Calif. Law Will Allow Electronic Proof of Auto Insurance
By Ben Adler
Monday, December 17, 2012

CPR photo/Andrew Nixon
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We continue our series on new California laws that take effect January 1st with a measure that could affect everyone who drives a car. Drivers will soon be able to prove they have auto insurance electronically.

If you have a smart phone or tablet, you might already use it to pay for your auto insurance.  Now, you'll be able to use it to open up a document that proves you're insured and show it to a police officer next time you're pulled over.

Gatto: "Most people I know try to live paperless lives."

That's the measure's author, Democratic Assemblyman Mike Gatto.

Gatto: "We just view this as one of the ways to modernize our lives and allow people to get rid of one of life's little hassles - which is those little strips of paper that you have to always fumble for in your glove compartment if you get pulled over."

Gatto also wanted to allow drivers to provide proof of registration electronically too, but he says the DMV wasn't quite ready for that yet.  That could be the subject of a future bill.

Insurance companies will still be sending out paper copies of the document unless drivers specifically tell them not to.




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