Policy Limits Search FAQ for Attorneys

It is research into the insurance coverage behind a defendant, mainly the liability limits on auto, commercial, homeowners and umbrella policies. You send a defendant and the case details you have. We report the coverage we find and note what we could not confirm. Some firms call it a policy limits trace or a liability limits search. It is the same idea. Firms use the result to decide whether to take a case, how to set a demand, and where else to look for coverage.

Attorneys, and paralegals or staff acting for an attorney on a civil claim, for a legitimate legal purpose. We do not take requests from the general public.

The defendant's full name and the date of loss are the minimum. It helps to add the accident location, a plate or VIN, the property address for premises claims, any policy number or carrier name, and the accident report. For commercial matters, include the business name and a USDOT number if you have one.

A written report, delivered by email. It lists the policies we located and the policy limits shown, notes the carrier and any policy details we could identify, and states what we could not confirm.

Timing depends on the type of search and how complete your information is. Standard personal auto searches typically take a few business days. Commercial, homeowners and unknown-carrier searches can take longer. Rush handling is available for urgent matters; tell us your deadline when you submit the request. Missing details are the most common cause of delay. If the case is time-sensitive because of a statute of limitations or a demand deadline, say so up front.

Pricing is quoted before work begins and depends on the type of search and how quickly you need it. See the Pricing page for how quotes work. If a search returns nothing, the report says so, and how a no-result search is billed is confirmed with you when you place the request.

Not unless the report says so. A search reports coverage we can identify. Confirming that a policy was active on a specific date, or that a specific vehicle or property falls under it, is done through the carrier, a declarations page, a formal disclosure request or discovery.

No. Our reports are research summaries and are not policy documents. For a certified copy, ask the carrier under your state's rules or request it in discovery.

Our reports are based on the details you send and the information sources available to us, and we operate within applicable federal and state law. If you need the insurer's own written statement of limits, send a formal request to the carrier under your state's rules, as described in our guide to pre-suit policy limits disclosure.

Tell us in your request if you suspect umbrella or excess coverage. Where the information allows, we note what we find. Umbrella and excess policies are often not mentioned by the defendant and are not always findable, so a report that shows none should not be read as proof that none exists. Asking the defendant's carrier, where your state requires disclosure of excess coverage, is the way to confirm it.

Send what you have: the defendant's name, plate, VIN, address or the accident report. We will tell you whether we can search from that and what to expect. Results are less certain than when the carrier is known, and the report says how certain we are.

Yes. We search for commercial for-hire trucking carriers that can be identified by a USDOT number. Commercial coverage is layered and usually takes longer than a personal auto search. Include the business name and a USDOT or MC number if you have one. For other commercial or premises matters, send the details and we will confirm whether we can search.

Some states let a claimant request liability limits from the insurer before suit, usually in writing and with conditions. For example, North Carolina has a conditional pre-suit process for private passenger auto claims, and Georgia and Florida have statutory request procedures. Texas does not appear to have a general pre-suit duty. Rules differ and change, so check the current statute for your case. The carrier's written answer is the one you can rely on in a demand or in court. A search gives you an early read while you wait on that answer, or when no such right exists. See our guide to pre-suit disclosure by state. This is general information, not legal advice.

We treat requests as confidential and use submitted information only to perform the service, operate our business and meet legal obligations. Please send case details through the request form rather than by email where you can. The Privacy Policy explains what we collect and how long we keep it.