I get the nostalgia for paper backups, and I totally get the fear of being left hanging if your phone’s dead or you’re in a dead zone. But honestly, I’m starting to feel like paper is just another thing to lose (or spill coffee on). My first insurance policy came with this fancy app, and at first I thought it was just a gimmick to make me feel “modern,” but it’s actually saved me a couple headaches already.
Last week, I got pulled over in Warwick. The cop asked for my insurance, and yeah, he gave me a look when I pulled out my phone, but then he just shrugged and scanned the QR code right off the app. Whole thing took two seconds. Meanwhile, the guy ahead of me was digging through his glove box for like five minutes, pulling out old receipts and what looked like a melted granola bar before he finally found his card. Not saying digital is perfect—if your phone’s dead, you’re toast—but keeping both seems smarter than just relying on paper.
Also, those glove box snacks? I tried that once with a bag of almonds and they basically fused into one giant almond brick after a summer. Never again. Maybe it’s just me, but I’d rather have the space for jumper cables or an extra phone charger than old paperwork and snack fossils.
I do get the charm of those old cars though. There’s something honest about driving something that doesn’t beep at you every five seconds. But when it comes to insurance proof, I’d rather not risk getting ticketed over a crumpled slip of paper that’s been through one too many Rhode Island winters. Maybe we’re not all ready for the “fully digital” leap yet, but having both options seems like the best middle ground—at least until cops stop looking at phones like they’re some kind of sorcery.
