It is increasingly likely Britain will leave the European Union on 31st December 2020 without a Withdrawal Agreement in place.

If this is the case, and in the absence of a specific agreement to the contrary, motorists will need to ensure they are carrying a physical Green Card (International Certificate of Motor Insurance) while driving in any EU country and also in Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Serbia and Andorra. Green Cards are not currently required for travel from the UK to the countries mentioned above, but if the UK leaves without a withdrawal agreement we may no longer be a part of the European motor insurance “free circulation zone”.

Scope of Cover

There is no change to the cover provided by our motor policies so if the policy provides cover in any of these countries, that will continue to be the case. All CI & UK motor policies, as required by road traffic legislation, provide the minimum cover necessary whilst driving in the EU and also in Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Serbia and Andorra. For ease, we have set out the cover provided by each of our standard motor products below:

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If cover is required for a longer period, for countries outside those shown on the Green Card template or for any other policy other than Private Motor, a referral must be made to ICCI

Green Card

A Green Card is proof that the motorist has the necessary minimum motor insurance cover and is the recognised document across all Green Card member countries. A separate Green Card is required for each vehicle and this shows the registration number, make of the vehicle and the period of validity. A separate Green Card is also required for each trailer as some countries expect them. Therefore you should check with your customer whether they will be towing a trailer when travelling. Even if the trailer is not insured under the ICCI motor policy (e.g. a caravan) we are legally obliged to provide the necessary minimum motor insurance cover whilst it is attached to the insured vehicle. It is a requirement that the Green Card is physically held and is printed, electronic copies are not acceptable. Travelling without a Green Card means potentially being accused of driving without insurance and subject to a fine, vehicle seizure, or prosecution. The outcome of Brexit negotiations remains undecided; however we recommend motor policyholders are prepared to comply with the possible new requirement to carry a Green Card after 31 December for driving abroad.

Issuing of Green Cards

Our intention is to issue Green Cards on demand. For Private Motor, please find a template enclosed to be completed in accordance with the attached instructions. For all other Motor products, please refer to ICCI. We have produced some FAQs below and these are on our website to help answer specific questions. As ever, please get in touch with your usual contact if you have any additional queries.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Green Card?

The Green Card has information about your customers’ vehicle such as its licence plate number and demonstrates that your client has the necessary minimum motor insurance cover in place to be on the roads. If the United Kingdom leaves the EU without transition arrangements in place, our customers will be will be legally required to carry a Green Card if driving in any EU country, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Serbia or Andorra. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in being accused of driving without insurance and they may be fined, prosecuted or have their vehicle seized.

Do I need a Green Card if I am towing a trailer or caravan?

A separate Green Card will be required for all commercial trailers over 750kg and all trailers over 3500kg taken out of the UK.

Does it affect customer hiring cars?

This does not affect customers if they are hiring a car locally in one of the above countries.

What do I need to do now?

If your customers are not planning on driving in the EU in the near future, there is nothing to do. However, if they are outside of the UK on (or around) the 31st December 2020, you will need to arrange for a Green Card to be issued. Green Cards for Private Motor policies can be automatically issued by our brokers, in line with the attached process guidance document. Green Cards for all other products must be referred to ICCI.

What happens if Britain leaves the EU with a withdrawal agreement?

If Britain secures a withdrawal agreement before Brexit, our customers can drive in the EU as they would normally. We know it is a developing situation, so we will be providing updated information when we can.