Fines for Driving Without Car Insurance in India

As an initiative to decrease the number of fatal road accidents and rash driving in India, the Government of India made amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act in 2019. If you own a vehicle then you must be aware of the legal requirement of carrying your car insurance policy while driving in India as well as the fine on being caught without one that amounts to Rs. 2000. Read ahead to understand such fines and how you can avoid them.

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The Necessity of Car Insurance While Driving

Driving without a car insurance policy is illegal as per the Motor Vehicles Act, 1998. Third-Party Liability Insurance is mandatory for all motor vehicles to drive legally in India. With the increment in challan amount after the amendment in Motor Vehicle Act, 2019 it has become even more important to know about them to avoid hefty traffic fines.

Fine for Driving Without Car Insurance

Indian law states that it is compulsory for any vehicle owner to buy motor insurance, hence there is a fine associated with it. In case you are caught while driving without any motor insurance, you will have to face the consequences.  A fine will be incurred in case the vehicle is not insured. To know the fine charged for not having insurance while driving in India is mentioned below- 

In case you get caught without insurance for the second time then you will be liable to pay a fine of Rs 4000, and imprisonment of up to 3 months is also possible under the discretion of law.

Consequences of Driving Without Car Insurance

Different countries have different penalties for driving without insurance, however, some common punishments are mentioned below:

• Driving without motor insurance can lead to the suspension of your driving license.
• Your vehicle registration can be suspended too in cases like these.

Paying for Fines/Challans

After you violate a traffic rule, the first thing you should do is to cooperate with the traffic police and help them understand your side of things. In case you are not carrying your car insurance and get caught while driving, you should pull over your car where the officer asks you to.

The officer might ask you to show the registration certificate of your car and your driving license, then just show him everything he needs and you will be pardoned to go without the need of punishment. But, on the contrary, if you hold on to these documents, then the officer can issue a challan instantly for driving a car without insurance cover. To pay the penalty amount of challan you have both online and offline mode.

Paying Fine through Online Mode

• First, visit the official website of the State Transport Department
• Now, look for the section of e-challan payment or payment for a traffic violation. Once you find the tab, click it to move further.
• The vehicle number and challan number with other details related to the traffic violation are to be entered now. You will have to enter the captcha code after the above details.
• You can make payment for the challan amount by using either a debit or a credit card too. Along with this, you can also pay through the payment system using digital wallets.
• Finally, after making the payment, you will get a receipt and a confirmation message.

Paying Fine through Offline Mode

If you wish to make the payment of your challan through an offline payment mode, in place of an online or digital mode of payment, then you should visit the traffic police station near you. Now, you should contact the concerned officer to know the exact amount of penalty that is to be paid. Just pay the amount and clear the dues to free yourself from all the charges.

The full payment of your penalty will allow you to drive your car hassle-free, without any restrictions in the future, either private or commercial. If you fail to make the payment of challan, it will lead to an increase in the fine that will be imposed on you on getting caught for the next time.

How to Avoid Paying Fines for Driving Without Car Insurance?

The tips to avoid paying heavy fines are listed below:

• Storing hard copies of all essential documents such as your license, RC, and pollution certificate in your vehicle is a must.
• Storing a soft copy of all these documents on your mobile as well as keeping it handy to show in case you are caught.
• Make it a point to not miss the renewal dates of your insurance policy to avoid penalties.
• Buy the insurance policy for every vehicle before it gets on the road. A third-party liability policy is mandatory because of the heavy costs incurred in road accidents by accidentally injuring a third person.

To Conclude

Driving irresponsibly certainly thrills, but can also kill. While keeping valid motor insurance is quintessential for every owner-driver in India, it is also important for all of us to drive responsibly, within the speed limit, and by following all the traffic rules. Make sure that you keep a valid car insurance policy with you every time while driving so that you can drive legally as well as avoid paying hefty fines.