You bought a used car and want to know if it is covered by a policy CASCO? Or are you planning to sell, but are not sure that the insurance is not “tied” to the car? Finding a CASCO policy by license plate number is a task that thousands of car owners face every day. Unfortunately, unlike compulsory motor liability insurance, information on voluntary insurance is not stored in a unified state database. But this does not mean that verification is impossible.

In this article we will look at legal and illegal methods for searching for CASCO by car number, we will explain why some services offer “paid checks” (and whether they should be trusted), and we will also warn against fraudulent schemes. You will learn what to do if the previous owner “forgot” to hand over the documents, or if the insurance company refuses to confirm the existence of the policy. All methods are relevant for 2026 and take into account the latest changes in legislation on the protection of personal data.

Why can’t you check CASCO insurance by car number as easily as OSAGO?

Main difference CASCO from OSAGO — voluntary nature of insurance. OSAGO is regulated by the state, and all policies are entered into a single database RSA (Russian Union of Auto Insurers), where any citizen has access. CASCO is an agreement between the owner and the insurance company, and data about it is considered confidential.

Here are the key reasons why searching for CASCO insurance is complicated:

  • 🔒 Personal Data Protection Law (152-FZ) prohibits insurance companies from disclosing information about clients to third parties without the consent of the owner.
  • 📄 Lack of a centralized base: Each insurance company maintains its own register of policies, and they are not required to synchronize the data.
  • 💰 Trade secret: Some insurers view the CASCO base as a competitive advantage.
  • 🚗 Change of owner: when selling a car, the CASCO policy does not automatically transfer to the new owner (unlike MTPL).

However, this does not mean that it is impossible to check your insurance. There are workarounds - from official requests to analytical services. The main thing is not to run into scammers who, under the guise of a “CASCO check,” can steal your car data or money.

📊 Have you ever tried to check CASCO by car number?
Yes, I found it successfully
Yes, but to no avail
No, I haven't tried it
Didn't know this was possible

Method 1: Formal request to the insurance company (the most reliable method)

If you know which company issued the policy (for example, the previous owner named Ingosstrakh, AlfaInsurance or RESO-Garantiya), you can send an official request. This is the only one 100% legal way to get information.

Step by step instructions:

  1. Find the contacts of the insurance company on the official website (section “Contacts” or “Feedback”).
  2. Write a letter to corporate email (example: info@ingos.ru) with the topic: “Request for availability of a CASCO policy.”
  3. In the text please indicate:
    • Vehicle registration number;
    • VIN code (required!);
    • Your full name and passport details (if you are the new owner);
    • Documents confirming ownership (PTS, purchase and sale agreement).
  • Send scans of documents (can be via a secure channel, if the company provides such an opportunity).

    • Indicate the license plate number and VIN of the car|Attach a scan of the PTS or DCP|Indicate your full name and contacts|Refer to 152-FZ (request for data as a new owner)

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    ⏳ Response time: from 3 to 10 working days. Some companies (for example, VTB Insurance) respond faster, others (for example, SOGAZ) can delay the process.

    ⚠️ Attention: If the insurance company refuses to provide information, refer to Art. 9 Federal Law No. 40-FZ (“About OSAGO”), which indirectly regulates the transfer of insurance data upon a change of owner. In 80% of cases this helps.

    Method 2: Checking through online services (with caution!)

    There are many sites on the Internet offering to “check CASCO by license plate” for 100–500 rubles. 90% of them are scammers. They either sell empty reports or collect vehicle data for further use in “fake accident” schemes. However there is legitimate services that work according to a different scheme.

    How to distinguish scammers from real services:

    Sign Scammers Legitimate services
    Cost They ask for payment immediately (before verification) Free preliminary analysis
    Data to check License plate only License number + VIN + owner details
    Report General phrases (“policy found/not found”) Detailed information (policy number, dates, deductible)
    Contacts No address, only WhatsApp/Telegram Official website with details and address

    ✅ Two proven services (for 2026):

    1. Autocode (avtokod.ru) - provides insurance information in the car history report (paid, but reliable).
    2. CarVertical (carvertical.com) - shows information about CASCO insurance in European and some Russian databases (suitable for foreign cars).
      3. 💡

      Before paying, check whether the service has a license to work with personal data. For example, at Autocode there is an agreement with Roskomnadzor, which confirms their legality.

      Method 3: Check through the traffic police and Rosreestr (indirect methods)

      Government bodies do not have direct access to the CASCO database, but there is indirect signsthat may help:

      1. Request to the traffic police about restrictions on the car

      If the car is encumbered by the insurance company (for example, due to an unpaid loan or theft), this may indicate a valid CASCO policy. You can make a request:

      2. Checking ownership history through Rosreestr

      If the car was pledged to the bank, there is a high probability that the bank issued CASCO insurance. You can find out the history of the pledge on the website Rosreestr (enter VIN or license plate number).

      ⚠️ Attention: No restrictions in the traffic police does not guaranteethat there is no CASCO. Many policies are issued without a deposit, especially for used cars.

      Method 4: Social engineering (if you know the previous owner)

      If you have contacts of the previous owner of the car, you can try politely check your insurance information. Here's how to do it most efficiently:

      Example message (for messenger or call):

      

      Hello, [Name]! This is the new owner of your former [car make and model], license plate [XXX]. When filling out the documents, it turned out that the PTS does not indicate the presence of CASCO, and without this, the insurance does not transfer. Could you tell me which company issued the policy and its number? This will help avoid problems in the next accident. Thank you!

      🔹 What increases the chances of an answer:

      • 📎 Attach a photo of the purchase and sale agreement (to confirm that you are indeed the new owner).
      • 💬 Write politely, without pressure (many people are afraid that they will be accused of hiding information).
      • 📞 If he doesn’t respond in messengers, try calling (people more often contact you by phone).

      ⚠️ Important: Do not threaten or blackmail the previous owner. This may result in a complaint to the police for extortion.

      What to do if the previous owner refuses to help?

      If the former owner ignores requests or refuses to provide data, you have two options:

      1. Contact the insurance company with a claim (if you know its name). In court, you may be required to disclose your policy information because you are the legal owner of the car.

      2. Re-insure the car. In some cases, this is cheaper than wasting time looking for an old CASCO insurance, especially if the policy has almost expired.

      Method 5: Analysis of car documents (hidden clues)

      Sometimes information about CASCO insurance is “hardwired” in the documents you received upon purchase. Where to look:

      1. PTS (vehicle passport)

      The “Special Notes” column may indicate the insurance company or policy number. For example:

      

      Special notes: CASCO No. 123456789, AlfaStrakhovanie, valid. until 12/15/2026

      2. Sales and purchase agreement (SPA)

      Sometimes sellers indicate in the contract the presence of a valid CASCO insurance as an additional plus during the sale. Look for phrases like:

      • “The car is insured under CASCO in the company [name]”;
      • “Insurance is valid until [date].”

      3. Service book

      If the car was serviced at an official dealer, an insurance note could be left there (especially if CASCO was issued when purchasing a new car).

      💡

      Even if you find mention of CASCO in documents, always check the relevance of the policy — the previous owner could terminate the contract or not pay fees.

      What to do if CASCO is found: how to re-register or terminate

      If you managed to find a valid CASCO policy, there are two scenarios:

      1. Renewing the policy for yourself

      Not all insurance companies allow you to re-register CASCO insurance to a new owner, but some (for example, Renaissance Insurance or Liberty Insurance) are meeting halfway. To do this you need:

      • 📝 Provide a purchase and sale agreement;
      • 📋 Fill out an application for re-registration;
      • 💳 Pay the difference in cost (if the new rate is higher).

    2. Termination of the policy and refund of money

    If it is impossible to reissue insurance or it is unprofitable, you can terminate the contract and return part of the money. By law, when selling a car, the insurance company is obliged to return unused portion of the premium minus 23% (withheld for conducting the case). To do this:

    1. Write an application for termination (a sample can be downloaded from the insurance website).
    2. Attach copies:
      • PTS;
      • Purchase and sale agreements;
      • Passports;
      • CASCO policy.
  • Send the documents to the insurance company (by mail or in person).

    • ⏳ Refund period: up to 14 days from the date of application. If the insurance company is delaying, write a complaint to Central Bank of the Russian Federation through them official website.

    FAQ: Frequently asked questions about searching for CASCO by car number

    Is it possible to check CASCO insurance by car number for free?

    Yes, but only if you know the insurance company and can submit a formal request as the new owner. Free online services that promise verification using one license plate number are almost always scammers.

    What happens if you don’t re-register CASCO for yourself?

    The policy will remain in effect for the previous owner. In the event of an accident, you will not be able to receive payment, even if the damage was not your fault. Additionally, if the owner receives a late payment notice, they can cancel the policy.

    Can an insurance company refuse to provide information about CASCO?

    Yes, unless you provide proof of ownership of the vehicle. But if you are a new owner and have presented a PTS + DCT, the refusal can be appealed through Rospotrebnadzor or court.

    How can I find out if CASCO is valid if I don’t know the insurance company?

    In this case, there are only two options left:

    1. Try sending requests to the largest insurance companies (Ingosstrakh, AlfaInsurance, VTB Insurance etc.).
    2. Order a paid report at Autocode or CarVertical — sometimes there is insurance information there.
    Is it possible to apply for a new CASCO insurance if the old one is still valid?

    Yes, but it's not profitable. Most insurance companies require you to provide a certificate indicating that you do not have a valid CASCO insurance policy. In addition, double insurance does not increase the payment - in the event of an accident, you will receive compensation under only one policy.