If you’ve ever bought motor insurance, you’re likely to have come across the terms Vehicle Identification Number or VIN and chassis number. You must wonder why insurance companies insist on having this information. That’s because VIN is like a genetic identifier for your car. Think of it as the vehicular equivalent of a thumbprint.
What is a VIN or chassis number?
Vehicle identification number or VIN is a set of 17 characters that are unique to the vehicle, like a vehicle’s unique identity code. Yes, it is used interchangeably with chassis number because it’s stamped to the chassis of the vehicle, although strictly speaking, chassis number is part of VIN. If you locate VIN, you can identify the chassis number.
Issuing a VIN to every vehicle is standard practice across the world. It helps to mark out every vehicle whether commercial or private, make, model, manufacturer and year.
But why 17?
The alphanumerical sequence actually denotes important information. The several components of VIN are described below to help you understand your vehicle better. Please note that this is a generic break-up that is followed by most manufacturers.
The first three characters in the VIN are referred to as WMN and symbolize the country of origin and the manufacturer. The first character reveals the country where the vehicle was built. The next two characters reveals the manufacturer.
The next six alphanumerical sequences are the key to your vehicle’s details. The VDS also varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.
- The 4th character tells you the vehicle type; whether it’s a scooter or a sports bike and so forth.
- The 5th character stands for engine movement or the power range of the engine.
- The 6th character tells you the type of engine that runs your vehicle. For e.g. whether it is a double strike or single stroke engine.
- The 7th character shows the sequence of design.
- The 8th character denotes the vehicle version.
- The 9th number is a check digit to maintain VIN accuracy.
- The 10th character helps to identify the year of manufacture of the vehicle.
- The 11th character identifies the plant where the vehicle was manufactured.
The character from 12th to 17th is the vehicle’s serial number or chassis number.
Got it! But where in my car is it stamped?
This differs from vehicle to vehicle but it’s usually to be found in the following places:
- On the door frame of the front doors. Mostly it’s the driver’s side but could also be stamped on the passenger side.
- On the dashboard near the windshield.
- On the steering wheel or the steering column.
- In the inner wheel arch towards the left hand side.
- Radiator support bracket.
- On the car’s registration papers.
Good to know! What role does VIN or chassis number play in vehicle insurance though?
Well, the better we know your vehicle, the better we can help if the need arises. Knowing the Vehicle Identification Number/chassis number of your car or two wheeler, at one go, gives insurance players like us information that is crucial. In insurance, chassis number is reviewed to authenticate ownership and existence of the vehicle. For e.g., a car may have been written-off/stolen and sold again to an unsuspecting buyer. The insurance company, through VIN can authenticate the car at the time of policy purchase. This helps to end fraud and counter bogus claim settlements.
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