration side of the equation. If you had an annual policy and then cancelled it, that would feed to the MVD which would then cancel your registration. The police would be able to see your registration status when running your vehicle.

Here is the ARS on the proof of financial responsibility
28-4135 - Motor vehicle financial responsibility requirement; civil penalties; evidence at hearing

[teddyearp]

The way auto insurance worked in Arizona when I lived there full time 10 years ago was that the insurance companies and the MVD communicated monthly as to which person/vehicle had current auto insurance. If you ever let your auto insurance lapse, then the company automatically informed the MVD and then your plates were suspended.

Any law enforcement officer could pull up behind you, run your plates, and find out if you had current insurance. Why would anyone need a card now ten years later?

[Finger Laker]

They wouldn't know if you had insurance, they would know if you had a valid registration.

Insurance cards are super helpful in the event of things like accidents

[cjs123]

Based on my own experience, I'd say it isn't OK.

I was recently cited for no proof of insurance because I had mistakenly removed the current year's documentation and unknowingly had last year's info in the car (I'd cleaned out the glove compartment and accidentally removed the wrong one).

The officer stopped me for a minor violation (his words) but because I could not provide proof of insurance, I wound up with two citations instead of a warning. He said it would have just been an "educational stop" if I had been able to provide proof of insurance, but because he had to cite me (again, his words) for no POI, he also had to cite me for the original reason I was stopped.

I was able to get the no-POI citation dismissed by going to the courthouse and providing my current insurance info; good thing, because that would have been a very expensive fine.

[autism360]

Originally Posted by Finger Laker

You are required to carry proof of insurance. AZ law dictates that electronic proof is permissible. Insurance carriers do send out renewal cards at policy expiration and most carriers allow you to print online.

There are also electronic feeds that go to the MVD. This impacts your ability to register your car and the registration side of the equation. If you had an annual policy and then cancelled it, that would feed to the MVD which would then cancel your registration. The police would be able to see your registration status when running your vehicle.

Here is the ARS on the proof of financial responsibility
28-4135 - Motor vehicle financial responsibility requirement; civil penalties; evidence at hearing

so according to what you said if the police check your registration and it is good you must have valid insurance on the vehicle otherwise your registration would be cancelled.

[Annie53]

Originally Posted by jimj

If it doesn't show it as a current policy then you'd be in violation.
I do believe progressive has an online proof of insurance card that you could show from your phone though.

Originally Posted by motormaker

We get ours and print them on line from the insurance companies web site.

And what happens to people who do not have a smart phone, cell phone, computer or printer?


Yes, there are still people who do not have or cannot afford these items.


I would tell Progressive that if they cannot provide me with a card to show proof of insurance I will find insurance with a company that can.

[Ohky0815]

Originally Posted by Annie53

I would tell Progressive that if they cannot provide me with a card to show proof of insurance I will find insurance with a company that can.

Progressive does- online and will mail you one if you call them.

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You can show proof of insurance later, at court, when you pay, etc.

[Finger Laker]

Originally Posted by autism360

so according to what you said if the police check your registration and it is good you must have valid insurance on the vehicle otherwise your registration would be cancelled.

Pending system/reporting lag, yes.

However, the law requires you to carry proof of financial responsibility (insurance). So you may run into headaches by not having it on you.

[Finger Laker]

I have progressive. The cards are mailed standard.

[JAinAZ]

Originally Posted by autism360

so according to what you said if the police check your registration and it is good you must have valid insurance on the vehicle otherwise your registration would be cancelled.

When the system works, yes. Sometimes the MVD doesn't receive the notice of lapsed insurance. There is also a lag time before MVD suspends the registration for lack of insurance. The only way the officer has to know you have insurance is to see a current expiration date on the card. As stated in an earlier post, the insurance card itself doesn't necessarily mean the vehicle has current insurance, but it's still the only way the officer has. The law states you need to carry a current card, or be able to electronically produce it in a reasonable amount of time. Anything else will get you a citation.

Also, if your insurance lapses and is then reinstated, the new insurance company is not mandated to tell the MVD you have new insurance, so the registration suspension stays in place. The officer will write you a citation and take your license plate away on the spot. Getting your vehicle home is up to you (only legal way is to tow it). Bottom line, don't let your insurance lapse and if you do, contact the MVD with new proof of insurance and make sure the suspension is lifted.