How long is the grace period for compulsory insurance expiration?
2 Answers
Compulsory insurance can be deferred for up to 3 months for payment. As long as it is within these 3 months, the original auto insurance company can still accept renewal. However, according to regulations, vehicles without compulsory insurance are not allowed on the road. Vehicle compulsory insurance is the first compulsory insurance system implemented by national law in China. The Regulations on Compulsory Insurance for Motor Vehicle Traffic Accident Liability stipulate that compulsory insurance is a mandatory liability insurance where the insurance company compensates the victim (excluding the vehicle occupants and the insured) for personal injury, death, or property loss caused by a road traffic accident involving the insured motor vehicle, within the liability limit. If the owner or manager of a motor vehicle fails to purchase compulsory vehicle insurance as required and is discovered by the public security traffic management department, the department may impose a fine of twice the minimum liability limit premium that the vehicle should have paid. Since compulsory insurance, in a sense, represents state intervention in personal will, the scope of compulsory insurance is strictly limited.
There is no official grace period for compulsory insurance. I've been driving for over a decade. A friend once told me there was a 3-5 day buffer, but he got caught driving one day after expiration—fined 800 RMB with his car towed. Since then, I've been extra careful, tracking renewal dates a month in advance. Insurers might allow short-term late payments, but that’s not a legally mandated grace period. To stay safe, don’t delay until expiration. Driving with expired compulsory insurance is high-risk: fines, vehicle impoundment, and out-of-pocket liability if accidents occur. I recommend setting phone reminders and building a routine check habit to avoid last-minute panic.
