A Guide to Car Insurance Extension on Renewal

So, you missed your car insurance renewal. No worries.

What is Car Insurance Extension?

Did you know about the car insurance extension in the UAE? It’s this wonderful grace period of one month after your car insurance in Dubai expires, in which you can do so many things!

What If Your Car Insurance Extension Has Lapsed

This is not an ideal situation to be in. But don’t panic! You can still salvage the situation – and we’ll help you do it.

What to Expect

Here’s what you can expect will happen if your car insurance extension has lapsed:

1. You are no longer covered by your policy
2. If you go to renew a week after the grace period expect the provider to charge a higher premium
3. If you haven’t had insurance for a few months you can expect the insurance providers to charge very high premiums or not insure you at all

What You Can Do

Not all is lost. You can still save the situation. If you want to avoid higher premiums as a result of the lapse you should:

1. Call your insurance provider immediately and tell them you have lapsed on your policy but intend to renew. This way you have the insurance provider on your side from the get-go.
2. Search around for cheaper options and switch insurance providers. This is only possible a few weeks after the lapse.
3. Do not take your vehicle out or drive it under any circumstances when it is not insured. This will display badly on your record.
4. Always ask about discounts. It never hurts to ask. You never know, it might just save you a few Dirhams.
5. If the new policy has a high premium you can always negotiate the rate after 6 to 12 months of the policy. You can cite how you’ve been a model policyholder and deserve a lesser premium.

Avoid Car Insurance Extension Lapses

Sometimes it is just hard to pay our car insurance premiums. Life and work get in the way and you tend to forget till its too late. Here are some tips to make sure you never lapse on your car insurance extension again:

1. Set up automatic payment plans with your bank
2. If you are nervous about how high the premium is you can change your coverage
3. Another great way to lower premiums is to remove a few add-ons to your policy
4. You can look into options of suspending your policy if you’re travelling for a long period of time. This isn’t an option a lot of insurance providers give. But as we mentioned before – it never hurts to ask.

For more detailed guides you can always visit our blog. We have tones of information about insurance, and life in Dubai.

The Grace Period

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) noticed a lapse in vehicle registration renewal over the past few years. A lot of drivers didn’t know that their vehicle registration is supposed to be renewed every year. As a result, a mass panic happens every time they have to get car insurance renewal because they have to get their vehicle re-registered.

So they came up with the 13th-month grace period. This one month after your insurance is meant to expire allows you to take care of many things.

Get Your Car Registration Renewed

You can take the time in the grace period to focus on your vehicle. Get that registration renewed. Take the time to find out exactly what the registration does for you. If you don’t get the registration renewed, it will mean trouble with the police, who can impound your car.

Scout For Car Insurance in Dubai

The car insurance extension period is great to scout out the competition. You must have wondered what other policies are out there. You might even be thinking of changing providers. Whatever the reason, you can take this golden opportunity to decide whether you want to continue with the provider you have of move on to greener pastures. You can compare policies online before you decide on the one you want.

No-Claims Bonus

The car insurance renewal grace period is also the perfect time to reflect on the year. It’s always recommended to take stock of the past. This is especially true for your driving and claims history. If you’ve had little to no claims in the past year, you are eligible for the No-Claims Bonus (NCB). The NCB makes you stand out amongst policyholders. It tells insurance providers that you are a low-risk investment. They will offer you discounts and lower premiums. Take advantage of the NCB and see how much you can reduce your premium at car insurance renewal.

FAQ’s

Can I drive in the 13th month of car insurance?

Car Insurance policies are valid for 13 months – even though your car registration is valid only for 12 months. The additional month is a grace period to keep your car insured even if your registration has expired.

Is there a grace period for car insurance in Dubai?

All about Car Insurance Renewal in Dubai. Car owners are supposed to renew car insurance in Dubai after every 12 months. It is a mandatory requirement by the Roads and Transport Authority. After the expiry date, car owners in Dubai get a grace period of 30 days to renew their car insurance.

What if my car insurance expires?

Avoid driving the car, If your car insurance policy has expired, you must not drive the car on the UAE roads. Because, you are at higher risk if you drive it without insurance cover. In the event of an accident, you could end up paying from your pocket for the damages to the third party and for the loss or damages to your car.

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