Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers has passed a resolution imposing mandatory insurance on government vehicles, said a report.

Under the resolution, the government will pay the first premium when issuing the road license (known in Arabic as the ‘istimara’) and the drivers can pay at a later date, said the Arab News report.

"If the vehicle is used by more than one person, the premium for third-party insurance will be paid by the state," Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja was quoted as saying.

A ministerial panel will conduct a survey of government vehicles before the vehicle insurance scheme is applied, he added.