How to scan a health insurance card, front and back
Updated
To scan an insurance card, capture the front and the back and keep both in one file: Doc Scanner's ID card mode (Premium) places both sides on a single page as a PDF or JPG, and the free plan scans the two sides into one two-page PDF. Doc Scanner by Ginowl works on iPhone and Android, with no ads, no watermark and no sign-up needed.
Clinics, pharmacies and claim forms often ask for both sides, because the back usually carries the phone numbers and the claims address. Your card is processed on your phone; nothing is uploaded to be scanned.
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How to scan both sides of an insurance card
Open ID Card (Premium)
In Doc Scanner, open the Tools tab and tap ID Card, or switch the camera to ID Card and choose Both Sides. ID card mode is part of Premium; on the free plan, use Document mode instead (see below).
Scan the front
Lay the card on a flat, dark surface. When the app says Scan the FRONT of the card, fill most of the frame with the card, hold the phone parallel to it and take the photo.
Scan the back
Flip the card when you see Now scan the BACK of the card and take the second photo. Doc Scanner places the front and the back on one A4-style page.
Crop and adjust
ID card mode uses the regular camera, so check each side: tap Crop and drag the corner handles to the card's edges, Rotate if needed, and tap Edit for Magic Color or Grayscale.
Share, upload or print
Tap the share icon, choose PDF or JPG, then tap Share to upload or e-mail it, or Print for a paper copy.
Both sides on one page (Premium)
Most front desks want one sheet with both sides of the card on it, the same way they would photocopy it. ID card mode does that layout for you: scan the front, scan the back, and both images land on one A4-style page. You send a single tidy file instead of two loose photos that someone has to match up.
Export the page as a PDF for e-mail and patient portals, or as a JPG when an app or form only accepts images. When you share it as a PDF you can also choose the page size (Original, A4 or Letter) and the quality (Low, Medium or High). ID card mode is part of Premium, together with text extraction and password-protected PDFs.
The same mode handles every two-sided card: a driver's license, a residence permit, a green card, a student card. The full walkthrough is on the scan an ID card page.
Free plan: a two-page PDF
You don't need Premium to get both sides into one file. On the free plan:
- Tap the camera button in the middle of the bottom bar and keep the camera on Document.
- Hold the phone over the front of the card. Smart edge detection finds the card's corners, corrects the perspective and captures it.
- Flip the card and capture the back as the next page of the same scan.
- Finish the scan. You now have one document with two pages: front first, back second.
Share it as a PDF and the recipient gets one file with both sides, which is what most upload forms ask for. If you scanned the sides separately, select both documents in your library and tap Merge to combine them. Need the front only? Tap Select pages on the Share screen.
Your phone's built-in tools can also capture a card: the scanner in the iPhone Notes and Files apps, or the scan button in Google Drive on Android. Doc Scanner adds what a card copy needs: a one-page front-and-back layout (Premium), plus quality and page-size choices for the file you send.
Tips for a sharp card scan
- Beat the glare. Plastic cards reflect light. Turn off the flash, scan near a window or under soft light, and tilt the card or the phone slightly until the bright spot leaves the member ID.
- Use a dark background. A dark table or a sheet of dark paper makes the card's edges stand out for edge detection and for cropping.
- Fill the frame. A card is small; bring the phone close enough that the card fills most of the screen, and hold it parallel so the corners stay square.
- Raised numbers. Embossed digits read better with light coming slightly from one side.
- Check before you send. Zoom in: the member ID, group number and phone numbers on the back must be readable. Magic Color sharpens faded print; Grayscale gives a clean copy for printing.
Upload it to a portal or email it
Patient portals, telehealth apps and claim forms usually offer an upload button that accepts a PDF or an image. On the Share screen, tap Share and save the file to your phone's files from the share sheet, then pick it in the portal's upload dialog. If the portal limits file size, export at Medium quality; the text on a card stays sharp. Step-by-step: how to scan a document and upload it.
To e-mail it, tap Share and pick Mail, Gmail or Outlook; the PDF arrives attached to a new message. See how to scan and email a document. Rename the document first (for example "Insurance card - front and back") so the recipient knows what it is.
Your member ID is personal information. Before e-mailing it, you can turn on Protect with password to lock the PDF with AES-256 encryption (Premium) and share the password by phone or text. More in how to password-protect a PDF.
Medicare and health plan cards
Health plan cards from private insurers are usually plastic, so glare is the main enemy; follow the tips above. A Medicare card is printed on paper and can curl or crease. Flatten it under a book for a minute, then scan it on a dark surface; paper doesn't reflect much, so soft daylight gives a very clean copy. Scan the back too if the office asks for it.
Dental, vision and prescription cards scan the same way. Keep them together in one folder, such as "Health", and you can pull up the right card at the pharmacy counter in seconds.
Can you show a scan instead of the physical card? Many offices accept a digital copy, but the rules are set by each provider and insurer, and many insurers also offer a digital member card in their own app. When in doubt, ask the office before your visit and keep the physical card with you. Doc Scanner gives you a clean copy; it doesn't verify coverage or read the card's barcode.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I scan my insurance card on my phone?
Open Doc Scanner, switch the camera to ID Card and choose Both Sides (Premium), then photograph the front and the back. Both sides land on one page you can share as a PDF or JPG. On the free plan, scan the front and back in Document mode to get one two-page PDF.
Can I show a scan of my insurance card?
Often, yes, but it depends on the provider and your insurer. Many offices accept a digital copy and many insurers offer a digital card in their own app. Ask the office before your visit if you're unsure, and keep the physical card with you.
Is ID card mode free?
Doc Scanner is free to download and has a free plan for scanning, signing and exporting PDFs. ID card mode is part of Premium, together with text extraction and password-protected PDFs. On the free plan you can still scan both sides into one two-page PDF.
Can I put the front and back of my card on one page?
Yes, with ID card mode (Premium): it scans the front and the back and places both on one A4-style page. Export it as a PDF or JPG, share it or print it.
What file format do clinics and insurers want?
Most portals accept PDF or JPG. Doc Scanner exports both. Use PDF for e-mail and forms, JPG when an app only takes images, and Medium quality if the upload has a size limit.
Is my insurance card uploaded when I scan it?
No. Scanning and image processing happen on your phone, so the card isn't sent anywhere to be scanned. It only leaves your phone when you choose to share it.
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Related pages
- Scan ID cardsScan both sides of an ID card onto one page with Doc Scanner for iPhone and Android. Front and back on one A4-style PDF or JPG, ready to print or share.
- Driver's licenseScan a driver's license with your iPhone or Android phone: front and back on one PDF page with Doc Scanner, or a free two-page PDF. Ready to e-mail.
- Scan and emailHow to scan and email a document from iPhone or Android: scan, pick PDF, set quality and pages, then send with Gmail, Outlook or Mail. No watermark.
- Social Security cardScan your Social Security card on iPhone or Android with Doc Scanner. Processed on your phone, no sign-up, no ads, and a password-locked PDF (Premium).
- Many pages, one PDFScan multiple pages into one PDF on iPhone or Android: Batch mode captures page after page, then reorder, add or merge. No watermarks, no ads, no sign-up.