Warning on insurance marketing using DMV’s name or personal DMV information

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is warning customers to be wary of companies who call claiming they can offer cheaper insurance rates based on information from DMV records.

DMV does not sell insurance, solicit the sale of insurance, or release driver information for marketing purposes, said DMV spokesman Sunni Brown.

“A few of our customers have called us to let us know they have received automated messages from insurance companies saying they are entitled to a lower insurance rate based on information from their DMV records,’” said   Brown.

DMV is “keenly aware of its responsibility” to ensure that the information it maintains is used only for the purposes authorized by law; in fact, Virginia has some of the strictest privacy laws in the country, according to Brown.

Virginia statutes stipulate that driver and vehicle records are privileged and are not available to the general public.

DMV may only release driver, vehicle and personal information from its records under specific conditions. Virginia statutes do not permit DMV to release name and address information for marketing purposes.

According to Brown, By law, insurance companies have access to limited DMV data only under certain circumstances. An insurance company could access information from driving records only for a customer it insures or a potential customer who reached out to it inquiring about coverage. Insurance companies also have access to crash reports if the crash involves a person or property they insure.

According to the DMV news release, customers of motor vehicle agencies across the country have received similar calls and notified their state jurisdictions. Virginians who receive similar calls can report them to DMV for further investigation. Visit dmvNOW.com for contact information.