How to check whether your car insurance is active

You can check third-party motor insurance cover by entering the registration number in the official Portale dell’Automobilista service, which receives updates from insurers. If the result does not match your policy or proof of payment, contact your insurer straight away before using the car.

Check the public database

Open the “Verifica copertura RCA” (check third-party motor insurance cover) service on the Portale dell’Automobilista and enter the registration number of a vehicle registered in Italy. The page returns vehicles that do not appear to meet insurance requirements; the Portal states that insurers update the data in real time.

Check that you entered the registration number correctly and selected the right vehicle. If the vehicle has only just been insured, a renewal is in progress or you have recently changed insurer, keep the certificate and payment receipt. Do not treat an insurance quote or a payment request as proof that cover is active.

If the result does not match your policy

The Portal recommends contacting your insurer immediately if you have a valid third-party motor insurance policy but the vehicle appears as uninsured. Send the certificate or policy number through the insurer’s official customer area and ask them to confirm when cover starts. Avoid driving until the database result and the actual cover have been clarified.

If the database shows cover but you cannot find the certificate, contact your insurer anyway to retrieve it and check the dates, registration number and policyholder details. An online result does not explain optional cover, named drivers, the excess or exclusions: read the policy and ask the insurer about those items.

Check the dates before setting off

Check the start and expiry dates in advance, especially after making a payment or changing vehicles. Keep a copy of the certificate somewhere accessible and note the assistance contact details. If the car is registered to a family member or a company, make clear who is responsible for renewals and communications.

The Italian Highway Code prohibits driving without third-party motor insurance and provides for penalties and measures affecting the vehicle. Do not rely on an assumed grace period or an advertising message. If there is a dispute, a suspension or a collision while the records do not match, contact the insurer and the competent authority promptly.

Quiz Patente Ufficiale offers theory chapters, test quizzes and error review to help you revise the rules of the road; it does not check insurance policies.