Does a Temporary License Plate Have Insurance?
2 Answers
Vehicles with temporary license plates can purchase insurance, and only after purchasing insurance can they apply for temporary license plates. A temporary vehicle license plate is a temporary vehicle travel certificate (paper motor vehicle license plate) issued by the public security vehicle management department before the vehicle is officially registered due to the completion of certain procedures. Precautions for using temporary license plates: Correct placement of temporary license plates: Two temporary license plates should be affixed simultaneously. One should be placed in the upper right corner of the front windshield inside the vehicle, in a position that does not obstruct the driver's view and should not be covered by the compulsory traffic insurance label. The other should be placed in the upper left corner of the rear windshield inside the vehicle. For other types of vehicles with installation limitations, only one temporary license plate is required, but it should be placed in the lower left or lower right corner of the front windshield inside the vehicle, in a position that does not obstruct the driver's view, to ensure driving safety. Insurance claims during the temporary license period: If an accident occurs during the temporary license period, the insurance company will provide normal compensation because the temporary license is linked to compulsory traffic insurance. The owner only needs to confirm the effective time of commercial insurance. If an accident occurs before the commercial insurance takes effect, the insurance company will only compensate for the compulsory traffic insurance part. For vehicles with temporary license plates involved in an accident, the accident time must be within the insurance period, and the insurance must have already taken effect. If these conditions are not met, the insurance company will not process the claim. When an accident occurs, the temporary license plate must still be valid.
I just bought a car and drove it on the road with a temporary license plate. The dealership told me that even with a temporary plate, I needed to get insurance, so I quickly went to an insurance company and got compulsory traffic insurance. They explained that the insurance is based on the vehicle itself and has nothing to do with the type of license plate—accidents during the temporary plate period are covered. Once, on a rainy day, I scraped a roadside lamp post, and the insurance covered it without any extra cost. Temporary plates have a short validity period, but you can get short-term insurance for about 30 days to cover the transition period from buying the car to getting the official plate. The key is to buy the insurance before driving, ensuring the effective date matches the temporary plate period; otherwise, you’re on your own if something happens during the gap. Some new drivers skip insurance for convenience when driving with a temporary plate, but getting caught by the police means fines and points—totally not worth it. My advice is to get insurance immediately after buying the car—you can even do it via an app—for both safety and peace of mind.
