Mumbai:
The General Insurance Council(GI Council) has clarified that the decision by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), announced on 24th Aug, extending validity of motor vehicle documents till Dec 30, does not include motor insurance policies,which need to be renewed by the policy holders as per the renewal date.
All vehicle owners are advised to get their insurance policies renewed on or before the due date of renewal for continued validity of the insurance policies, said the GI Council on Thursday. .
MoRTH had issued a letter on 24th August 2020 advising State Governments that in case the validity of fitness certificates, permits, driving licences, and registration certificates pertaining to vehicles have expired on or after 1st February 2020 and not extended due to the lockdown, such certificates may be treated as valid until 31st Dec 2020.
In a statement on Monday, the ministry said it has decided to extend the validity of fitness, permits, licenses, registration or other documents under Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 till of December 31, 2020 due to the pandemic.
."Taking into consideration the situation still continuing due to conditions for prevention of the spread of COVID-19 across the country, it has further advised that the validity of all of the above-referred documents whose extension of validity could not or not likely be granted due to lockdown and which had expired since 1st of Feb, 2020 or would expire by 31st Dec 2020, the same may be treated to be valid till 31st of December 2020," the statement said.
The ministry also said that the enforcement authorities have been advised to treat such documents valid till December 31.
This step of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is likely to help out the citizens in availing transport-related services, the statement said.
Earlier,the insurance regulator IRDAI had clarified that not holding a valid PUC certificate is not a valid reason for denying any claim under a motor insurance policy.