CL · Expiry & renewal tracking
Never let a fleet vehicle go without valid SOAP insurance
In Chile every motor vehicle that needs a circulation permit must have SOAP insurance, taken out by its owner (Law 18.490, Articles 1 and 4). It runs for the period on the certificate, which cannot expire before the circulation permit; driving without a valid certificate is a serious offence and the vehicle is removed.
Chile's Law 18.490 requires every motor vehicle that needs a circulation permit to use public roads to be insured against personal accident risk (Article 1). The insurance (Seguro Obligatorio de Accidentes Personales, SOAP) covers death and bodily injury in accidents involving the insured vehicle, its trailers or its load, for the driver, passengers and third parties (Article 24).
The policy is evidenced by a certificate that serves as the policy and shows, among other things, the vehicle, the policyholder, the insurer, the policy number and the start and end of cover (Article 17). Municipalities do not grant circulation permits unless this certificate is shown, and the policy's expiry can never be earlier than the end of the circulation permit being granted (Article 20).
The certificate must always be carried in the vehicle and be valid (Traffic Act, Article 51). The contract runs for the full period stated on the certificate and cannot be ended early by the parties (Law 18.490, Article 5).
At a glance
| Who needs it | Every motor vehicle that needs a circulation permit to use public roads (Article 1) |
|---|---|
| Who takes it out | The vehicle owner (Article 4) |
| Validity | As stated on the certificate; expiry cannot be earlier than the end of the circulation permit (Articles 17 and 20) |
| What it covers | Death and bodily injury of the driver, passengers and third parties (Article 24) |
| Trailers and caravans | Need an additional compulsory policy, taken out by the owner of the towing vehicle (Articles 2 and 4) |
| In the vehicle | The certificate must always be carried and be valid (Traffic Act, Article 51) |
Insurers must record policies in the National Motor Vehicle Register of the Civil Registry and Identification Service, so that anyone can check whether a vehicle is insured (Article 18).
Who is responsible?
The obligation to take out the insurance lies with the vehicle owner; the person in whose name the vehicle is registered is presumed to be the owner (Article 4). For trailers, towed units and caravans, the additional policy is taken out by the owner of the towing vehicle; if it was not obtained, the owner and the driver of the towing vehicle are jointly liable for the damage (Article 4).
If the deadline passes
Driving without a valid compulsory insurance certificate is a serious offence (Traffic Act, Article 200, item 25), and a vehicle on the road without one is taken off the road and placed at the disposal of the local police court (Article 56). Without the certificate, the municipality will not grant the circulation permit (Law 18.490, Article 20). If an uninsured vehicle makes the insurer liable for compensation under the law, the insurer can recover it from the owner (Article 11).
If you sell or transfer a vehicle
A transfer of the vehicle while the insurance is in force automatically assigns the insurance, with no change in cover, until the policy expires. The insured must notify the insurer within five days (Law 18.490, Article 19).
Tracking it with ExpirySuite
- Add each vehicle and record the end-of-cover date shown on the SOAP certificate as its expiry.
- Also record the same vehicle's circulation permit: the SOAP cannot expire before the permit, so it pays to check both dates together.
- Email reminders arrive 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before expiry and on the expiry day; whoever buys the policy can upload the new certificate through a secure link that is valid for 14 days and needs no account.
- Assign a responsible person to each vehicle, such as the fleet manager; if the insurance expires, managers get further reminders 3, 7 and 14 days later.
Frequently asked questions
- Which vehicles need SOAP?
- Every motor vehicle that needs a circulation permit to use public roads (Law 18.490, Article 1). Trailers, towed units and caravans need an additional compulsory policy (Article 2).
- How long is SOAP valid?
- For the period on the certificate, which must show the start and end of cover (Article 17). Its expiry cannot be earlier than the end of the circulation permit granted to the vehicle (Article 20).
- Can I cancel SOAP before it expires?
- Not by agreement of the parties. The contract runs for the full period on the certificate, is not terminated for non-payment of premiums, and only a final court judgment can end it early (Article 5).
- Do I have to carry the certificate in the vehicle?
- Yes. It must always be carried in the vehicle and be valid (Traffic Act, Article 51).
Sources
- Ley 18.490, seguro obligatorio de accidentes personales causados por circulación de vehículos motorizados: artículos 1, 2, 4, 5, 11 y 17 a 20 y 24 (LeyChile, BCN)
- DFL 1 de 2007, texto refundido de la Ley de Tránsito 18.290: artículos 51, 56 y 200 (LeyChile, BCN)
Last checked: Oct 3, 2026 · This page summarises official sources for general information and is not legal advice. Check the linked sources for current rules and fees.
Made for compulsory personal accident insurance (SOAP) (Chile)
A ready template for compulsory personal accident insurance (SOAP) (Chile) with sensible validity defaults, so you enter less and track more.
Reminders on time
Email alerts at 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before each compulsory personal accident insurance (SOAP) (Chile) expires, plus overdue escalation to managers.
Assign an owner
Give each compulsory personal accident insurance (SOAP) (Chile) an owner and let employees update their own via a secure link — no login needed.