Insurance Policy Number: The Key to Coverage

What's your policy number for?

Your insurance policy number is a unique identifier that the insurer uses to reference you, the policy holder, in its systems. It's an important number to have handy, because it links you to your insurer's record of your coverage. Think of it as the key to unlocking the benefits of your car, health, or homeowners insurance.

When do you need your insurance policy number? 

As a policy holder, you need your insurance policy number anytime you call your insurer for any reason. If you have to file a claim, check the status of a claim, make changes to your coverage, pay a premium, cancel your coverage, or ask a question about your benefits, your insurer will ask you straight away for that policy number. 

You also need the policy number whenever you are showing proof of insurance to someone else. With respect to car insurance, this happens anytime you buy a car from a dealership, when a police officer pulls you over for a traffic violation, or if you are in a traffic accident. You'll show proof of health insurance when you visit your doctor or any healthcare provider. And your mortgage lender will ask for proof of homeowners insurance when you buy or refinance a home. In all of these scenarios, it's critical that your "proof of insurance" clearly shows your policy number as well as your name and your insurer's contact information. 

Where can you find your insurance policy number? 

Here's a quick guide on where a policy holder can find the policy numbers for auto, healthcare, and homeowners insurance.

Auto insurance policy number 

Locate your car insurance policy number on your car insurance card, your policy paperwork such as a binder or declarations page, on your insurer's website, or in your insurer's app. Alternatively, you can call your agent or broker if you have one. You can also call your insurer directly but expect to verify several pieces of identity information before your insurer will give you the number.

Healthcare insurance policy number 

Your health insurance policy number is on your health insurance ID card -- but the card may label it as customer ID, member number, or member ID. Your policy number is the same as your member ID. The policy number is not the same thing as your insurance group number on the insurance card; everyone on your group plan has the same group number, but your policy number or member ID is unique to you.¹ Some insurers use the number to identify the primary insured vs. other family members on the same plan; in this case, your policy number or member ID would end with 00 if you are the primary insured on the policy. Your family members' IDs would end with 01, 02, 03, etc.²

Homeowners insurance policy number 

Find your homeowners insurance policy number on your homeowners insurance declarations page, on your insurer's website, or in your insurer's app. You can also call your insurer, agent, or broker to get the number. As with your car insurance policy number, the insurer will ask you to verify your identity before sharing the policy number.

Once you locate your policy numbers, write them down and keep them in a safe place -- just in case you lose your policy paperwork, or worse, your wallet with all your insurance ID cards.