Do u need insurance to drive a car

The answer may be obvious to many but others may still ponder. What if you drive around without car insurance? And why would you risk it? Of course, trying to dodge cost is a major factor for many with some high risk motorists and young, inexperienced drivers having to fork out thousands for car insurance. 

The cost of not having car insurance and getting into an accident, however, is even worse. You could be paying out even higher amounts, have your licence revoked or even worse….serve jail time.

Here’s why it’s not worth risking.

Pay a hefty fine

Get caught and the Singapore Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) Act applies in which it stipulates that someone found driving a motor vehicle in Singapore without insurance coverage will be guilty of an offence and liable upon conviction to a fine of up to S$1,000, imprisonment for up to 3 months, or both.

Driver’s licence taken away

If convicted, you could also be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 12 months past the date of your conviction. 

Spend time in jail

The law also stipulates that you can be imprisoned for up to 3 months (on top of paying a fine). 

However, there are some minor exceptions to the rule. 

You may not be found guilty of this offence if: 1) if the car does not belong to you or is in your possession under a contract of hiring or a loan; 2) you genuinely did not realise, nor had any reason to believe, that a valid insurance policy was not in effect.

What happens if you have a car accident?

If you’re involved in a car accident while driving uninsured, you’ll have to pay for repairing or replacing your car, any broken personal possessions and any medical expenses yourself.

That in itself could lead to financial ruin. But added to that, you could also find yourself facing a lawsuit from the third party and having to pay for any losses, damages and medical expenses for the third party as well. Ultimately, this could cost you many thousands of dollars that would otherwise have been paid for by your insurer.

Fronting

Some people with a less-than-stellar driving record might be tempted to avoid paying the full cost of the higher premium that goes along with being classified as a "high-risk driver" by engaging in a practice known as "fronting." Fronting is when you attempt to get a cheaper rate on your car insurance by using the details of a different, presumably better, driving profile. In short, it's a form of fraud. If you attempt this strategy to avoid paying higher car insurance premiums, you could find your claims go unpaid and your policies cancelled entirely, especially if you get in an accident. 

Parting thoughts

Consumer researchers ValueChampion added: “At the end of the day, while nobody enjoys paying for car insurance, attempting to avoid it by breaking the law is likely to cost you much more than your premium would, in both time and money. There are ways, however, to make sure you're not paying any more than you need to on your premium.”

Check out Budget Direct Insurance, the insurer that won’t allow you to fork out any more than you need to. 

Budget Direct Insurance
Pay less for your car insurance. Get a quote today and see how much you can save.

Knowing the details about who’s covered and what they can do while driving is important. Get all the information you need about our car insurance usage details and more. Can't find what you need? Send us an email


What do you mean by driver plan?

You can allow different types of motorists to drive your car.

Value Plan: The main driver and up to 4 other drivers who must be named on your policy schedule and/or certificate of insurance, 2 of which can be young and/or inexperienced drivers. The adding of additional driver is subject to additional premium charges.

Value Plus Plan: The main driver and any authorised drivers who are aged 30 years and above and who hold a valid driving licence for at least 2 years in the period immediately preceding the date of your policy. In addition, you can also name up to 2 other young and/or inexperienced drivers. Only young and/or inexperienced drivers who are named on your policy schedule and/or certificate of insurance will be covered. The adding of additional driver is subject to additional premium charges.

Flexible Plan: Any drivers are covered. There is no need to name any drivers.

My car is under finance, what type of insurance plan can I purchase?

We will be happy to provide you with a quote for any of our insurance plans. However, before you buy the policy, please check with your finance company. Some finance companies require certain levels of insurance cover for the car before they can continue with the finance.

Why is DirectAsia so particular about who the main driver is (ie. the person who uses the car most frequently)?

We underwrite and price on the information we receive. Honest disclosure is fundamental to the insurance contract. Pricing is based on risk, and the age and experience of the driver is a major factor in determining price.

The importance of the accuracy of the named main driver is very explicit in the quote process on our site, as it is a fundamental basis for calculating the premium you would pay.

Sadly, there are cases where the main driver (the person who uses the car most of the time) hides behind a better profile driver. This is a fraudulent behaviour called 'fronting'.

It is DirectAsia's policy to pay fairly and promptly for all legitimate claims and to carefully consider all claims which suggest 'fronting' so that we can bring more competitive rates to the motoring industry.

What do we mean by Policy Holder?

The policyholder should be the registered owner of the vehicle – we cannot insure you if you are not the owner of the car.

How do you define the different usages of the car?

Private use: You are only using your car in the course of your private life and for leisure.
Private use and commuting to work: You are also using your car to go to and from your office.
Private and business use: You are also using your car for and during the course of your work.
Off Peak Car: You drive a car with a red plate registration in Singapore.
Low Mileage use: You drive your car up to 8,000km a year.

Who is eligible for Low Mileage usage Car policy?

This Low Mileage usage is suitable for drivers who use their car rarely or only drive in short distances of up to 8,000km a year. We will simply require your odometer reading declaration to qualify for this upon insurance policy inception. Looking for a policy that fits your low mileage needs? Opt for our Low Mileage car insurance plan and save.

Do you cover everyone that uses my car?

This depends on what driver plans you have selected: Value, Value Plus or Flexible. Enquire with us to obtain a car insurance quote for each.

Do I qualify for DirectAsia's car insurance?

Here is a checklist of who is eligible for our car insurance

  • The policyholder must be the registered owner of the vehicle – we cannot insure you if you are not the owner of the car.
  • The main driver is the person that uses the car most frequently
  • they must be aged 70 years old and below, with at least 2 years' valid driving licence.
  • Young and/or inexperienced drivers are drivers aged below 30 and/ or with less than 2 years' valid driving licence. You only need to name young and/ or inexperienced drivers on your policy and you can name up to 2 people.

Most other companies will insure any number of young and/ or inexperienced drivers which means that even if you don’t have such drivers you will be paying for those that do.

At DirectAsia you only pay for what you need.

We have to exclude some drivers to keep your premium down

We cannot cover you if:

You have been declined when trying to renew your policy in the last 3 years. Or you have had your policy terminated in the last 3 years. You've had your licence cancelled or suspended in the last 5 years. You are driving a commercial vehicle.

We do not insure certain professions. These are:

Personnel of foreign armed forces
Professionals who are involved with the entertainment industry
Professional sportsmen or sportswomen
Foreign diplomats and foreign diplomatic staff
Driving instructors requiring business use

What happens if I wrongly declare who the main driver is (the person who uses the car most frequently)?

DirectAsia is entitled to void a policy and treat it as if it never existed if you have intentionally mis-declared the main driver for your policy just to obtain a lower premium. We underwrite and price on the information we receive and honest disclosure is fundamental to the insurance contract. Pricing is based on risk, and the age and experience of the driver is a major factor in determining price. The importance of the accuracy of the main driver is very explicit in the quote process on our site, as it is a fundamental basis for calculating the premium you would pay. This is explicitly stressed, and forms the basis of the contract which the customer enters into.; There are, however, cases in which the main driver (the person who uses the car most frequently) hides behind a better profile driver. This is a fraudulent behaviour called 'fronting'. It is DirectAsia's policy to pay fairly and promptly for all legitimate claims and to carefully consider all claims which suggest 'fronting' so that we can bring more competitive rates to the motoring industry.

Can DirectAsia cancel my policy if I did not truthfully declare all information while buying my policy?

Yes. If you do not fully and faithfully tell us everything you know or could reasonably be expected to know that is relevant to our decision to give you the insurance, you may receive no benefit from your policy or we may cancel your policy and treat it as never having existed. The admin fee for cancellation is S$90 (inclusive of GST).

If I've had my policy terminated, can I still get insurance with you?

If you have been declined when trying to renew your policy in the last 3 years. Or you have had your policy terminated in the last 3 years we cannot insure you.

If I’m driving a delivery truck for work can you cover me?

We do not cover driving a commercial vehicle.

What do we mean by Main Driver?

The main driver is the person that uses the car most frequently – they must be aged 70 years old and below, with at least 2 years' valid driving licence. He does not need to be the policyholder (car owner). He should be the person using the car most frequently.

What do we mean by Named Drivers?

Named drivers are occasional drivers that you name under the policy.

What do we mean by Authorised Drivers?

Authorised drivers (for Value Plus) are people that you give permission to use your car. Anyone can be an authorised driver so long as they are at least 30 years old and with more than 2 years' valid driving licence. Their licence should also not have been suspended or cancelled in the last 5 years.Authorised drivers (for Flexible) are people that you give permission to use your car. Anyone can be an authorised driver so long as they have a valid driving licence. Their licence should also not have been suspended or cancelled in the last 5 years.

Why can't I add my son/daughter in the Value Plan/Value Plus Plan?

They are required to be assessed if they fit into a Young driver's profile or is inexperienced before they can be insured as named driver.

Should the car insurance policy be bought under the car owner or the main driver?

The policyholder must be the legal and registered owner of this car within 7 days from the policy inception date. However the main driver must be the person who mostly use the vehicle.

What is my car usage if I have to commute between different offices?

You should select as Private and Business use if you will be using the car during the course of your work.

I have converted my overseas license to Singapore's driving license. Which license should "years of valid driving license" be based on?

We take into account your combined driving experience if there is no lapse or expired from your overseas driving license.

How do I determine who is the main driver when the car is being driven by 2 person equally?

The answer of these questions will help you determined who is the main driver:
"Who drives this vehicle most frequently?"
"Who drives this vehicle to work?"

Pricing is based on risk, and the age and experience of the driver is a major factor in determining price. DirectAsia is entitled to void a policy and treat it as if it never existed if you have intentionally mis-declared the main driver for your policy just to obtain a lower premium.

What happens if I have an accident while using the car for an undeclared usage?

If you use your car outside of your declared usage and you forget to inform us beforehand, an additional excess of S$1,500 would apply if you are involved in an accident during this usage; If you have misdeclared your usage at the quotation stage, that is, you are using your car frequently during the course of your work but only took Private Usage, or if you drive frequently to your work place but took only Private Usage, we reserve the right to reduce or reject your claim altogether.

For complete information, see our Policy Documents & Wording

Is driving without insurance illegal in PA?

Pennsylvania law requires all Pennsylvania motor vehicle owners to maintain vehicle liability insurance (financial responsibility) on a currently registered vehicle. Vehicle liability insurance covers the property damage or injuries you may cause others in an accident.

Is driving without insurance illegal in Tennessee?

Tennessee wants all drivers to carry a minimum amount of car insurance. You could face serious consequences driving without it. According to Tennessee state law, you may have to pay fines, surrender your driver's license and registration, or even serve jail time if you're caught driving without insurance.

Is driving without insurance illegal in Ohio?

In Ohio, it is illegal to drive any motor vehicle without insurance or other financial responsibility (FR) coverage. It is also illegal for any motor vehicle owner to allow anyone else to drive the owner's vehicle without FR coverage.

Is it illegal to drive without insurance in Georgia?

If you own a car that is registered in the state of Georgia, you must carry a minimum amount of car insurance. Driving without car insurance is illegal in Georgia, and if you get caught, you will face hefty consequences.