Accident while license expired in Saudi: what happens?

In its simplest form, Murphy’s Laws state that everything that can go wrong will happen and that anything that can go wrong will go wrong! And let’s face it — car accidents never happen at the right time. You might forget to renew your Saudi driving license, and just your luck, end up in a car accident out of the blue. At that moment, the big questions are: is there a way to claim car insurance for accident with an expired license in Saudi Arabia? And is there a penalty?

🔍 Key Takeaways

• The penalty for expired driving license in Saudi Arabia is 100 sar
• Having an expired license doesn’t mean you’re 100% at fault automatically.
• Even with an expired license, you can claim insurance for the accident.
• You need to renew your license within 50 days after the accident
• That deadline is 50 business days — weekends and public holidays don’t count.
• if you don’t have license or it’s been cancelled, you won’t be covered by either comprehensive or third-party insurance.

What happens if you get into an accident with an expired license?

Here’s some good news — even with an expired license car insurance companies in Saudi won’t reject claims. The only condition is that you need to renew your driving license within 50 working days from the day the accident happened. This rule applies to all insurance types, whether it’s comprehensive or just third-party.

Will insurance try to get money from me later?

As long as you renew your license within the 50-day deadline, insurance will pay the cost of the damages. But, if you miss that deadline, legally, a car insurance company can ask you to pay back.

This rule is called the “right of recovery,” and it’s there in every car insurance policy in Saudi Arabia. You can learn more about it here 🔗 Car insurance company wants its money back — can it do that?

How to claim insurance for the accident

Having an accident with an expired license isn’t the end of the world, as long as you renew your license before the 50 days are up & follow these steps:

Step 1: Report the accident

• For minor accidents with no injuries, where at least one car has insurance, just call Najm.
• But if none of the cars involved in the accident are insured, or if anyone got hurt, you’ll need to contact the Traffic Police.

Step 2: Use Absher to renew your license online

After the accident report is done, it doesn’t matter who was at fault. Make sure you renew your driver’s license online through the Absher app or website as soon as you can. Again, you have a deadline of 50 working days from the day of the accident. Don’t miss it!

Step 3: Add your new license to the accident report

After renewing your driving license, you need to update the accident report. You can do this through Najm app:

Go to “My Services” > “Add and Modify” > “Add Driver’s License.”

Step 4: Claim insurance for the accident

The last thing to do is claim insurance after Taqdeer. You can do this through the Najm app or on the website/app of the insurance company who’s going to handle the payment.

❗️What if insurance refuses to cover it?

If insurance rejects your claim only because your license was expired when it happened, you can file a complaint. Here’s the proof:

 [The Insurance Company shall indemnify third parties while reserving the right of recovery against the insured if the vehicle was] Driven by a person who does not hold a proper class of license corresponding to the type of vehicle driven, according to the relevant laws and regulations, or in the event that a competent entity issues an order for the forfeiture of the driver’s license, or the license was expired at the time of the accident unless it was renewed within (50) working days from the date of the accident.

Saudi Unified Compulsory Motor Insurance Policy

If that doesn’t help, get in touch with the Insurance Authority and file a complaint against the insurance company.

Heads up!

After an accident, car insurance prices in Saudi are likely to go up when it’s time to renew. That’s why it’s important to use a price comparison website when before your buy car insurance online — there’s always a good chance you’ll find cheaper car insurance if you shop around.