Gov. Jay Nixon has now added his signature to House Bill 322 so that coverage cards can be shown digitally.
The Governor of Missouri, Jay Nixon, has now signed House Bill 322, which will give drivers the opportunity to use their smartphones and other mobile electronic devices to display a digital version of their proof of auto insurance, which will be considered an allowable format for official situations.
These devices are being used by people for a growing number of purposes and could make proof more convenient to display.
According to Nixon, “Each day, more and more Missourians are using their smart phones and tablets to pay bills, get directions and access the information they need, wherever and whenever they need it.” He went on to add that “With these advancements in technology, forcing Missourians to go through the hassle of printing and keeping hard copies of their insurance cards is unnecessary and burdensome.”
The legislation will allow drivers to show proof of auto insurance on their cell phone screens.
The governor feels that this legislation is “common sense” and that it will make life just a bit simpler for drivers who will be able to use their smartphones to display their proof of auto insurance instead of desperately digging through the glove compartment of their vehicles while a police officer waits at the window.
Many other states have also introduced similar legislation. They have done so for similar reasons to those expressed by Nixon, but a number of them have also stated that it is their hope that it will help to reduce tying up the courts unnecessarily when drivers cannot find their proof of auto insurance coverage when they are pulled over and must therefore bring it to a court to prove that it was in existence at the time. This simple detail could make a considerable difference in court wait times and costs.
There remains some confusion among drivers regarding the acceptable formats for digital proof of auto insurance, as some states require it to be provided through an official insurer app, while others will allow something as informal as a clear photo of the printed proof of coverage card.
