The New Jersey state senate has passed a bill allowing drivers to submit electronic proof of insurance, if preferred to a physical copy.
The law previously mandated that motorists present a paper copy displaying proof of coverage when requested by a judge or police officer. The new regulations, however, allow for digital images on a smartphone, tablet, or computer to suffice, so long as they meet requirements set out by the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance.
“Nowadays, nearly everything is being accepted in electronic format, from airplane boarding passes and concert tickets to more and more insurance companies now providing electronic copies of car insurance,” Assemblymen Craig Coughlin told the Bergen Dispatch.
Coughlin feels that e-identification is the next logical progression in a rapidly digitizing world.
“Making e-copies a valid form of proof of insurance is a natural and appropriate progression to make life more convenient for motorists. For families especially, where multiple people might share the same car, this should make life easier not having to worry about having a paper insurance card every time someone takes the car out,” he continued.
Assemblyman Gordon Johnson also notes that the law represents a “convenient change,” since it's second nature for drivers to bring a smartphone on their commutes, whereas paper documents can be easily go missing or expire and fail to be replaced.
Finally, another benefit is the security that e-ID provides. Whereas physical copies of identification present a substantial fraud risk since they can be easily copied and are difficult to verify, smartphone IDs are constantly updated. This means that the instant a motorist's policy is invalid, it won’t appear on the screen, according to NJ.com.
New Jersey now joins 37 other states that accept digital proof of insurance.
