Do you want to know what is a standard driving record?
do not
Do you want to know what is a lifetime driving record?
Yes
See an explanation of the "lifetime" driving records issued by the New York DMV, and a Summary Description of the lifetime driving record PDF DS-242.3, which also shows a sample record.
I have a question about the insurance companies, why do these companies need to know the driving record for life? can I give it to them myself?
If you apply for insurance online you would expect a rate quote within minutes. To do this insurance companies need to have access to your information instantly. To provide this kind of service insurance companies need access to DMV information so a direct pay-per-search service has been provided to companies. They are able to check your driving history and therefore provide you with a quote almost immediately.
What if my driving history is not correct?
If you feel the information is not correct you would have to purchase your driver record and send it to the insurance company before they could issue you with a quote. This practice would slow down the process and probably be very inconvenient.
Is it possible to get this information in person? If I visited your offices could I get this information immediately?
Yes, that is possible. You can visit the office and request the information at the counter. Anyone can visit the office and purchase a driver license record so long as the requestor provide sufficient identification and can identify one and only one record that is required.
What if I am a Hazardous Materials Driver?