How to Find Out If Someone Has Car Insurance
April 1, 2025 | Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers | Car Accident
If you are involved in a car accident, you will likely find yourself dealing with the insurance company afterward. When someone else is responsible for causing the accident, you will need to know whether or not they have car insurance. The best way to determine whether someone has car insurance is to just ask them.
If a driver refuses to tell you whether they have insurance or not, there is a good chance they are uninsured. In fact, according to the Insurance Information Institute, roughly 16% of Florida drivers are uninsured. Learn more below about the best ways to find out if someone has car insurance.
Ask For The Other Driver’s Insurance Information
The law in Florida requires that drivers share insurance information after an accident. The information that should be exchanged after an accident includes:
- Full name
- Insurance company
- Insurance policy number
- Make, model, and year of vehicle
- Driver’s license number
- Contact information
If the other driver refuses to share their information with you, just contact the police. The law in Florida requires that most accidents be reported to the police anyway. The other driver could face fines or other criminal penalties, especially if they decide to just flee the scene. Try to obtain the license plate number and any other identifying information from their vehicle.
Use The Vehicle’s License Plate
If the other driver flees the scene, try your best to get the license plate number. Sometimes, this can be difficult, especially immediately after an accident. Your adrenaline will likely be pumping, and the time right after an accident can be confusing.
Even if you could not get the license plate number, witnesses may have seen it. Additionally, surveillance video could have captured the license plate information nearby. Go ahead and file a police report and give them as much information about the vehicle as possible.
Florida law limits who may access insurance information related to a vehicle that was involved in an accident. Insurance information may only be released to:
- A person involved in the crash
- That person’s attorney
- Any representative of the insurer of anyone involved in the crash
To request insurance information after a crash, you will need to complete an Insurance Request Form. You will also need to get a complete copy of the accident crash report and include a copy of the report with your request. These requests are typically processed within 10 business days.
Let Your Insurance Company Handle It
One of the easiest options for getting someone else’s insurance information is to just let your own insurance company handle it. Florida is a no-fault insurance state. This means you must carry personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. Your own coverage would pay for your injuries after most accidents.
In situations where the other driver may be responsible for your damages, your insurance company can help track down the other driver’s insurance information. Insurance adjusters deal with these situations every day. They have proven methods of tracking down the driver who was responsible for your crash.
Your own insurance company is likely to cover your economic damages if you have PIP coverage or uninsured motorist coverage. This allows you to get compensation for your damages while the insurance company works to track down the at-fault driver.
How to Get Help After a Car Accident
One of the best ways to get help after a car accident is to hire an experienced personal injury lawyer. You might be required to file a personal injury lawsuit to get compensated for your damages in some cases. A lawyer can help you track down the other driver’s insurance information and help gather evidence needed to prove your claim.
Even though Florida requires you to carry PIP coverage, this may not be enough to cover your damages if you suffer serious injuries. Without uninsured motorist coverage, you may not recover compensation for all your injuries unless you can obtain the at-fault driver’s insurance information. If they will not provide it when you ask, file a police report, notify your own insurance company, and hire an experienced attorney.
Contact a Tampa Car Accident Lawyer from Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
For more information, please contact Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with a car accident lawyer in Tampa today. We have five convenient locations in Florida, including Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, New Port Richey, and Lakeland.
We proudly serve Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Pasco County, Polk County, and its surrounding areas:
Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – Tampa Office
601 W Swann Ave, Tampa, FL 33606
(813) 223-6200
Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – Clearwater Office
600 Bypass Dr Suite 224-D, Clearwater, FL 33764
(727) 493-4418
Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – St. Petersburg Office
111 2nd Ave NE Suite 350, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 314-5988
Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – New Port Richey Office
5006 Trouble Creek Rd Unit #200, Port Richey, FL 34652
(727) 910-5060
Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – Lakeland Office
1543 Lakeland Hills Blvd Suite 18, Lakeland, FL 33805
(863) 251-6196
