The IL Secretary of State has implemented an online database which requires all insurance companies to submit policy information regularly. This database is called the Illinois electronic car insurance verification system. The State of Illinois understood that a lot of people carry paper insurance cards stating six months or 12 month of coverage. However, many people do not keep the policies active by not paying the insurance payments. Up until now the verification of insurance depended on the police officer, bailiff, or other officials. Some uninsured drivers never received a driving uninsured ticket, because the verifying person was not able to verify or simply did not verify.
The solution has proven to be successful in numerous states using similar technology. States like Nevada, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Texas have seen significant improvement in the uninsured driver percentage. Computer software companies developed technology that allows for insurance companies to submit information and link the information to vehicles license plates. The data uploads are done daily because people lapse and start new policies daily. This makes the insurance information very accurate.
The easiest way to think about how the IL electronic car insurance verification system will work is to relate it to the Cinderella story. At midnight Cinderella’s carriage turned into a pumpkin. Every night at midnight insurance policies update. Literally at 12:01am if your policy started or cancelled your license plate will have your car insurance policy status. A police officer could run your license plates minutes after the policy cancelled and know if the vehicle is insured. This will result in large amounts of fine revenue.
If you are not caught by a police officer for driving without car insurance. The IL car insurance verification system will run every registered vehicle twice per year. When this happens all uninsured drivers in IL will be caught. Because, the insurance companies reported who has insurance and who cancelled coverage. Although that being said, these vehicle owners will have 30 days to provide proof of coverage or that the vehicle was inoperable.
The IL car insurance verification system will not be perfect. Therefore, paper insurance cards will also be used as a secondary proof of insurance. Remember, insuring your vehicle the policy will not update until midnight so there will be a few hours that a paper insurance card could be needed.
In conclusion, now that the Illinois electronic car insurance verification system is here it is simple to avoid the electronic fines or being caught driving uninsured. Drive the vehicle with at the least the state minimum liability insurance. That is it beat the state by driving insured.
