Green card insurance when travelling abroad you may be may, or may not, be covered by what is usually referred to as a green card. This has become an issue for residents of France because until now all vehicles had to display a small card indicating the vehicle was insured. This is no longer necessary because, similar to the UK, details are kept on a database which is accessible to the police etc. OK, so far perhaps not of interest to those in the UK, but what they have done is clarify which countries in the green card system require a printed document. The system is split into two parts: those countries where you don’t need any paperwork; the relevant details are available across borders by officialdom, eg police, and border officials; and those where you will need to carry a printed document showing insurance details relevant to the country you’re travelling in. The lists are on https://www.allianz.fr/assurance-pa...ratiques/documents-assurance-auto-voyage.html Be aware that the green card system only provides cover to the MINIMUM level required by that country. From 1st January 2025 all countries (within the system) will have to accept that the insurance document can be presented on a smartphone. I take it the UK will be part of this. Just need to let plod know.
A very good clear summary of the situation there, from Allianz, Thanks for posting it @Highsided. As well as plod, border officials, customs personnel, etc need to be fully aware of this. Many UK insurers provide only the bare legal minimum requirements for foreign travel - one needs to read the back of a UK insurance certificate where it usually says 'minimum requirements' which translates as 'Third Party Only'. Some charge extra to extend cover to be the same as one's UK cover e.g fully comp. And sometimes giving a max of only 30 days
UK Police already have access immediate access to insurance details via PNC for UK registered vehicles - so it will only be non UK registered vehicles that the drivers might need to use a smartphone to prove they are insured
Regarding in the UK, I think that the MID might sometimes be a tad slow to update - especially over the weekend. As I understand it the MID work more or less standard office hours, so are not always available to be phoned by a traffic officer, in the case of doubt. It may or may not be true, but if an 'in-date' certificate is produced at the roadside it has to be accepted. I'm not sure what insurance info might be available on the PNC. Elsewhere, I think those who might be affected most are not holidaymakers or tourists, but the many 'ex-pats' who even after several years in places like France or Spain are still driving their old RHD cars with no MOT or insurance in the believe that the local authorities cannot check up on their vehicle. Unfortunately the British have (rightly or wrongly) earned a reputation for ignoring 'Johnny Foreigner's' rules.
Ive been retired 10 years but back then you could get full insurance details on a PNC check, who was named on the policy etc. There was also a dedicated Police liaison phone line at MID that was staffed outside office hours
That's good to know. The more uninsured they catch the better. Part of the reason for higher insurance costs for law-abiding people is the increase in those who have no insurance at all, and the rest of us having to cover the costs of claims against them, funded through our insurance companies contributions to a central fund.
I know it's TV but watching the police programs they only get a small fine the scrotes that is with the pool car's. They should get massive find's and put that money in the central fund.
