What Is a Car Insurance Policy Number? (2024)

When you buy a new policy, your car insurance provider generates a policy number made up of a unique string of letters and numbers. This number is specific to your policy and helps you file claims and exchange insurance information with other drivers, among other things.

In this article, the MarketWatch Guides team explains when you’ll need your car insurance policy number, how to find it and when you will need another driver’s policy number. We also recommend two of the top insurance companies to consider.

Learn more about our methodology and editorial guidelines.

What Is an Insurance Policy Number?

An insurance policy number is a unique string of letters and numbers used to identify your insurance policy. If you have multiple policies with your insurance provider, you’ll have different numbers for each policy.

When Do I Need My Car Insurance Policy Number?

There are several instances where you’ll need to supply your policy number, such as:

Car Accidents

You’ll need to exchange insurance and contact information with other drivers whenever you’re involved in an auto accident. This swap helps insurance companies process your claims more quickly, especially if you live in an at-fault state.

Traffic Stops

When a police officer pulls you over, they’ll ask for your driver’s license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance. Many states require you to carry a paper or electronic copy of your insurance documents to present at the time of the incident.

Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Verification

In states such as Florida and New Mexico, you’ll need to provide proof of insurance to renew your registration.

Filing an Insurance Claim

Having your auto insurance policy number on hand when filing a claim speeds up the process. You’ll also need it to make changes to your policy, such as adding a new vehicle or driver.

How To Find Your Car Insurance Policy Number

Your insurance ID card, declarations page and renewal notice all contain your policy number. Your insurance bill will also have your policy number on it. Check the personal information section to find it. If you can’t find it, check your online or mobile account or contact your insurance agent.

What To Do If You Lose Your Policy Number

If you lose your policy documents, you can retrieve your policy number online. Most insurance providers, including Nationwide and Farmers, have free mobile apps. Download your carrier’s app and sign in using the same information you used to create your online account. The app will get you access to all of your policy information, including your policy number.

If you haven’t created an online account, you can do so in just a few minutes. You’ll need to provide details such as your name, address, date of birth and phone number to link your account to your policy. Once you’ve successfully registered, log in and access your policy documents or your account dashboard to find your policy number.

You can also contact your insurance agent to get this information. You’ll need to provide information to verify your identity, such as your date of birth, billing address or vehicle details.

When Do You Need Someone Else’s Policy Number?

Some occasions where you’ll need another driver’s insurance policy number include:

Car Accidents

You’ll need to exchange information with the other driver when you’re involved in a collision. This information swap gives both insurance companies the information they need to process the claim.

Filing a Police Report

If someone hit your vehicle and ran, you can file a police report. If the police find the driver, you can request their policy number.

Verifying Insurance

DMVs can disclose whether a vehicle carries insurance. You’ll need to provide a valid reason for the request and supply details such as the vehicle identification number (VIN).

What If You Don’t Get the Other Driver’s Information?

If you’re involved in an accident with another driver who refuses to provide their insurance information, call the police to handle the matter. Get as much information about the driver’s vehicle as possible, including its make, model, color and license plate number. The more information you get, the easier it will be for police to find the other person if they leave the scene.

You can further protect yourself by installing a dash cam in your vehicle. If a collision occurs while the camera is recording, you can turn the video of that collision over to the police. Some dash cams can even record accidents that happen while your vehicle is stationary, giving you extra protection when you’re not present.

What Is a Car Insurance Policy Number?: The Bottom Line

Car insurance companies assign each policyholder a unique policy number when they purchase coverage. You’ll find this information on your auto insurance card, the declarations page of your policy and documents such as billing statements and renewal notices.

You’ll need to provide your policy number to other drivers involved in an accident or to police officers who pull you over for traffic stops. If you lose your policy number, you can access it by contacting your insurance agent or by signing up for your provider’s free mobile app.

Top Auto Insurance Recommendations

Comparing offerings from multiple providers is the best way to shop for car insurance. Compiling car insurance quotes doesn’t take long, and it can help you save money and find a policy that suits your needs and budget.

State Farm: Best Customer Experience

State Farm offers options ranging from liability insurance to full coverage to insurance for rare and high-value vehicles. You can save up to 30% on your policy by participating in program. The program rewards drivers for safe driving behaviors recorded through the company’s free mobile app. State Farm also offers discounts for drivers who are accident-free or students who earn at least a B average.

Read more: State Farm insurance review

Geico: Best for Budget-Conscious Drivers

If you’re looking to save money on your car insurance, Geico might be a good option for you. You can score up to a 25% discount on your premiums by bundling insurance for multiple vehicles in one policy. The company offers standard collision, comprehensive and liability coverage with add-ons for emergency roadside assistance, rental reimbursem*nt and mechanical breakdown insurance.

Geico’s mobile app is also easy to use, allowing you to quickly access your policy number or file a claim on the go.

Read more: Geico insurance review

FAQ: Car Insurance Policy Number

Below are frequently asked questions about car insurance policy numbers.

Our Methodology

Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best car insurance companies. We collected data on dozens of auto insurance providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The result was an overall rating for each provider, with the insurers that scored the most points topping the list.

Here are the factors our ratings take into account:

• Cost: Auto insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services and discount opportunities were both taken into consideration.
• Coverage: Companies that offer a variety of choices for insurance coverage are more likely to meet consumer needs.
• Reputation and experience: Our research team considered market share, ratings from industry experts and years in business when giving this score.
• Availability: Auto insurance companies with greater state availability and few eligibility requirements scored highest in this category.
• Customer experience: This score is based on volume of complaints reported by the NAIC and customer satisfaction ratings reported by J.D. Power. We also considered the responsiveness, friendliness and helpfulness of each insurance company’s customer service team based on our own shopper analysis.

Our credentials:

• 800 hours researched
• 45 companies reviewed
• 8,500+ consumers surveyed

*Data accurate at time of publication.