Police launch motor insurance verification system via *1338# USSD, SMS and hotline

Sri Lanka Police on Sunday issued a public notice setting out how motorists, traffic officers and the public can verify the validity of the new digital motor vehicle insurance cards that took effect on May 1.

The transition was a joint decision of the Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (IRCSL), the Sri Lanka Insurance Association and other industry stakeholders, replacing traditional printed motor insurance certificates with digital cards issued by insurance companies. A National Insurance Verification System has been introduced alongside the rollout.

Police said the system can be accessed through three free channels:

• USSD code *1338# — dial from any mobile phone, enter the vehicle number or policy number and receive the current insurance status instantly.
• SMS to 1338 — send the vehicle or policy number; an immediate reply confirms whether cover is active.
• Hotline 1338 — call to be connected to the relevant insurer for verification through customer service.

Vehicle numbers must be entered without spaces, and the “ශ්‍රී” prefix should be entered as “SRI” in English where applicable, the notice said. No charge applies to the calls or SMS to 1338.

Police clarified that temporary cover notes will continue to be accepted for now but will be phased out, while previously issued printed certificates remain valid until their expiry. Digital insurance cards — whether shown on a phone, in an insurer’s mobile app or in printed form on request — must be accepted by checking officers, with their validity verifiable through the official channels. The notice cited the Electronic Transactions Act No. 19 of 2006, under which such digital documents cannot be denied legal validity.

The verification system fills in the operational details that were missing when the digital insurance card was first announced by the Finance Ministry in late April. The launch coincided with a separate IRCSL move to a strict cash-before-cover model, making May 1 the largest single-day overhaul of motor insurance administration in years.

Sources: Ada Derana, Newswire.