Will the insurance company compensate if the vehicle's annual inspection is overdue?
2 Answers
If a vehicle's annual inspection is overdue and an accident occurs, the insurance company is not required to compensate. According to the motor vehicle third-party liability insurance clause, the insurer is not liable for compensation in the event of a traffic accident if the insured vehicle has not undergone the required annual inspection, fails the inspection, or lacks other valid driving documents. This means the insurance contract only applies to qualified and legally compliant vehicles. In addition to refusing compensation for traffic accidents involving vehicles with overdue inspections, insurance companies also deny claims for lost vehicles under the same circumstances. For vehicles that have not undergone annual inspection, traffic police can impose a fine and deduct 3 points from the driver's license according to the Road Traffic Safety Law, and the vehicle may also be temporarily impounded.
I drive frequently and have talked to many drivers about this. If your car's annual inspection expires and you get into an accident, the insurance company may very likely refuse to pay. I must remind everyone not to take this lightly. If the annual inspection is overdue and the car hasn't undergone a timely safety check, the insurance company will argue that it's your own fault, as the contract clearly states the vehicle must be compliant. My friend's car expired last year, and after a minor fender bender, the insurance company outright denied the claim, citing the failed inspection. Of course, if the accident was entirely someone else's fault—like if you were parked on the side of the road and got hit—they might make an exception, but don’t count on it. Make it a habit to get your annual inspection done a few weeks early each year to avoid forgetting and regretting it later. The insurance policy states that the owner is responsible for maintaining the vehicle, and an expired inspection is a breach of contract. Road safety comes first—don’t risk saving a little time or money, because if an accident happens, the losses could amount to thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars.
