If you are wondering how you can identify a car insurance company with only a policy number, this guide will help you figure out how feasible it is to do so. Unfortunately, it is very hard to find an insurance company based solely on a policy number. However, doing so is possible in some states where DMV codes are easier to look up.
We understand that searching for car insurance can be overwhelming, which is why our experts reviewed the best car insurance companies.
Can You Find an Insurance Company With Only a Policy Number?
You can sometimes find an insurance company with only a policy number, but this will not always be the case. In many situations, it will be difficult to do, if not impossible.
That is because there is no master database with insurance policy numbers and drivers. Each state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) keeps this information. However, knowing the state that the policy is registered in is not always enough since privacy laws protect the information.
You should know that insurance policy numbers vary by state and company. They are also specific to each driver.
Unfortunately, the best option to find an insurance company with just a policy number is to call various providers in your area. You can give the company the number and ask if it matches one of its insured drivers.
You will not find this information on any insurance company’s website. Because of privacy laws, the information is not searchable on insurers’ websites. Your only option in most cases is to call companies directly and ask a representative.
Remember that the company will not tell you any information about the driver. This is a matter of privacy for the policyholder. However, the company may confirm that the policy number is associated with one of its clients. Not all companies will do this, though, as the auto insurance policy number is similar to an account number, so privacy rules may apply.
Check DMV Insurance Codes If Possible
No one wants to spend countless hours calling around to various companies in hopes of finding the right company to provide them with the information they are seeking. As such, your Department of Motor Vehicles is the best resource for finding insurance company codes since each state’s DMV is responsible for holding this information.
Although DMVs do not list the full database of individual policy numbers for privacy reasons, some will list codes for various auto insurance companies. The challenge is that most states do not have public lists of codes for all insurance companies.
If you are in New Jersey or New York, you are in luck, as these state DMVs make it easy to find the relevant company codes. You can do a quick online search for your state to see if these codes are readily available. You can also try calling your local DMV to ask about state codes.
If you live somewhere that you can find the codes, look at the beginning of the policy number. If it matches with one of the codes on the state’s list, then you have found the right insurance provider.
You should also keep in mind that this method will only work if you know that the insurance policy is from your state. You could theoretically check several nearby states as well, but that can quickly become time-consuming.
Get the Police Report
Nearly every time that you want to find someone’s insurance company based on their policy number is because you have been involved in a car accident. You likely got some information from the driver at the time of the accident, but then realized too late that you didn’t have enough to make a proper claim.
Assuming that is the case, getting the police report from the accident can give you the information you need. Remember that part of the job of a responding officer is to get all of the relevant information at the scene of the accident. Once you identify yourself, they will likely be able to help you by sharing that information that should be stored in their system.
If you aren’t sure whether anyone made a police report for your accident, consider contacting the police department anyway. They can at least tell you if there is an official report that was filed. If there is no report, you can move on to another option.
Use a License Plate Number
You may not realize it, but looking up insurance information based solely on a policy number is not the easiest route to take. It is actually easier to get the information from a license plate number.
The great thing about getting the information from a license plate number is that you can use this method even if the other driver drove away after the accident without sharing their information, or didn’t have their policy number or ID card handy.
You don’t even have to do any research when using the license plate number, as your insurance agent will completely handle it. Just give the agent the number, and they will do the rest as part of their investigation into your claim. This is also the case for independent agents.
Let Your Insurance Company Figure It Out
Sometimes, you will be in an accident with someone who drives away from the scene. If this happens, chances are you didn’t get enough – or any – information.
If you don’t have enough information to file an insurance claim, let the insurance agent know. Part of the job of the claims adjuster is to thoroughly research the accident as much as possible.
If the agent cannot find enough information for you to make a claim, you can still be covered if you have uninsured motorist insurance. That type of insurance is specifically for hit and run incidents, and you may have it even if you don’t have full coverage insurance.
How to Avoid This Situation in the Future
If you ever find yourself in a situation where you are trying to find the insurance company based on the policy number, you will likely resolve to never put yourself in this scenario again. There are a few things you can do to prevent this in the future.
Start by always getting as much information as you can immediately after a car accident. Ideally, take pictures of the other driver’s license plate, proof of insurance – like the insurance card – and VIN number (vehicle identification number). You may even want to take a picture of the other driver’s ID card. You should also get the following information from the other driver:
- Full name
- Phone number
- Policy number
- Insurance agent
- Insurance company
You should always file a police report whenever you have the option to do so. This will create an official record of the incident and help save the information for future reference if needed.
Our Recommendations for Auto Insurance
To make sure you get covered even if you can’t find the other driver’s insurance company, you want the best auto insurance policy from a top provider. After extensive research, our team found GEICO, USAA, and State Farm to be the best options.
GEICO: 9.1 out of 10.0
GEICO earned a 9.1 overall rating from our expert team. This reflects a 9.8 for industry reputation, an 8.5 for coverage, a 9.4 for cost, and 9.0 for customer experience.
USAA: 9.6 out of 10.0
Our team awarded USAA an overall rating of 9.6. This includes a 9.3 for industry reputation and customer experience, and 10.0 for cost, plus a 9.5 for coverage.
State Farm: 9.1 out of 10.0
State Farm earned a 9.1 out of 10.0 overall. This reflects a 9.9 for industry reputation and a 9.0 for coverage and cost. State Farm also earned an 8.8 for customer experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I look up someone’s insurance policy?
You can’t look up someone’s actual insurance policy, but depending on the state you live in, you may be able to identify their insurance company with their policy number.
Is the policy number the same as the member ID for car insurance?
Your policy number will be the number that appears on your insurance card. In the case of member-based insurance, like AAA, the policy number and member ID will be different.
What do car insurance policy numbers look like?
Car insurance policy numbers are between eight and 13 characters and are typically all numbers.
How do I trace a car insurance policy?
You can check to see which company provides a car insurance policy using the DMV database. Otherwise, your insurance company can trace the policy for you.
Methodology
The Detroit Bureau collects data from every major car insurance provider to formulate rankings of the best insurers. Our in-depth rating system takes into account market share, coverage, auto insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services, customer satisfaction and ratings from industry experts. Each insurer is given a weighted score in four categories, as well as an overall score out of 10.0.
We recommend auto insurance companies based on these rankings, but we also encourage you to perform your own research and compare quotes to find the best coverage.
