Insuring your vehicle

Across all European countries, it is forbidden to put a vehicle on the road without at least third-party liability (TPL) insurance. This cover protects against the damage your vehicle might cause to others: other drivers, pedestrians, property. It safeguards potential victims and represents the legal minimum everywhere in Europe.

In practice, the insurance certificate is often among the documents requested at the registration stage, or it must be available as soon as the plates are fitted. It is therefore wise to start the subscription alongside the other formalities rather than at the last minute.

Depending on your situation and the country of destination, the policy may be taken out in your own name or in the name of the entity that owns the vehicle. We help you clarify this point in advance to avoid any administrative hold-up.

Beyond the mandatory third-party liability, there are generally three broad levels of cover whose names vary by country but whose logic remains comparable.

Basic TPL is limited to damage caused to others. Intermediate cover (often called extended third-party, mini-casco or mini-omnium) adds targeted guarantees such as theft, fire, glass breakage or natural disasters. Comprehensive cover (full casco or full omnium) additionally includes damage to your own vehicle, even where you are at fault.

For a recent or high-value vehicle, extended cover is generally recommended. For an older vehicle, a lighter formula may be enough. The choice is yours and depends on the vehicle's value, your usage and your tolerance for risk.

Car insurance can be configured to measure. Many options let you adjust cover and cost to your real-world usage.

Among the adjustments and guarantees frequently offered:

• limited mileage (for instance an annual cap), suited to lightly used vehicles;
• an adjustable excess, set according to your trade-off between premium and out-of-pocket cost in the event of a claim;
• assistance and a replacement vehicle in case of breakdown or immobilisation;
• cover for luggage and personal effects;
• passenger protection;
• insurance on an agreed value, established from a vehicle appraisal.

For vehicles of particularly high value, some insurers require specific security devices (a geolocation and remote immobilisation system) as a condition of theft cover. These requirements vary by insurer and country; we help you identify them in advance.

The green card (or international insurance certificate) is the document that attests to your cover and helps your insurance be recognised when travelling abroad. Once the insurance offer is validated, it can be issued quickly so that you can drive in full compliance.

Within the European area, insurance taken out in one Member State generally allows you to drive in the other countries of the zone, under the conditions set by your contract. It remains essential to check the geographical scope of the cover and any limitations before a long journey.

We coordinate the issue of the green card with the rest of the registration file so that no step is overlooked and you have all your documents ready when you take to the road.

Your driving history has a direct bearing on the terms you will be offered. Most insurers take account of your no-claims bonus, that is, the presence or absence of at-fault claims over the years.

To make the most of this history, it is strongly advised to ask your current insurer for a claims history statement (or no-claims certificate). This document summarises your years of insurance and any claims, and allows your bonus to be transferred when taking out a new policy, including in another country.

We tell you which supporting documents to gather and how to present them, so that your file is complete from the outset and the subscription proceeds without needless back-and-forth.