Fines for Expired Car Insurance, Driving Without Insurance

Driving a car can be a dream of many, but if any accident or other damages are suffered by a car then it can possibly give nightmares to the owner. This is because if anything happens to the car, the car needs to be brought back to a usable condition. If the driver and passengers of the vehicle have suffered any injuries, then the medical expenses could be huge. Apart from all these, if the accident has happened due to the fault or mistake of the driver of your car, then he has to reimburse the damages and medical costs of the person suffering the damages. A list of such huge expenses can possibly make someone go bankrupt. Besides, if someone dies in the accident, the payments would be even higher. This is the reason; Motor Vehicles Act made it mandatory to have a car insurance policy for every car in use. So a direct question arises: can I drive a car without insurance? The answer is ‘NO.’ If you do so, you will be breaking the law. Now the very next question is, what is the fine for a car without insurance? Let’s have a look at that. Without insurance fine for car and car insurance expired fine. An amendment was made in Motor Vehicles Act in 2019, and the fine amounts were increased significantly to avoid any defaults on the part of car insurance policyholders. The fine amount is the same in both the cases that are car insurance expired fine and without insurance fine for the car. If you are caught for the first time driving without car insurance, the fine amount shall be Rs 2000 and/or imprisonment up to 3 months. If you are caught again, then the fine amount shall increase to Rs 4000 and/or imprisonment up to 3 months.

What Other Penalties Apply Besides Fines and Imprisonment?

Apart from payment of fine and imprisonment, if required, common punishments involve the following two:

• The driving license of the driver stands suspended for a stated time period.
• The registration of a vehicle for which the insurance policy was not found shall stand suspended.

How do we pay a car insurance fine? It is possible to pay the car insurance fine either online on the portal using means of digital payment, or there is also an offline option available to pay the fine by cash. Is it possible to renew a policy after it has already expired, or is it necessary to buy a new policy? It is possible to renew an expired policy within 90 days of the expiry of a particular policy. However, this may make you miss the ‘No Claim Bonus’ accumulated overtime. Hence you should try to renew a policy well in time.

How to avoid legal complications?

• Whenever you buy a car, irrespective of whether a new one or a second-hand one, buy an insurance policy immediately.
• Renew the car insurance policy  well within the time frame
• It is necessary to have a hard copy of the valid policy in the car itself to avoid any hassles.
• Prefer to store a soft copy of the insurance policy in your email or on your phone so that if you are unable to find a physical policy, it can prove helpful

What are the types of insurance policies available?

Broadly, there are two types of car insurance policies available. They are third-party policy and comprehensive policy. Third-party policy The third party car insurance policy is mandatory by law. It covers only the damages and medical costs to be paid to the third-party with whom the accident has taken place. No payments towards own vehicle or medical expenses are covered under third party car insurance.

FAQs:

Is the fine amount the same for a two-wheeler, four-wheeler, commercial vehicles, and private vehicles?

Yes, the fine amount is the same irrespective of the type of vehicle and ownership.

“My policy has expired. Shall I take a new policy or renew the older one?” asks Manish

It is better to renew the same policy and not opt for a new one not only because you will miss on the ‘No Claim Bonus’ if you do so but also because a new policy will involve a lengthy procedure of vehicle inspection and other procedural requirements.

Can I drive a car without insurance if I own a second-hand car?

No, car insurance is mandatory for any car, whether new or secondhand.