The majority of states in the US require you carry auto insurance if you plan to drive. Although, statistics show that over 13 percent of the drivers in the United States are uninsured. A few key pieces of information to help you find out if someone is insured are drivers license number of the vehicle owner, VIN number, or the license plate number of the vehicle in question. From there you may be able to request help from your local DMV office.
When you’re involved in an accident it can create a great deal of stress, and when the other driver does not have insurance, it can create a whole new set of issues you will have to deal with.
Typically, when an accident takes place the reporting officer will take down both parties involved auto insurance information and hand a copy to each driver involved. Unfortunately, when you’re involved in a hit and run this option is not available.
So, how do we find out if they have car insurance?
It is not advised that you chase after someone that has fled the scene of an accident. It is best to stay at the scene and wait for the police to show up. It’s always best to get the information that happened in the accident to the police as soon as possible. This way your honest statement of the event is registered first in the police record.
If at all possible, if you can remember the license plate number of the driver as they speed away, write it down as soon as you can. It’s also a good idea to take down the make and model of the vehicle. If you can snap a photo with your cell phone you may have a better chance of retaining the information.
Then immediately notify the police. File a hit and run and explain the situation in full detail. If you were lucky enough to get a picture of the vehicle license plate included, it should be pretty easy for the police to locate the owner of the vehicle. From there they can find the auto insurance policy associated with that vehicle, or lack of.
Another option to find out if someone has auto insurance is to stop by your local DMV office. You will need the license number and a very valid reason for the request. For example, I was involved in a hit and run and I need the information for auto insurance purposes. The DMV has the right to deny your request for this information if you provide false reasoning.
What if the hit and run driver disappears?
In situations like this one of your best options is going to be contacting the driver’s auto insurance company. This information would be available if you were able to take down info on the vehicle that hit you.
There’s always the chance that the hit and run driver does not have adequate insurance and it may not cover the damages caused to your vehicle. If we look at the flip side of that you could be looking at an even bigger issue if the driver that hit doesn’t have auto insurance at all.
If you are involved in a hit and run accident and do not know what to do, contact a car accident attorney. Have them look into all of your options and do what’s best for your situation. Very often an attorney can help track down the other driver responsible and help get your car fixed.
When do I need to know if someone has auto insurance coverage?
Obviously, if you’re involved in a hit and run it’s critical to want to know if someone has auto insurance coverage, but that’s not the only reason. There are a few other reasons you are going to want to know if someone is insured.
You want to borrow a friends car but do not have auto insurance of your own, so you want to check if your friend carries auto insurance.
You just went through a divorce and have joint coverage with your ex-wife. Sometimes it’s helpful to know your ex is keeping up with the payments.
You run a small business and have employees that use their vehicles for work. You may want to confirm that they are carrying the proper insurance for the job.
If you have a vested interest in a vehicle finding out whether or not it’s insured is within your benefit. In addition, auto insurance is required by law in most states and making sure proper policies are in place can protect you from severe penalties. Imagine if your employee was to get into an accident without insurance while on the job? Beyond having to deal with excessive fines, you could be looking at a lawsuit against your business.
If you are aware that someone you know is driving around uninsured, please ask them to look into getting coverage immediately. The easiest way to do that, is to contact one of our wonderful car insurance agents. They can get you coverage today. The process is fast, easy and affordable. [click here to call an agent now]