Insurance and warranty dates are easy to miss. Nobody checks them at the border, and people usually remember them only when they need the policy: after an accident, at the doctor’s, or when something breaks. Some policies renew themselves and some do not, and every insurer has its own rules.
The terms depend on the country and the contract, so check the exact dates in your policy, on your insurer’s website and in your country’s consumer law. This guide explains the general principles.
A policy usually lasts a year. In some countries and with some insurers it renews itself unless you cancel it. In others it simply ends, and you have to renew it yourself.
Automatic renewal is convenient, but the price for the new year may go up. If you want to compare offers or change insurer, find out in advance how long before the end date you have to give notice: sometimes it is a month or more.
Almost everywhere, you cannot drive without a valid policy. You can get a fine, and if you have an accident, you may have to pay for the damage yourself.
For a visa or a residence permit, health insurance is often required, and for the whole stay or the whole time the document is valid. When you renew a residence permit, the immigration office often asks for a valid policy, and a policy that ends before the document can become a problem.
Renew an annual policy on time. A gap in cover may mean that you pay for treatment on those days yourself. In countries where health insurance is required for every resident, you may also get a fine or have to pay for the time you missed.
Travel insurance is a separate policy with its own dates: for one trip or for a year.
Insurance for a flat or a house and the things in it also usually lasts a year and often renews itself. Sometimes a tenancy agreement or the bank that gave you a mortgage requires it, and then a gap in cover breaks the contract.
When you move, check that the policy has been moved to your new address or cancelled: a policy for your old home does not cover the new one.
A warranty counts from the day you bought the item or, if it was delivered, usually from the day you received it. There are two kinds:
Keep the receipt or other proof of purchase, such as a bank statement: without it, a warranty can be hard to use. And shortly before it ends, check the item. If something is wrong, you need to contact the seller while the warranty is still valid.
Create a timer with the end date and turn on an email reminder.