How Long Can Car Insurance Be Delayed?
2 Answers
Car insurance cannot be overdue. If it expires, the vehicle will not be allowed on the road, and any traffic accidents that occur after the expiration will not be covered by the insurance company. Below are the relevant regulations: 1. According to Article 39 of the "Regulations on Compulsory Traffic Accident Liability Insurance for Motor Vehicles": If the owner or manager of a motor vehicle fails to purchase compulsory traffic accident liability insurance as required, the traffic management department of the public security authority will detain the vehicle, notify the owner or manager to purchase the insurance as stipulated, and impose a fine of twice the minimum liability premium that should be paid. 2. If the owner or manager of the motor vehicle reinstates the compulsory traffic accident liability insurance as required, the vehicle should be promptly returned.
Actually, car insurance really shouldn't be delayed casually. As a car owner, I must emphasize that insurance is mandatory by law—driving without valid insurance is illegal. If you don't renew your policy when it expires, coverage terminates immediately. A grace period? There's virtually no officially allowed delay. Some insurers may offer a few days' payment grace period, but that's not an excuse to procrastinate—it's meant to give you a chance to catch up on renewal. I heard about someone who delayed for three days, got caught by traffic police, fined 500 RMB, and received penalty points. Worst of all, if an accident occurs without insurance, you'd have to cover all repair and medical costs yourself—potentially tens of thousands. So I recommend renewing 1-2 weeks early to avoid trouble.
