Trace Policy Limits

For personal injury attorneys and their staff

Policy Limits Search for Personal Injury Attorneys

Before you value a case, send a demand, or decide how much to spend on it, you need to know how much insurance is behind the defendant. Trace Policy Limits researches that insurance coverage and sends your team a written report you can put in the file.

Submit a requestRequest a quote
Written reportDelivered by email, ready for your file
Honest scopeWe say what we found and what we did not
Rush optionPriority handling for urgent deadlines

What we search for

Insurance coverage and policy limits that could respond to the claim

Send us a defendant and the details you have. We look for the liability coverage behind a driver, a vehicle or a trucking operation, and support the search with vehicle, locate and asset research.

Looking for homeowners, renters, premises or umbrella coverage? Tell us about the claim on the request form and we will confirm whether we can search it.

Before you file

Why policy limits matter early

The policy limit on the declarations page shapes almost every early decision. It tells you whether a policy-limits demand makes sense, whether the case can carry the cost of experts and litigation, and whether you need to look for another defendant or another layer of insurance coverage.

Waiting for formal discovery to find out is slow, and some of these decisions cannot wait that long. A time-limited demand, an approaching statute of limitations, or a client asking what the case is realistically worth all push the question forward to intake.

When firms order a search

  • At intake, to decide whether the case justifies the investment before the client signs.
  • Before a demand, so the number in the letter is based on coverage you have actually looked for.
  • When a deadline is close, and waiting for the carrier's written response or for discovery is not realistic.
  • When there may be more than one defendant, and you need to know which has coverage worth pursuing.
  • After the carrier has answered, as a cross-check when you suspect an umbrella or excess policy was not mentioned.

How a request works

Three steps from request to report

  1. Send the case detailsUse the request form. Give us the defendant's name, the date of loss, the accident location, and anything else you have, such as a plate, VIN, policy number or carrier name. An accident report helps.
  2. We research the coverageWe work from the identifiers you provide and the information sources available to us, within applicable law.
  3. You get a written reportThe report shows what we found, what we did not find, and anything that needs follow-up. It arrives by email.

The full process is on How it works.

What you get back

A report written for the attorney or paralegal who reads it

  • The policies we located for the defendant and the policy limit shown for each
  • The carrier and any policy details we could identify
  • Notes on anything we could not confirm
  • Suggested next steps, such as a formal written request to the carrier under your state's rules, where one exists
What a search can and cannot tell you. A policy limits search is research. It is not a certified copy of the policy and it is not a statement from the insurance company. Unless a report says otherwise, do not assume it confirms that a policy was in force on the date of loss, that a particular vehicle or property was covered under it, or that no other coverage exists. Those points are confirmed through the carrier, a declarations page, a formal disclosure request, or discovery. We say plainly when a result is partial or unconfirmed.

Pricing and turnaround

Quoted before work begins

Pricing depends on the type of search and how quickly you need it, and we confirm it with you before work begins. Turnaround depends on the search type and how complete your information is; rush handling is available when a deadline is close. See Pricing for how quotes work.

Built for attorneys and paralegals

We work with plaintiff firms, solo practitioners, and the intake and litigation support staff who handle these requests day to day. Requests are accepted from attorneys and from people acting on an attorney's behalf in connection with a civil claim, for a legitimate legal purpose.

Our office is in Cornelius, North Carolina, on Lake Norman, north of Charlotte. We take requests from firms across the United States.

Trace Policy Limits is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.

FAQ

Common questions

What is a policy limits search?

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.

Who can request one?

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.

What information do you need to start?

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.

What do I get back?

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.

How long does it take?

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.

How much does it cost, and do I pay if nothing is found?

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.

Read all frequently asked questions →

Guides

Practical guides for attorneys and paralegals

Have a defendant and a date of loss?

Send us the case details and we will confirm what we need to start. Questions first? Email request@tracepolicylimits.com.

Submit a request