Florida Now Accepting Electronic Proof of Auto Insurance

When an officer pulls over a driver in Florida, there will be no more riffling through the glove compartment for the current copy of an insurance card. Florida drivers will now have the option to give proof of their auto insurance electronically or show their paper insurance card.

December 10, 2013, Governor Rick Scott and The Florida Cabinet approved a measure allowing drivers to show proof of auto insurance through electronic devices such as cellphones and tablets. The measure will take effect this month.

“This measure is a natural progression and makes sense,” says Dustyn Shroff, Vice President of GreatFlorida Insurance. “Customers are increasingly utilizing insurance company apps on their mobile devices and tablets. This is where many insured drivers keep their insurance information. The new measure provides an added convenience to drivers.”

The measure was brought forth not only to acknowledge changing technology but as an effort to stop avertible ticketing. The Tampa Tribune reports 326,168 tickets were issued last year for driving without proof of insurance. According to The Florida Uniform Traffic Citation Statistics, almost 77 percent of those were later dismissed on grounds that drivers proved they had coverage.

As far as liability of the device, once it is turned over to an officer? The responsibility will fall squarely on the driver. If the device is dropped or damaged while in an officer’s possession, it will not be considered the fault of the officer, hand it over at your own risk.