New Delaware Law Turns On Electronic Proof of Car Insurance coverage

Smartphones at the ready, Delaware drivers.

The 1st State is the newest state in the U.S. to enact a law enabling drivers to show proof of auto insurance with an electronic device.

Delaware’s Insurance coverage Commissioner Karen Stewart applauded the state Legislature’s bill, HB 258, which legalizes “acceptable electronic formats [that] include display of electronic photos on a cellular telephone or any other variety of electronic device” and was signed into law final week by Gov. Jack Markell.

In other words, Delaware drivers will have far more options than the difficult-copy identification card from their vehicle insurer they can use their smartphone as proof of their Delaware auto insurance coverage. A number of significant insurers, like Progressive, GEICO and State Farm, currently provide a mobile app with services like an electronic ID card.

Stewart also mentioned that she was “very pleased” with privacy-related provisions in the bill that, among other factors, bars officers from browsing a phone for anything unrelated to proof of auto coverage. Such provisions have been written into related bills for numerous other states with electronic proof of vehicle insurance coverage.

According to trade group Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI), Delaware is the 37th state in the nation to enable electronic proof of insurance.

“More and much more people are employing their mobile device to retailer important information and this makes it possible for insurers to preserve up with customer demands for increased electronic communication,” Oyango Snell, PCI’s regional manager, stated in a statement.

Commissioner: Drivers Need to Nonetheless Preserve Hard-Copy ID Handy

Drivers, specifically those who travel among states, shouldn’t change gears as well speedily, according to Stewart.

With nearby states like New Jersey, New York and West Virginia still without a law permitting electronic proof of insurance, Stewart said that drivers “don’t want to be caught without the suitable proof of insurance coverage when traveling.”

“All drivers [need to] still maintain a physical copy of their present insurance ID card in their automobile in case,” Stewart said in a statement.

New Delaware Law Turns On Electronic Proof of Car Insurance coverage