Had a similar thing happen to me last spring near Sioux Falls—thought I was all set with digital insurance cards until my phone froze solid right when I needed it. Thankfully, I had an old folded-up paper copy stuffed in the glovebox. Digital's handy, sure, but I still trust paper more...guess it's the insurance agent in me always prepping for worst-case scenarios. Anyone else still carry physical backups, or am I just overly cautious?
You're definitely not alone—I still keep paper copies too. Digital is convenient, but I've had enough tech glitches over the years to know better than to rely solely on my phone. A few things I've noticed:
- Phones can die or freeze at the worst possible moment (like your experience), and sometimes signal issues can prevent accessing cloud-stored documents.
- Some officers or officials might not be fully comfortable with digital cards yet, even if they're technically accepted. I've heard stories of confusion or delays because of this.
- Paper copies are quick, reliable, and don't depend on battery life or cell reception. Plus, they're easy to hand over without worrying about unlocking your phone or privacy concerns.
Maybe it's a bit old-school, but having a physical backup just feels like common sense to me. Better safe than sorry, right?
I get your point about paper being reliable, but honestly, I've been using digital insurance cards exclusively for a couple years now without any real issues. Sure, phones can glitch, but how often does that really happen at the exact moment you need it? Most officers I've dealt with lately seem pretty comfortable with digital copies too. Maybe it's just luck or location...but carrying around extra paperwork feels unnecessary to me these days.
"Sure, phones can glitch, but how often does that really happen at the exact moment you need it?"
Funny you mention that—I used to think the same way until last winter. Pulled over on a freezing night, phone battery at 2% (classic me), and of course, my insurance app decided it needed an update right then and there. Officer was chill about it, thankfully, but after that I started tucking a printed copy into the glovebox again. Call me paranoid, but that one moment of panic was enough for me to reconsider...
Same here, I used to rely on my phone until I dropped it in a puddle running errands. Now I stash a paper copy just in case... Does SD even accept digital insurance cards officially, or is it officer discretion?
