diff --git a/app/Controllers/EnquiryController.php b/app/Controllers/EnquiryController.php
index 211d76e..73170d4 100644
--- a/app/Controllers/EnquiryController.php
+++ b/app/Controllers/EnquiryController.php
@@ -718,7 +718,7 @@ class EnquiryController extends ResourceController
         // --- 1. Input Validation ---
         $reg_no = $this->request->getGet("reg_no");
 
-        if (!$reg_no) {
+        if (empty($reg_no)) {
             return $this->response->setJSON([
                 'status' => 'error',
                 'message' => 'Please provide a valid vehicle registration number.'
@@ -772,14 +772,20 @@ class EnquiryController extends ResourceController
             ]);
         }
 
-        // --- 4. Step 3: Compare end_date >= CURRENT_DATE ---
+        $endDate = $policy["end_date"] ?? '';
         $currentDate = date("Y-m-d");
 
-        // The policy is active if the end_date is TODAY or in the FUTURE.
-        if ($policy["end_date"] >= $currentDate) {
-            // ACTIVE POLICY → 'exists'
-            $msg = $enquiry["name"]." with policy ".$policy["policy_number"]." for vehicle ".$reg_no." already exists and is active.";
+        // --- 4. Step 3  Check if date is missing or invalid format (0000-00-00)
+        if (empty($endDate) || $endDate === "0000-00-00") {
+            return $this->response->setJSON([
+                "status"  => "exists",
+                "message" => "Policy exists but end date is invalid for $reg_no"
+            ]);
+        }
 
+        // --- 5. Step 4 Compare Dates
+        $msg = $enquiry["name"]." with policy ".$policy["policy_number"]." for vehicle ".$reg_no." already exists and is active.";
+        if ($endDate >= $currentDate) {
             return $this->response->setJSON([
                 "status"  => "exists",
                 "message" => $msg,
@@ -790,10 +796,10 @@ class EnquiryController extends ResourceController
             ]);
         }
 
-        // POLICY expired (end_date is in the past)
+        // --- 6. POLICY expired (end_date is in the past)
         return $this->response->setJSON([
             "status"  => "not exists",
-            "message" => "Policy exists but is expired for vehicle number " . $reg_no
+            "message" => "Policy exists but expired on $endDate for vehicle $reg_no"
         ]);
     }