A wallet is a staple component of most people’s everyday carry (EDC) collections. It lets you stay organized by enabling you to sort your cash and essential documents.
Wallet card holders vary depending on the documents they’re intended to secure. In this article, we’ll focus on insurance card holders and why they’re a must-have accessory for every wallet.
Introducing an Insurance Card Holder
An insurance card holder is pretty much what the term suggests – a tiny pouch used to secure insurance cards. They’re a defining feature of most wallets today.
You slot your insurance card into an insurance card holder and then insert the pouch into a special compartment within your wallet. The holder prevents your valuable insurance card from getting misplaced while enabling you to keep your wallet organized.
What are the benefits of being an insurance cardholder?
The most compelling reason to purchase an insurance card holder is that it lets you stay neat and organized. The pouch houses all your insurance cards, allowing you to store other essential wallet accessories in the other compartments.
An insurance card holder also prevents you from inadvertently misplacing your insurance cards. It’s particularly useful where you have to produce your insurance cards for identity verification, such as at security checkpoints or before checking into a hospital. You can only imagine how inconvenient it would be if you suddenly discovered that you’ve misplaced your auto insurance card while trying to enter a different country during a road trip.
It’s also great to know that insurance card holders aren’t only useful for storing insurance cards. Most of these pouches are large enough to house your other vital cards, including credit and debit cards. That makes them a potential replacement for wallets, especially when traveling cash-free.
Insurance cardholders are also beneficial from the insurer’s point of view. Insurance companies leverage these pouches to endear their clients to their brands. As you shall find, most insurance card holders bear the issuing company’s branding information, such as their name and logo. Interacting frequently with such information can be instrumental in building brand loyalty.
Factors to Consider While Choosing a Suitable Insurance Card Holder
1. Size and Design
Size is undoubtedly the biggest consideration when shopping for insurance card holders. You want a pouch that can snugly fit into a compartment within your wallet. Most importantly, the holder should be large enough to secure your insurance cards.
An overall size of 4” by 5 ¾” is a good place to start. That’s a large enough holder to house most insurance cards and other identification cards, typically measuring 3.375″ x 2.125.”
However, conventional wisdom would be to measure the compartments in your wallet before deciding on the appropriate size of the insurance card holder. This is particularly necessary if you intend to hold other documents in the pouch besides insurance cards, such as payment cards, licenses, registrations, and tickets.
When it comes to design, the focus is usually on the card’s loading mechanism. Some insurance card holders are designed with a top opening, whereas others support side loading. You could also choose between zippered and non-zippered pouches, compartmentalized and non-compartmentalized ones, etc.
2. Material
It may be tempting to skimp on the material your insurance card holder is made from. After all, these pouches will be housed in a more secure wallet.
However, note that there will be instances where you have to travel with your insurance cardholder without necessarily bringing your wallet. So, it’s imperative to pick a product fashioned from the strongest and most durable materials.
Now, insurance card holders can be made from dozens of materials. However, vinyl is the most common one.
Vinyl stands out for its incredible resistance to impact, abrasions, moisture, chemicals, and corrosion. That makes vinyl insurance card holders worthwhile in various weather conditions.
3. Customization
Custom insurance card holders are tailored to individual needs.
Most of these pouches typically feature the name and logo of your insurance company. They may also convey insurance-related messages, such as “Don’t Drink and Drive,” “Don’t Text and Drive,” “Arrive Alive,” etc.
These messages aren’t only meant to foster the best motorist practices. They also portray your insurer as mindful of your safety and well-being and that they’ll be there for you when you need them the most.
The texts may also vary depending on your insurance policy. For instance, while “Don’t Drink and Drive” resonates more with motorists, “Enjoy Life to the Fullest” may be targeted at insurance policyholders suffering from terminal illnesses.
Who Issues Insurance Card Holders
Insurance card holders are synonymous with auto insurance companies. However, these cards could also emanate from car dealerships.
Car dealerships play a pivotal role in facilitating auto insurance policies. So, it’s understandable why they’re some of the biggest insurance cardholder issuers.
Below are other entities that could issue insurance card holders;
- Medical insurers
- Insurance agencies
- Banks
- Funeral homes
Wrap Up
An insurance card holder is an essential wallet accessory that securely holds your insurance cards and other important documentation.
Remember that, like your regular wallet, it’s imperative to invest in a high-quality insurance card holder designed with durable and weather-resistant materials.
