But the law in Canada isn’t there yet. Meanwhile, brokers are urging clients to take a cautious approach and keep printouts of their valid proof of insurance forms in their vehicles in case they are pulled over.
The idea of showing electronic or mobile versions of proof of insurance cards has been accepted by seven states in the United States. Most recently, California implemented its electronic proof of insurance legislation early this year. The California legislation (Assembly Bill 1708) gives California motorists the choice of providing proof of insurance to police electronically via a smartphone or mobile device, versus presenting a hard copy document.
“That’s something we should have,” said Michael Brattman, vice president of personal insurance at Cowan Insurance Group in Ontario. “As brokers, that would be a great tool to have when we deal with younger drivers who are technically savvy. It shows that brokers are forward-thinking. That’s something we would really like to see adopted.”
But will the police accept it...?
Brattman said brokers will keep in step with their direct writer competitors if they can align themselves with the on-demand, self-service tech functionality that consumers have come to expect. That means lobbying for better clarity in the laws about showing proof of insurance to police officers on mobile devices.
In Canada, insurance companies and brokerages mail, fax and email copies of the standard, pink proof-of-insurance slips to policyholders upon renewal or policy changes. But drivers are taking a chance that police officers will accept mobile or electronic versions of these proof-of-insurance documents during roadside stops.
The law in Ontario, for example, says drivers must “have in the motor vehicle at all times, (a) an insurance card for the motor vehicle; or (b) an insurance card evidencing that the operator is insured under a contract of automobile insurance, and the operator shall surrender the insurance card for reasonable inspection upon the demand of a police officer.”
The law is silent about whether an electronic version of the form counts as valid proof of insurance.
Ontario Provincial Police spokesman Dave Woodford says police officers in Ontario will not accept proof of insurance slips presented on mobile phones. "Anybody can take a picture of anything nowadays," he said. "[An electronic version of proof of insurance] of has not been accepted in court as a true document."
Given that auto insurance fraud is costing Canadian insurers about $1.5 billion annually -- which has resulted in auto insurance premium increases for brokers’ clients -- it’s not surprising that police officers are cautious about accepting electronic versions of proof of insurance, Brattman said.
Tammy Ward-Mercuri, of Leibel MacMillan Insurance in Alberta, said her brokerage has been emailing electronic versions of proof of insurance slips to clients for the past five years. Sometimes Alberta police accept electronic or mobile versions of the forms, sometimes they don’t.
Ward-Mercuri said her brokerage has received calls from clients when police have refused to accept the mobile or electronic versions of proof-of-insurance slips. “We would recommend drivers keep a paper copy of proof of insurance in their cars in case police do not accept the mobile version,” she said.
Jeff Whattam, secretary-treasurer of Steven Kaluski Insurance Brokers, said that until the laws change, brokers should always be recommending that clients take the prudent approach. “If a client is picking up a new car, I will send them a pink slip electronically as a proof of insurance, but whether the police officers will accept that as valid proof of liability or not, I don’t know,” he said. “We always recommend that you have the original [printed version] in the car.”
Canadian insurance brokers want their clients to be allowed to show their proof of insurance to police officers on mobile phones during roadside stops.
