Easy Ways to Check Vehicle Insurance Status Online

Even if you have forgotten your vehicle insurance details or lost your policy documents, you can easily check whether your vehicle is still insured. From your insurance company, your renewal date and other general information can be tracked from your insurance provider. 

The internet has made several insurance transactions efficient and fast. New-age digital insurance providers are at the forefront of offering the best after-sales service. Read on to find out how to check vehicle insurance status online.

Ways to Check Vehicle Insurance Status Online:

There are two scenarios — checking the insurance status of your vehicle or you might want to know the accident history of the vehicle which caused the accident. Let’s review both situations.

In case you have met with an unfortunate accident, and you are not aware of the insurance details of the vehicle which caused the accident, you can find the information like history of the accident vehicle, vehicle registration number, etc. This can be easily found through the Insurance Information Bureau (IIB). The IIB maintains records of vehicles from 1 April 2010 in digital format. 

Through this web portal, you can find a car insurance status check in India. Below are the steps you must follow to check your car or bike insurance status online:

• Step 1:

   Keep all the details required such as name, location of the accident (if known), date of the accident, mobile number, email ID, vehicle registration number and the address.

• Step 2:

   Log in to the IIB web portal and enter all the required information in the mandatory fields.

• Step 3:

   If you are unable to get the insurance details with the vehicle registration number, you can search with details such as vehicle engine number or chassis number.

Search Guidelines:

When you use the IIB web portal to check the status of the vehicle insurance online, ensure you follow the below guidelines:

• Ensure to enter the vehicle registration number without any special characters e.g. KA01MC5656. Also, the registration number is mandatory.

• Upon submission of the policy details to the Data Repository, it takes two months before the information is available on the IIB web portal. So, there is a possibility of vehicles details not appearing on the database.

• Insurers submit only the vehicle chassis and engine number in case of a new vehicle.

• The data is based on details submitted by the insurer and is available for data from 1 April 2010.

• In case details are not available, you may visit the concerned Regional Transport Office (RTO) for the details of the owner, address, etc.

• A maximum of 3 searches is allowed for a particular mobile number or email address.

Also, read: Vehicle Scrappage Policy in India

How to Check Car Insurance Status Online:

The process to check car insurance status is simple and easy to follow. Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has launched the insurance data repository, Insurance Information Bureau (IIB). IIB is a web portal to facilitate tracking of insurance policy information of motor vehicles. Below are the steps to check car insurance status online:

Online:

• Step 1: 

  Visit the web-portal of IIB.

• Step 2:

  Enter the required details such as name, email ID or mobile number, address, car registration number, accident date and the security ‘Captcha’ code.

• Step 3:

  Click on submit.

• Step 4:

  The associated insurance policy details of the car will appear; however, if it is not available, then the previous policy details will appear.

• Step 5:

  If you are unable to retrieve any information through the above method, then you can search through the engine and chassis number of the car.

Also, read: Certificate of Insurance in Motor Vehicles Act

Things to Note:

1. The car insurance policy details on IIB is available for insurance policies from 1 April 2010. If you are unable to trace the insurance details, then you’ll have to visit the respective 

2. Insurance policies which are less than two months old will not appear on the database of the IIB.

3. For new cars, insurance providers submit only the engine and chassis number of the vehicle.

Offline:

If you do not want to check the car insurance status online, you can find the information by checking with the concerned RTO. They will be able to provide the information. If your car is damaged and you want to raise a claim to cover the financial loss, then:

• Call your insurance company

However, if you have met with an accident and would like to know the car insurance policy details of the other car, then you have to check with the respective RTO for more information.

Also, read: What is IDV in Car Insurance?

How to Check Bike Insurance Status Online:

The method to check two-wheeler insurance status has become a lot easier and efficient with the advent of the internet. You can find out your bike insurance status online through the Insurance Information Bureau (IIB), initiated by the IRDAI. Below is the process to check the status online as well as through offline:

Online:

• Step 1:Visit the IIB web-portal.

• Step 2:Enter details on the mandatory fields this includes name, email ID or mobile number, address, car registration number and the accident date.

• Step 3:Enter the security code and click on submit.

• Step 4:The respective two-wheeler insurance policy details will appear; however, if it does not, then the previous policy details will appear.

• Step 5:

  If you are unable to view any details through the above method, then you can search through the engine and chassis number of the bike.

Offline:

If you want to check the status of your two-wheeler insurance policy offline, you can:

• Call your insurance company, and they will be able to provide your bike’s insurance policy details.

If you want to check the status of the vehicle which was involved in an accident with your vehicle:

• You have to visit the respective RTO to get more information.

Another Way to Check Your Vehicle Insurance Status via VAHAN e-Services:

In case the Insurance Information Bureau of India website (iib.gov.in) mentioned above is not working, you can use the below alternative method to find the expiry date of your car and bike  insurance status:

• Step 1: Visit the official website of  VAHAN e-Services and click on “Know your vehicle details” from the top navigation.

• Step 2: Enter the vehicle registration number (number plate details) and the required ‘

  Verification Code'.

• Step 3: Click on ‘Search Vehicle’.

• Step 4: You will be able to view the insurance expiry date of the vehicle along with other details of the vehicle.

What is a Vehicle Registration Number?

All road vehicles in India are required to be registered with a licence number. The licence number is also referred to as vehicle registration number or number plate. The registration number is issued by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) of the concerned state. The registration number plate is placed on the front and back of the car or bike. 

As per The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the registration number should be in modern Hindu-Arabic numerals and Latin letters. Also, the number plate should be lit up at night so that it is visible and the fonts are required to be as per law.

The vehicle registration number is unique to each state and their locality it has been registered at. Below is the format (KA 01 AA 4567) for vehicle registration number plated in Karnataka:

• TN or KA or DL – Signifies the state.

• 01 – Is the RTO that the vehicle has been registered at.

• AA – Is given when there is no number to be given and to make it unique.

• 4567 – Is the registration number exclusive to your vehicle.

What if You Don’t Have a Vehicle Registration Number?

If you drive your car or bike without the registration number, you will be fined under Rule 50 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules under Section 177 of the MV Act. It is advisable to commute or drive the vehicle after it has been registered and due process has been followed to get your vehicle registered.

What is the Insurance Information Bureau or IIB?

A web-portal was created by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) to store information regarding vehicle insurance in 2009, known as the Insurance Information Bureau (IIB). IIB is a data repository that collects information regarding insurance issued for the insurance sector in India. 

The primary reason for setting up this bureau is to provide details like accident records and to check car or bike insurance policy status.

FAQs About Vehicle Registration Number:

Below are some of the frequently asked questions about vehicle registration number:

How to buy vehicle insurance using the registration number?

While buying a vehicle insurance policy online, you need to provide your car or bike registration number. The insurance policy will include the registration number to identify it with policy and can be accessed by the centre and state government, and the RTO.

What is the process to renew vehicle insurance policy with registration number?

Since the insurance policy is linked to the registration number of the car or bike, you need to provide the vehicle registration number while renewing the policy. Also, through the number, one can easily track the insurance policy linked to the vehicle and the renewal status.

What are some of the important facts of the vehicle registration number?

Below are some of the important facts:

1. The registration certificate is valid for 15 years, after which you need to renew it every 5 years. The vehicle will be registered again after the due process of inspection and roadworthiness is completed.

2.  Temporary vehicle registration number certificate is valid for one month.

3. The renewal of the vehicle registration can be denied if the RTO is not satisfied with the documents or fitness of the vehicle.

4. To transfer the vehicle registration number from one state to another is possible after obtaining the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the relieving RTO which registered your vehicle.

What are the components of a vehicle registration number?

The vehicle registration number includes vital information of the concerned vehicle, below are the details:

1. The first two letters indicate the state or Union Territory from where the vehicle was registered.

2. The following number indicates the respective RTO which registered the vehicle.

3. The subsequent four numbers or digits are the vehicle registration number. Numbers usually fall in the range between 0001 to 9999 and when the number is exhausted, two letters are added to the number to make it unique.

What are the different types or colours of vehicle number plates?

The number plate can be in white, yellow, black, blue and green signifying a specific purpose of the vehicle. Below are the details:

1. White: A white number plate with black text signifies that it is a private vehicle and cannot be used for commercial purposes.

2. Yellow: A yellow number plate with black text signifies that it is a commercial vehicle like taxis, trucks and other public transport vehicles.

3. Black: A black vehicle number plate with white text signifies that it is a commercial vehicle owned by a private individual but it has been rented out for commercial purposes.

4. Blue: A blue number plate with white text signifies that the vehicle belongs to foreign delegates and the number plate should specify the country code.

5. Red: A red number plate is a vehicle used by the President of India and State Governors.

6. Green: A green number plate with white text signifies that the vehicle is an electric vehicle.

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