Understanding the International Motor Insurance Card System

The International Motor Insurance Card System (IMICS) is a global network of insurance providers that helps travelers and motorists navigate foreign roads with confidence. The system is designed to provide financial protection in case of an accident or damage to your vehicle while driving abroad.

The IMICS system is based on the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, which established a standardized system for international motor insurance. This convention has been adopted by over 100 countries worldwide, ensuring that the system is widely recognized and accepted.

To participate in the IMICS system, insurance providers must meet specific requirements, including providing a standardized insurance card and adhering to a set of rules and regulations. This ensures that all participants are held to the same standards, providing a level of consistency and reliability for motorists.

The IMICS system is not a substitute for local insurance requirements, but rather a supplement to existing policies. It's essential to check with your insurance provider to see if they participate in the IMICS system and what additional coverage they offer.

The international motor insurance card system is a complex network of agreements and regulations that can be confusing to navigate. In the European Union, car liability insurance covers all member countries, as well as other countries for which the national offices of all countries of the European Union are individually responsible for settling claims arising in their territory.

To find out which non-EU countries are covered by your vehicle insurance, you'll need to ask your insurer to issue an international car insurance card, which lists the countries in which your car insurance covers you. If a country is no longer listed, it means your insurance doesn't work there.

The Green Card system is an agreement signed by several countries that recognize all car insurance certificates issued by one of them, but it's gradually being replaced by the Multilateral Agreement (MA) in many countries.

The Multilateral Agreement is a significant development in the international motor insurance card system. It's an agreement signed by several countries that recognize car insurance certificates issued by one of them.

In 2022, 36 of the 47 countries participating in the Green Card system applied the Multilateral Agreement. This includes the 27 Member States of the European Union, 3 additional European countries, and 6 additional countries that participate in the system by way of agreement.

The Multilateral Agreement Signatory Bureaux recognize each other's MTPL insurance based on the origin of the vehicle. This means that the Green Card is no longer required when crossing borders for motorists from these countries.

The countries that have adopted the Multilateral Agreement include:

Note that in some countries, the Green Card has taken on a different role and is used as a national proof of insurance. This may still require you to have a Green Card, even if you're just traveling within your own country.

The International Motor Insurance Card Model is a crucial aspect of the International Motor Insurance Card System. It ensures that the vehicle has sufficient third-party liability insurance coverage when crossing borders.

The International Motor Insurance Card is issued by 46 insurance bureaux of Europe and individual Mediterranean countries, affiliated with the Council of Bureaux (CoB). The Swiss National Bureau of Insurance (NBI) is a member of the CoB.

To be valid, the International Motor Insurance Card must meet specific requirements. It must be printed on green or white paper, with a font color of black.

Here are the key specifications for the International Motor Insurance Card:

The International Motor Insurance Card can be ordered from the insurer who has concluded the vehicle insurance policy. In most cases, the insurer automatically hands out the card after the insurance contract is concluded.

If you're planning to drive abroad, it's essential to understand the territorial validity of your insurance.

Car liability insurance in France covers all countries of the European Union.

You don't need an International Motor Insurance Card to drive in countries marked in lime green on the map, as you already have sufficient motor third-party liability insurance cover.

However, if you're traveling to a country marked in dark green, you'll need to order an International Motor Insurance Card from your insurer, unless they already provide it automatically.

The International Motor Insurance Card is valid for a limited period of time, so be sure to check its validity before embarking on a trip.

In some cases, Swiss insurance companies may restrict cover for certain countries by crossing out their country code on the Insurance Card, so you'll need to order a new Card or conclude a frontier insurance policy if you plan to visit those countries.

Don't forget to have a duplicate of the Insurance Card with you, in case of an accident, and give it to the police or the injured party.