How do I prove that a vehicle is insured?

Verified 01 April 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Since 1er April 2024, the Green Insurance Card is deleted for vehicles subject to the registration requirement. Here are the rules to know.

The green insurance card is a document composed of the certificate of insurance of a green color usually kept in the vehicle's glove box, and certificate of insurance (or ‘green sticker’) stuck to the windshield.

She's deleted since 1er april 2024 for the following vehicles:

  • Car (private car, commercial vehicle, unlicensed car), tractors and agricultural machinery
  • Truck
  • Powered 2 or 3-wheel machine (motorcycles, scooters) and quad bikes, whether or not non-approved (e.g. mini-motorcycles)
  • Towed or uncoupled trailer

On the other hand, the green insurance card remains compulsory for vehicles which are not registered but are subject to compulsory insurance. These vehicles are:

  • Light Cyclomobile : draisienne, electrically assisted bicycle with a power exceeding 250w or a speed exceeding 25 km/h etc.
  • EDPM: titleContent : electric scooter, monoroue, gyropod, hoverboard, etc.
  • Self-propelled mower, provided with a seat enabling the driver to maneuver them

General case

The abolition of the green card shall entail, for registered vehicles, the abolition of the insurance certificate, the abolition of the insurance certificate and the creation of a new insurance document.

To check whether a registered vehicle is insured, the police and gendarmerie should consult the Insured Vehicle Register (AFC).

Removing the green card removes the certificate of insurance.

Insurance companies no longer have to issue you a certificate of insurance.

You are no longer required to affix this document to your vehicle.

Removal of the green card will result in the removal of the insurance certificate.

Insurance companies no longer have to issue you an insurance certificate.

You are no longer required to present this document during a police check.

The insurer must provide you with a document at the time of enrollment that contains the essential elements of the contract. These are:

  • Name and address of insurance company
  • Name, forenames and address of the subscriber of the contract
  • Insurance policy number
  • Date of issue of the document
  • Effective date of the guarantee
  • Vehicle registration number
  • Make and model of vehicle
  • If the contract guarantee applies to both a motor vehicle and its trailers or semi-trailers, indication of the type of trailers or semi-trailers which may be used with the vehicle
  • If necessary, mention of the fact that the vehicle is used in the context of a particular public passenger transport activity for consideration

This document shall be issued once only, except in case of loss, and it is not not renewed each year like the green card was.

It may be used as temporary proof of contract, during the period of updating the Insured Vehicle Register (AVF).

For this reason, the document should be marked as follows: " This document constitutes a presumption of insurance for 15 days after the effective date of the policy ”.

The document can also be used throughout the contract period to take certain steps, such as completing an accident report or contacting the insurer to ask for information.

It is therefore advisable to keep it in your vehicle or to download it to your phone.

No, the end of the green card does not mean the end of the insurance obligation, because the green card is only a means of proving insurance.

Insurance remains compulsory for all vehicles subject to the legal obligation and the fact that you do not have insurance always remains penally sanctioned.

The method of proof varies depending on whether you are traveling in France, in the European Union or outside the European Union:

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In France

If you are traveling in France, proof of insurance is done by consulting the FVA or by presenting the document submitted by your insurer when the contract was signed.

FVA consultation

The Insured Vehicles Register (FVA) lists all motor vehicle liability insurance contracts taken out in France.

During checks, the police must check the register to verify whether the vehicles checked are insured.

At the time of signing your contract, your insurer must provide you with a phone number that allows you to verify that your vehicle is registered in the file.

You can also check online if your vehicle is recorded in the file, via the following online service:

Querying the Insured Vehicle Register

If your insured vehicle does not appear in the file, you must report it to your insurer for the update.

Presentation of the assurance document

The update of the VAT may take a few days after the subscription of your contract.

In case of a check during the FVA update time, you can present the document that your insurer gave you at the time of the subscription.

This document can indeed serve as proof of the contract, for 15 days.

In the European Union

If you are traveling in an EU country, you can prove that your vehicle is insured by presenting the document that the insurer gave you at the time of subscription, or the international insurance card.

Presentation of the assurance document

At the time of taking out the car insurance, the insurer must issue you a document that contains the following essential elements of the contract:

  • Name and address of insurance company
  • Name, forenames and address of the subscriber of the contract
  • Insurance policy number
  • Date of issue of the document
  • Effective date of the guarantee
  • Vehicle registration number
  • Make and model of vehicle
  • If the contract guarantee applies to both a motor vehicle and its trailers or semi-trailers, indication of the type of trailers or semi-trailers which may be used with the vehicle
  • If necessary, mention of the fact that the vehicle is used in the context of a particular public passenger transport activity for consideration

In case of control in a country of the European Union, you can present the insurance document that was given to you at the time of subscription.

Presentation of the Green Card

The countries of the European Union are part of the 47 members of the Green Card or International Insurance Card system.

The international insurance card can therefore serve as proof of insurance in the countries of the European Union.

If you plan to travel to a European Union country, you can ask your insurer to issue you this card before departure.

Elsewhere

If you are traveling in a country outside the European Union, you can prove that your vehicle is insured by presenting your international insurance card.

You must first check with your insurer whether the country of destination is in the list of countries covered by your contract.

If so, the country name will appear on your international insurance card.

Light Cyclomobile, EDPM, ...

Yes, the green card continues to exist for unregistered vehicles subject to compulsory insurance, but it will be printed on white paper.

If you are traveling with a vehicle of this type, you are still required to affix proof of insurance to the vehicle and present proof of insurance during a check.

Documents to be affixed

You must always affix proof of insurance to your unregistered vehicle subject to the insurance obligation.

The proof of insurance to be affixed to the vehicle is a certificate that the insurer must issue you within 15 days after the subscription or renewal of the contract.

The certificate shall contain the following information:

  • Insurance company Name
  • Subscriber identification number
  • Vehicle chassis or serial number
  • Contract Start and End Dates

If the insurer cannot issue you the certificate immediately upon enrollment, it must issue you an interim certificate.

Penalty in case of absence of documents on the vehicle

If you do not affix the Certificate of Insurance or Interim Certificate to your vehicle or if you affix an invalid certificate, you may be fined €35.

Documents to be submitted

You must always present a document during a policy check proving that you have taken out insurance for your unregistered vehicle, but subject to the insurance obligation.

Certificate of insurance

You can present during the check a certificate of insurance.

The insurer must issue you within 15 days of the subscription or renewal of the contract an insurance certificate that mentions the following elements:

  • Name and address of insurance company
  • Name, forenames and address of the subscriber of the contract
  • Insurance policy number
  • Insurance period corresponding to the premium or portion of premium paid
  • Characteristics of the vehicle, including chassis or serial number

If the insurer cannot issue the certificate immediately upon enrollment, it must issue you a provisional certificate.

International insurance card

You can also submit a international insurance card which allows you to prove abroad that your vehicle is insured.

The international insurance card is the insurance document adopted by the countries participating in the Green Card system.

The green card system is an agreement signed by several countries that recognize all the car insurance certificates issued by one of them.

What is the penalty for not submitting one of these documents?

If you are unable to present an insurance certificate, a provisional certificate or an international insurance card during a policy check, you may be fined €35.

But the police can give you five days to submit one of these documents.

If you do not submit one of the documents within 5 days, you will be fined €135.

In this case, the fine of €35 no longer applies.

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