Supreme Court Extends Mandatory Third-Party Bike Insurance for New Two-Wheelers from 5 to 6 Years
The Supreme Court has directed that the mandatory third-party insurance cover for new two-wheelers be extended from 5 years to 6 years. The direction was issued on August 4, 2026, part of measures aimed at improving insurance compliance and protecting road accident victims.
Six-Year Third-Party Bike Insurance for New Two-Wheelers
Since 2018, new two-wheeler owners have been required to have five years of third-party bike insurance at the time of purchase. But now SC has directed that this period be increased to six years.
They have asked the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) to issue the necessary directions for implementing the change. The extension applies to third-party two-wheeler insurance and does not make six-year comprehensive or own-damage bike insurance cover mandatory for new bikes or scooters.
Objective: To Reduce Uninsured Vehicles
The direction comes against the backdrop of concerns over uninsured vehicles on Indian roads. The Supreme Court has called for stronger measures to identify vehicles being driven without valid two-wheeler insurance.
As part of this, authorities have been asked to explore technology such as Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and linking vehicle registration and insurance databases to identify uninsured vehicles.
The Court has also asked IRDAI and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to work on a pilot project for a possible “no insurance, no fuel” system. This is currently at the pilot stage and is not a nationwide rule.
