Through the course of patrol procedures and traffic enforcement, Lake Havasu City Police Officers often check the status of motor vehicle license plates and registrations to ensure that motor vehicle operators are abiding by the Arizona Revised Statutes. On many occasions, officers encounter a vehicle that does not have the required insurance, as mandated by Arizona Revised Statutes. When this occurs, Arizona Revised Statutes mandates that the local police officer shall confiscate the license plate and issue a citation for the violation. 

In Arizona, every motor vehicle that is operated on a roadway must be covered by a minimum of liability insurance through a company that is authorized to do business in Arizona. Insurance companies notify the Motor Vehicle Division of all policy cancellations, non-renewals of policies, as well as new policies. In the event that the Motor Vehicle Division does not receive documentation of a current insurance policy from the motorist’s insurance carrier, they send an inquiry notice to the vehicle’s registered owner to verify the insurance status.

The Motor Vehicle Division generally sends this notice to the listed address on the registration, unless otherwise specified. Failure to maintain proper insurance could lead to the suspension of your vehicle registration (Mandatory Insurance Suspension) and/or your driver’s license. The Motor Vehicle Division is solely responsible for declaring and issuing the mandatory insurance suspension.

Often times, the registered vehicle owner is unaware that a vehicle’s insurance policy may have been cancelled. There are several ways to avoid having your insurance cancelled and reported to the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division for suspension action. Insurance policy holders should frequently check their insurance cards to ensure that the date of issuance and expiration are within the time-period the vehicle is being operated. If you notice a lapse in coverage, contact your carrier immediately to update the policy.

If you have your insurance policy payments automatically deducted from a financial institution, verify through your bank that you have sufficient funds and the payment was deducted.  If you have recently moved from another state and have registered your vehicle in Arizona, you must contact your insurance carrier to ensure that you have an Arizona coverage policy.

Additional information regarding vehicle services and requirements can be found on the Arizona Department of Transportation’s website.

If you would like to verify that your insurance is current, or personally update your policy, you can visit the Service Arizona website.

Public Information Officer:  Detective Chris Angus