No insurance, no fuel: India considers an unusual measure

The Supreme Court of India has recommended developing a pilot program under which vehicles without valid third-party insurance will not be able to refuel at gas stations until the required coverage is arranged. The move is intended to increase enforcement and reduce the number of vehicles traveling without insurance. According to the proposal, gas stations will be able to check in real-time whether a vehicle has valid third-party insurance. If no such insurance is found, the driver will be required to obtain it before being able to refuel.

The recommendation was issued to the insurance regulatory authority and the Indian Ministry of Transport, who were asked to jointly examine the feasibility of linking a vehicle's insurance status to fuel purchases. However, the court clarified that at this stage, it is only a recommendation for a pilot program and not a binding order.

For the purpose of the pilot, the court suggested using cameras for automatic license plate recognition. These cameras would be connected to the databases of the transport authority and insurance companies, making it possible to verify insurance status without manual checks, while allowing police to verify coverage in real-time and ensuring that insurance terms are clearly accessible on company websites.