HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania House unanimously approved legislation on Wednesday that would modernize the verification process for vehicle insurance, a change supporters say could spare drivers from unexpected registration and license suspensions triggered by lost or misinterpreted mail.
The House voted 203-0 to pass House Bill 710, co-sponsored by state Rep. Ed Neilson, the majority chair of the House Transportation Committee. The bill would require the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to develop an online system allowing insurance coverage to be verified electronically.
Under current law, when a driver cancels auto insurance within six months of starting a policy, insurers must notify PennDOT. The agency then sends a letter demanding proof of coverage. Failure to respond can result in a three-month vehicle registration suspension.
“Oftentimes, vehicle owners don’t respond to PennDOT’s letter because it was lost in the mail, ignored, or misunderstood,” Neilson said. “As a result, they may face a three-month registration suspension without even knowing it.”
In many cases, Neilson said, drivers only discover the suspension after being stopped by police, a situation that can escalate into an additional three-month driver’s license suspension and fines.
The legislation aims to eliminate that chain reaction by replacing paper notices with real-time electronic verification. Under the proposed system, PennDOT and law enforcement would be able to confirm a driver’s insurance status directly with the insurer, reducing reliance on mailed correspondence and minimizing administrative errors.
Supporters say the bill reflects a commonsense update to a system that has failed to keep pace with modern technology, while maintaining safeguards to ensure drivers remain properly insured.
The measure now moves to the state Senate for consideration.
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