A meeting with a traffic police inspector or registration of an accident often requires an instant check of the validity of the insurance policy. Drivers are faced with a situation where, when entering data on the RSA website or in the application, instead of the expected information, an error or status message appears "Located by the insurer". Understanding what specific numbers and database statuses mean is a critical skill for any road user to avoid fines and payment problems.
Automated insurance system (APS) Russian Union of Motor Insurers works in real time, synchronizing data between hundreds of insurance companies. However, human factor and technical failures sometimes lead to desynchronization. In this article, we will look in detail at how to interpret different policy statuses, why discrepancies in numbers arise, and what steps need to be taken to legalize the document.
The bulk of questions arise around digital identifiers and text indications of the document state. If you see that the policy is “lost” or “printed” but not activated, this requires immediate attention. Ignoring such signals may lead to the fact that at the time of the accident you will be left without compensation, and the inspector will issue a fine for the lack of a valid compulsory motor liability insurance.
⚠️ Attention: The status “Hosted by the insurer” means that the form has not yet been activated in the general database. Driving with such a policy is equivalent to having no insurance, even if you have a stamped paper copy in your hands.
The structure of the MTPL policy number and its meaning
Each compulsory insurance policy has a unique fifteen-digit number, which is its digital passport. This number is not accidental: the first three digits indicate the series of the form issued to a specific insurer by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, and the subsequent digits form the individual document number. It is this combination that is used to search in a single database RSA.
It is important to distinguish between the number of the policy itself (on paper form) and the number of the contract in the insurance company’s database. Clients often confuse these values by entering the insurer's internal identifier instead of the official form number. In electronic policies (e-OSAGO) the number is also present, but its display format may differ depending on the interface of the site where the check is performed.
The checksum embedded in the number generation algorithm allows the system to automatically cut out typos. If you enter the number manually and the system writes “Policy with this number was not found,” most likely there was an error in one of the numbers. Always double-check visually similar numbers such as 0 and O, 1 and I.
Always copy the policy number directly from a file or application if possible to eliminate manual entry errors. One wrong number will make verification impossible.
Below is a table showing examples of series from different insurance companies so you can understand where the first digits of your document come from:
| Series (first 3 digits) | Insurance company (example) | Form type | Status in the database |
|---|---|---|---|
| BBB | Rosgosstrakh | Paper/Electronic | Valid |
| EEE | Ingosstrakh | Paper/Electronic | Valid |
| KKK | AlfaInsurance | Electronic | Located with the insurer |
| MMM | Tinkoff Insurance | Electronic | Lost |
Decoding the main statuses in the RSA database
When checking a policy through the traffic police services or the RSA website, the driver sees not only the validity dates, but also the text status. The most desirable state is "Available". This means that the policy has been paid for, activated, entered into a single database and you can use it to file an accident. All other statuses require your attention and, possibly, action.
Status "Located by the insurer" often frightens drivers who have purchased electronic insurance online. It means that an insurance agent or company has created a policy, but has not yet submitted its payment and activation data to the central registry. This usually takes from a few minutes to 2-3 business days after payment.
There are also more alarming statuses, such as “Lost” or “Printed by the manufacturer.” The first means that the form was registered with the agent, but was declared lost, and its activation is impossible without restoration. The second status is typical for blank forms that have not yet been assigned to a specific client.
- 🔴 Valid: The policy is active, payment is confirmed, the data in the database is current.
- 🟡 Located at the insurer: The policy has been created, but is awaiting confirmation of payment or technical synchronization.
- ⚪ Lost: The form is considered lost, cannot be used, and needs to be replaced.
- ⚫ Manufacturer printed: The form exists physically, but is not tied to the insurance contract.
Why the policy was not found in the database and what to do
The situation when the system displays the message “Policy not found” can arise for several reasons. The most common one is an error in the input data. Check that the series (three letters) and number (seven digits) are entered correctly. Also make sure that you have chosen the correct type of verification: by policy number or by vehicle data (VIN).
If the data is entered correctly, but there is no policy, perhaps the insurance company has not yet had time to upload the data to the AIS RSA. The law allows for a certain time for this, but technical delays occur regularly. In such cases, the presence of a paper receipt of payment or an email with a note about payment serves as temporary confirmation of the conclusion of the agreement.
⚠️ Attention: If the policy is not in the database for more than 3 days after payment, you must urgently contact the insurance company. Perhaps the payment did not go through or the agent did not transmit the data.
In rare cases, the absence of a policy in the database may indicate fraud. Unscrupulous agents may accept money but not formalize the contract. Therefore, checking the database RSA immediately after purchase - a mandatory procedure for every car owner.
☑️ Actions if the policy is not found
Data errors: VIN, license plate and dates
A common problem is errors in car data entered into the policy by an agent. A typo in the VIN code or state number will result in the policy not being displayed when checking against the vehicle. For a traffic police inspector, this will look like a lack of insurance, which will result in a fine.
Particular attention should be paid to the start and end dates of the contract. In an electronic policy, the start time is often set to 3 days in advance from the date of payment (unless a specific time in the past is selected, which is only allowed when renewing). If you leave the road before the time indicated in the column Start of action, the policy is considered invalid.
Correcting errors in the MTPL policy is a free procedure, but it takes time. The insurer is obliged to make changes to the database and issue a new document (or addition to the electronic policy). Ignoring errors in the VIN code may lead to refusal of payment, since another car is formally insured.
What to do if there is an error in the VIN code?
If the error is discovered before the accident, urgently write an application to the insurance company to make changes. If the error is found after an accident, payment may be difficult; an examination will be required and proof that this particular car is insured, and not another with a similar VIN.
Legal consequences of using an inactive policy
Using a policy with the status “Hosted by the insurer” or “Lost” carries serious risks. In the event of an accident, the insurance company has every right to refuse to pay the victim, arguing that at the time of the accident the contract was not valid or was canceled. All repair costs will be borne by the culprit.
Traffic police officers have online access to the electronic database. If, when punching your car number, the system shows that you do not have a valid MTPL, you will be issued a fine. According to Part 2 of Article 12.37 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, the fine for not having a policy is 800 rubles, and for driving during a period not covered by the policy - 500 rubles.
It is important to understand the difference between “forgot the policy at home” and “the policy was not issued.” If there is a valid policy, but there is no paper copy (or photo), a fine will not be issued now, since the check is carried out against the database. But if the policy is not in the database, a fine is inevitable. The absence of an entry in the RSA database is equivalent to a complete lack of liability insurance.
- 👮 Fine 800 rubles: Issued if the policy is not in the database at all.
- 📅 Fine 500 rubles: If you have a policy, but you drive a car outside of its validity period (for example, seasonal insurance).
- 💸 Regression requirement: The insurer may demand a refund from you if it turns out that the policy was invalid.
Algorithm of actions when identifying problems with the policy
If you discover that something is wrong with your policy, you need to act quickly and consistently. The first step should always be to record the current state: take a screenshot of the check page on the RSA website with the date and time. This will be proof that the policy was not working at the time of verification.
Next, you need to contact the communication channels of your insurance company. For electronic policies, this is usually a support chat or hotline. Request a data correction request number. If the problem is not resolved within 24 hours, write an official complaint to the RSA and the Central Bank through their online receptions.
Sequence of actions:1. Screenshot of an error in the RSA database.
2. Call the insurance company (recording the conversation).
3. Sending scans of the policy and passport to the insurer’s email.
4. Waiting for a response (up to 3 working days by law).
5. Complaint to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (via the website cbr.ru) if ignored.
The main rule: do not drive until the policy status in the RSA database changes to “Valid”. The risks financially and legally are too great.
How to protect yourself when buying compulsory motor liability insurance
To avoid problems with numbers and statuses in the future, buy insurance only through the official websites of insurance companies or trusted aggregators. Avoid offers “20% cheaper” from individuals on social networks - there is a high probability of receiving a policy with errors or even a fake.
Always save your policy letter in PDF format and check its details immediately upon receipt. Compare each letter of the VIN and license plates with the vehicle documents. It’s better to spend 5 minutes checking now than to spend a week running around the authorities after an accident.
Modern technologies allow you to keep your policy on your smartphone. The State Services Auto application or the official application of the insurance company will always show the current status of your contract. Having a digital copy on your phone is equivalent to a paper copy and is accepted by inspectors.
What to do if the policy is lost?
If you lost your paper policy, but bought it online, just download a copy from your mail or personal account. If the form issued by the agent is lost, you need to write an application to the insurance company to issue a duplicate. An electronic copy has the same legal force.
Is it possible to drive with a policy with the status “Hosted by the insurer”?
Formally, it is impossible, since the agreement has not yet entered into force in a single database. However, if you have a paid receipt and an application for acceptance of documents in your hands, the inspector may limit himself to a warning, but has the right to issue a fine.
How long does it take for the policy to appear in the database after payment?
According to the regulations of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, data should appear in the RSA database almost instantly or within a few minutes after payment. A delay of up to 24 hours is considered an acceptable technical pause, but anything longer is a cause for concern.
How to check the policy by car number?
Go to the official website of RSA (autoins.ru) in the section “Checking OSAGO policies”. Select search by vehicle data, enter the VIN code (or license plate number + region). The system will show all current and archived policies issued for this car.
Can an agent change the policy number after issue?
The agent himself cannot change the number of an already issued form. If there is an error in the policy, the agent must cancel the old one (create a new one on its basis with the correct data) or make changes to the existing agreement, but the form number usually remains the same, only the data in the registry changes.