California Bill Would Allow Electronic Auto Insurance Cards

If signed into law, California would become the seventh state to accept mobile insurance cards at traffic stops.

California Assemblyman Mike Gatto has introduced a bill into the state's legislature that would allow drivers to show mobile auto insurance cards at traffic stops.

The bill, AB 1708, has been approved by the California Senate Insurance Committee and has moved on for evaluation by the body's Appropriations Committee. Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana and Minnesota already accept mobile insurance cards at traffic stops.

“Millions of drivers are pulled over annually and asked to prove they have auto insurance. If they don’t have that little piece of paper in their glove box, they end up with a fix-it ticket and a court date, even if they had coverage,” said Armand Feliciano, Association of California Insurance Companies vice president, in a statement. "This bill is a win-win for consumers because it lets drivers show they have insurance in a more convenient way.”

"Electronic proof of coverage is the wave of the future given how prevalent smart phones have become," added Alex Hageli, Property Casualty Insurers Association of America director, personal lines policy, in the statement. “Several insurers already offer apps or will email copies of policies to consumers. Hopefully more states will follow in California’s footsteps in 2013 and modernize their proof of coverage laws.”

Nathan Golia is senior editor of Insurance & Technology. He joined the publication in 2010 as associate editor and covers all aspects of the nexus between insurance and information technology, including mobility, distribution, core systems, customer interaction, and risk ... View Full Bio