# Auto insurance ID cards **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 27, 2024, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862 "2024-11-27T18:55:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/1 "2024-11-27T18:55:44Z")
Once upon a time the ID cards were nice plastic the same size as a credit card so you could keep them in a wallet. For the past 10 years or so they have been light cardboard. They are printed on a larger sheet and you have to remove them by bending the perforated lines back and forth until the card comes free. I just got my latest cards and they are simply printed on regular paper, not cardstock. The instructions say to bend on the dotted lines but they are not perforated or scored so that really doesn’t work very well. You need to cut them out with skyzors. OK, I get it - State Farm saved themselves .002 cents per customer. But the problem is that they are not credit card size anymore. You can’t put them in the plastic card holders! WTF? And they are larger simply because they have extra blank space in the center. No printed information has been added. They could be any size.In the words of a LOLcat, " I iz disappoint." ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/2 "2024-11-27T19:01:25Z")
In nearly 40 years of having auto insurance, I don’t think I’ve _ever_ had a auto insurance card that was plastic. They’ve been on perforated paper for as long as I can remember. And, they’ve always been about 3.5" x 4.5" – they aren’t meant to go in my wallet, but into the glove box of the car (along with the registration slip from the state that comes with the license plate renewal). I think I’m now on my fifth different insurance company in that time, and they were all similar. Then again, I never had State Farm as my insurer. My guess would be that State Farm decided that changing over from plastic, to cardstock, and then to just paper, saved them money. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/3 "2024-11-27T19:06:18Z")
Color me baffled. And ETA ref @kenobi_65 color me a slow typist too :). They’ve been delivered to me as pdfs for the last 15 years. Once I print them & cut them out they’re about 4×5". Since they live in the car’s glove box stapled to the 8.5x~6" vehicle registration document I utterly do not care what size, shape, or material they are. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/4 "2024-11-27T19:07:42Z")
You are with State Farm and were getting plastic insurance cards? In 25+ years I’ve never been issued anything but paper. I don’t carry the card in my wallet but in the auto, tucked into the same envelope as the registration. After all, cops ask for both. I agree they are a PITA to separate from the backing. A few years ago I thought, “Why am I doing this?” and started simply cutting the pair apart with scissors and putting one of them into the envelope. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/5 "2024-11-27T19:11:39Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > They’ve been delivered to me as pdfs for the last 15 years. I’ve been getting them as PDFs from my insurance agent, via email, for probably a decade; they also send me a hard-copy sheet of the “cards” as part of the annual bundle of documentation on the policy, so I can get at the cards either way. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/6 "2024-11-27T19:14:00Z")
I have my insurance through AAA (I don’t think they offer insurance in all states, but they do here). I’m pretty sure their insurance cards have always been just printed on paper for as long as I have had insurance with them. Maybe it was perforated card stock for the first few years; it’s hard to remember that far back – I’ve been insured with them since 2005 (Was that _really_ almost 20 years ago?!) > [@mixdenny](#): > > But the problem is that they are not credit card size anymore. You can’t put them in the plastic card holders! Do the instructions not say to fold them? With mine the instructions say to fold them along a line down the center, so one half becomes the back of the back of the card. And when you fold it it becomes credit card sized. > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Then again, I never had State Farm as my insurer. My parents have State Farm, or at least they did when I was on their insurance from age 16-25 or so. I do recall their cards being plastic in those days. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/7 "2024-11-27T19:22:49Z")
My jurisdiction has been paper for the almost 40 years I’ve been driving. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/8 "2024-11-27T19:24:59Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > They’ve been delivered to me as pdfs for the last 15 years. Once I print them & cut them out they’re about 4×5". Same, except Farmers Insurance gives me the option to print “wallet size” or 4x5. I usually print it both ways. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/9 "2024-11-27T19:25:28Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > they also send me a hard-copy sheet of the “cards” as part of the annual bundle of documentation on the policy, so I can get at the cards either way Ditto. But the big policy package is also a pdf. I think the last time they sent me a sheet of paper was while Bush II was prez. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/10 "2024-11-27T19:35:08Z")
I keep mine on my phone. 😉 [![](https://i.imgur.com/6uaqoVu.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/6uaqoVu.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/11 "2024-11-27T19:48:33Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > I have my insurance through AAA So do I! I love it. The cost is extremely reasonable. I use my AAA app to download and print my card. I also keep a PDF(?) of it in my phone’s “wallet”, and the police accept that, no problem. I get nothing by mail. I pay for it automatically with a credit card. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/12 "2024-11-27T19:53:52Z")
Same, except mine’s in my State Farm app and in the iOS Wallet app. Last time I got pulled over I showed the cop my card on my phone and he said, “Good, that’s easier.” I don’t know why specifically it was easier for him but there you go. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/13 "2024-11-27T19:56:50Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > Same, except mine’s in my State Farm app and in the iOS Wallet app. - I guess I should point out that mine is a fake for scambaiting. Hence the wink. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/14 "2024-11-27T19:57:16Z")
Possibly because he needs to read the numbers on the card and can zoom in on the image. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/15 "2024-11-27T20:07:31Z")
Yeah, I could see that, but he gave my phone only the most cursory of glances, zoomed nothing, and didn’t write anything down. Best guess I have is that it’s just easy to see the start and end dates. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/16 "2024-11-27T20:28:14Z")
Since 2012 we haven’t had actual insurance cards. It’s apparently all online. I think the police only ask you for your driver’s license here. I haven’t been stopped or in an accident for 25+ years, so I don’t have first hand experience. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/17 "2024-11-27T21:12:49Z")
My biggest gripe is the ink they (State Farm) use to print the cards runs with the slightest water. I’ve had them left with portions completely illegible, the ink is smudged so bad. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/18 "2024-11-27T22:27:46Z")
According to the OP, State Farm just recently switched to paper. I have Allstate. The cards have been the same size for the last 30 years and they have never been credit card sized. They used to be thicker paper with perforations, but they’ve been plain paper for years now. Allstate made the switch to plain paper (and skyzors required) years ago. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/19 "2024-11-27T22:41:42Z")
I’ve been with State Farm (Canada) since I first starting driving half a century ago, and the insurance cards have always been paper, usually a set of two or four with tear-apart perforations. I don’t know if they’re exactly credit card size but they’ve always been the same size and fit into my little State Farm plastic wallet that also contains the vehicle registration in the other little pocket. I’m technically no longer with State Farm because they sold their Canadian business to a Canadian insurer years ago, but the insurance cards still look exactly the same. I believe that they’re a nationally standardized form that all auto insurers use as a standard legal certificate of insurance. They’ve never been plastic or card stock but things may be different in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862/20 "2024-11-27T22:59:30Z")
I’ve also had State Farm forever and like the OP used to get plastic cards. They’d mail the small plastic sheet and you’d pop out 2 new cards with updated expiration dates. I also hate the switch to the new paper ones. Wouldn’t be bad if you could actually remove them from the sheet along the perforations but their machine that makes the perforations must be crap cause you can’t do it without a scissors without tearing the damn things. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/auto-insurance-id-cards/1010862.md?page=2)