Q1. Can I drive my car if its insurance has expired?

Ans: Driving without a valid car insurance policy is a violation of Indian motor laws and can have severe financial & legal consequences.

Q2. Is there any grace period for car insurance renewal?

Ans: Officially, there is no grace period for coverage. The protection stops immediately after policy expiry. But some insurance companies may allow you to retain your NCB benefits for up to 90 days from expiry.

Q3. Will my premium increase after policy expiry?

Ans: Your insurer may revise your car insurance premium price depending on the vehicle inspection report, lapse duration, and underwriting rules.

Q4. Can I switch insurers after my policy has expired?

Ans: Yes, when purchasing a new car insurance policy, you can change your insurer, but a vehicle inspection may still be required.

Q5. How long does renewal take after inspection?

Ans: In many cases, car insurance renewal policies are issued shortly after a successful vehicle inspection.

Q6. Can I buy only third-party insurance after expiry?

Ans: Yes, you can opt for a third-party liability only policy. But, for broader protection, it is advised to choose comprehensive car insurance.

Q7. Will my No Claim Bonus be valid if my car insurance policy expired last year?

Ans: You will lose your NCB if your motor insurance has expired last year. The No Claim Bonus is usually valid for 90 days after the policy expires. This period is called the Grace period. Renewing car insurance within this period will not affect your NCB discount.

Q8. How do I check the expiry date of my car insurance policy?

Ans: You can check the expiry date of your four-wheeler insurance policy by visiting the official website of the insurer. Alternatively, you can also get your car policy details by logging into your account on Policybazaar.com.

Q9. Can I renew my car insurance policy online?

Ans: Yes, you can renew your car insurance policy online after comparing quotes of multiple insurers on Policybazaar.com in just 5 minutes.

Q10. Can I drive a car that does not have insurance?

Ans: Having a valid car insurance policy is mandatory as per the motor laws of India. Thus, if you are driving without a car insurance policy, it will be considered a traffic rule violation and you may have to pay up to Rs. 2,000 fine.

Renew Expired Car Insurance

Every type of car insurance policy comes with an expiry date. Once the policy term is over, you can no longer raise a claim until the policy is renewed. However, the good news is you can easily renew a lapsed car insurance policy if you fail to do so before the expiry date.

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What Happens if Car Insurance Lapses?

If your car insurance lapses, you might face the following negative consequences:

A lapsed car insurance policy means you might have to pay revised premium payments to renew it and also go through the vehicle inspection process.
If your lapsed car insurance period is quite long, the insurer might reject your policy renewal request. However, car insurance renewal may be allowed in some cases, but with some fines & penalties.
A lapsed car insurance policy means possible loss of NCB (No Claim Bonus).
Hefty penalties are imposed by traffic police for driving without a valid car insurance policy.

Given these consequences, it is best to renew car insurance before it expires. You can check the below-mentioned steps to renew an expired car insurance policy.

Can You Renew Car Insurance After Expiry?

Yes, most car insurance companies allow renewal after it expires, but the process becomes a little complex and has the following conditions:

A vehicle inspection may be required by the insurer for damage assessment.
You may face a higher car insurance premium.
NCB is retained only if you renew within the grace period, which is up to 90 days from the expiry.

Things to do When Your Car Insurance Policy Expires

If your car insurance has already expired, follow these steps for a quick renewal of the coverage:

Avoid Driving the Car

Your car becomes uninsured once the policy lapses, and driving without a valid third-party insurance policy exposes you to legal & financial consequences.

Check Previous Policy

While renewing an expired car insurance policy, keep some basic details handy. These include your previous insurer name, policy number (if available), policy's expiry date, and any claim record.

Renew Your Policy as Soon as Possible

If you renew your car insurance early, you can reduce any delays in vehicle inspection, prevent premium hikes, and protect your NCB.

Vehicle Inspection

Vehicle inspection is commonly required when you buy own-damage or comprehensive policies after the expiry of previous policy. However, many insurance providers now allow for self-inspection, which makes the renewal process faster and hassle-free.

Verify NCB Eligibility

In most cases, insurers allow NCB retention for a limited period after the policy expiry, for which you should check the eligibility to preserve discounted premiums.

Compare First Before Renewing

When you have an expired car insurance policy, you can evaluate better coverage, check & compare premiums from other insurers, and review the add-on covers.

How to Renew Expired Car Insurance Online?

If your car insurance policy has expired, you can easily purchase a new one on Policybazaar.com. Here is an easy step-by-step guide:

Visit the 'Car Insurance' page from the 'Insurance Products' dropdown
Enter your car number in the given form
As soon as you enter your car number the details of your car will be auto-fetched
Select policy expiry date and whether you have previously made a claim or not
From the given policy, find the right motor insurance renewal plan for your car and add any cover you wish to add.
Enter your previous policy 'No Claim Bonus' discount. You are eligible for NCB if your policy expiry is still within the grace period of 90 days.
Now fill in the required details and proceed with payment.
Once you review your car insurance premium, make the payment via online modes.
After the payment is successful, your motor insurance renewal policy documents will be sent to your registered mail address.

Offline v/s Online Expired Car Insurance Renewal

Here is a table showing the difference between renewing expired car insurance online and offline:

Points of Basis	Online Renewal	Offline Renewal
Coverage	Coverage Covers damages caused to third-party persons or their property.	Covers TP liabilities as well as damages caused to own four-wheeler.
Easy to Compare	Easy to Compare Easily check and compare multiple plans offered by different insurers at the time of renewal.	No such flexibility when choosing a four-wheeler insurance plan offline.
Self-Inspection	Self-Inspection Easy self-inspection by shooting a video of your vehicle and uploading it.	A surveyor will conduct a mandatory physical inspection of your vehicle.
Paperwork	Paperwork Minimal paperwork.	Lots of paperwork which your agent will require.
Transparency	Transparency Visit the insurer's website and easily check the plan details with full transparency.	Less transparency and more chances of data being manipulated by an agent.
Cost	Cost Less cost as you can earn discounts.	More cost as it involves the agent's commission.
Accessibility	Accessibility Easy accessibility and 24*7 assistance	It is not easy to access all the information related to the insurance plan as information is passed by the agent.

Documents Required to Renew Expired Car Insurance Policy

While renewing an expired car insurance policy, make sure that you keep these documents handy to ensure a hassle-free purchase:

Vehicle Registration Certificate (RC)
A copy of the expired car insurance policy
RTO address associated with the insured car
Car details, including car model number, city, date of registration, insurer name, etc.

Self-Inspection Under Expired Car Insurance Renewal Online

Policybazaar offers a feature of self-inspection video for car insurance renewal to the policyholders where they can simply make a video and upload it on the app.

Here is how to record a self-inspection video for renewing your expired car policy online with ease:

Install the Policybazaar app on your Android or iOS smartphone
Login to the app using your registered mobile number in the installed Policybazaar app.
From the menu, click on the 'Start Inspection' button
Now follow the stepwise process to upload a video of your car
Once you have made the video, press the 'Submit' button to successfully submit your video.

Once the video has been uploaded, the insurer will review the uploaded video and approve it after verification.

FAQs About Expired Car Insurance Renewal

Q1. Can I drive my car if its insurance has expired?

Ans: Driving without a valid car insurance policy is a violation of Indian motor laws and can have severe financial & legal consequences.
Q2. Is there any grace period for car insurance renewal?

Ans: Officially, there is no grace period for coverage. The protection stops immediately after policy expiry. But some insurance companies may allow you to retain your NCB benefits for up to 90 days from expiry.
Q3. Will my premium increase after policy expiry?

Ans: Your insurer may revise your car insurance premium price depending on the vehicle inspection report, lapse duration, and underwriting rules.
Q4. Can I switch insurers after my policy has expired?

Ans: Yes, when purchasing a new car insurance policy, you can change your insurer, but a vehicle inspection may still be required.
Q5. How long does renewal take after inspection?

Ans: In many cases, car insurance renewal policies are issued shortly after a successful vehicle inspection.
Q6. Can I buy only third-party insurance after expiry?

Ans: Yes, you can opt for a third-party liability only policy. But, for broader protection, it is advised to choose comprehensive car insurance.
Q7. Will my No Claim Bonus be valid if my car insurance policy expired last year?

Ans: You will lose your NCB if your motor insurance has expired last year. The No Claim Bonus is usually valid for 90 days after the policy expires. This period is called the Grace period. Renewing car insurance within this period will not affect your NCB discount.
Q8. How do I check the expiry date of my car insurance policy?

Ans: You can check the expiry date of your four-wheeler insurance policy by visiting the official website of the insurer. Alternatively, you can also get your car policy details by logging into your account on Policybazaar.com.
Q9. Can I renew my car insurance policy online?

Ans: Yes, you can renew your car insurance policy online after comparing quotes of multiple insurers on Policybazaar.com in just 5 minutes.
Q10. Can I drive a car that does not have insurance?

Ans: Having a valid car insurance policy is mandatory as per the motor laws of India. Thus, if you are driving without a car insurance policy, it will be considered a traffic rule violation and you may have to pay up to Rs. 2,000 fine.

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Disclaimer: The list mentioned is according to the alphabetical order of the insurance companies. Policybazaar does not endorse, rate or recommend any particular insurer or insurance product offered by any insurer. This list of plans listed here comprise of insurance products offered by all the insurance partners of Policybazaar. For complete list of insurers in India refer to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India website www.irdai.gov.in