For trips abroad, drivers will need a different document — a Green Card certificate. This is an international version of compulsory motor third-party liability insurance, guaranteeing compensation for damages to those injured in an accident. Experts from the insurance company «VUSO» explained the principle of the Green Card and the reasons why it is impossible to travel abroad without it.
Green Card — a foreign analogue of OSAGO
The Green Card performs the same functions as an OSAGO policy, but applies to other countries. This insurance is recognized in all countries connected to the international Green Card program. The only exception is the country of vehicle registration.
The Green Card covers losses of third parties injured in an accident caused by the policyholder. Payments cover damaged property, as well as harm to the health and life of accident participants. The driver found at fault cannot count on compensation. Detailed information about international motor third-party liability insurance is posted on the page https://vuso.ua/uslugi/zelenaya-karta.html.
Like OSAGO, the Green Card is a compulsory type of insurance. During a trip abroad, the policy must be kept in the car along with the vehicle documents and two driver's licenses — national and international. The requirement for registration is enshrined in Article 16 of the Law of Ukraine «On Road Traffic».
The list of countries where the Green Card is valid is indicated directly in the certificate. It includes EU countries, Russia, Belarus, Moldova, as well as Tunisia, Israel, and Morocco.
Who pays compensation under the Green Card?
Compensation for damages is undertaken by the Ukrainian insurer that is a member of the MTIBU. However, unlike OSAGO, money is not paid directly to the victim, but through an intermediate link — the National Bureau for Claim Settlement.
The victim of an accident sends a claim for payment to the National Bureau of their country, which transfers compensation through an accredited insurance company. Then this bureau contacts the MTIBU, which in turn recovers the spent amount from the company that sold the policy to the at-fault party.
Price of the Green Card
The calculation of the Green Card cost is simpler than OSAGO: correction factors depending on driving experience, number of drivers, operating features, and so on are not applied here. Only three parameters are taken into account — vehicle category, policy validity period (from 15 days to a year), and trip direction (Russia, Moldova, and Belarus or other countries). With this data, a car owner can calculate the cost of a Green Card policy on Vuso.ua and issue it in four minutes.
Actions in case of an accident abroad
Accident participants should wait for a police officer who will draw up a report. The authority representative will record the circumstances of the incident, information about the participants, and the damage caused. Drivers are required to show their motor third-party liability policies, the data of which will be entered into the document.
If one of the vehicles is registered in another country, the police officer also prepares a copy of the report in English. The injured party needs to transfer this document to the at-fault party's insurer to arrange payment.
When the Green Card holder is not at fault in the accident, compensation will be transferred by the foreign insurance company that issued the policy to the second participant. For example, in an accident in Berlin, a Ukrainian driver without fault will receive payment from a Berlin insurer.
If the Green Card holder is found at fault, the victim applies for compensation to their insurance company (a member of the Damage Compensation Bureau), which then returns the spent funds through the MTIBU.
Recommendation: do not sign the report if its content is unclear to you. The law allows you to use the help of an interpreter.
What losses the Green Card does not cover
The at-fault driver is not entitled to an insurance payment. Motor third-party liability insurance compensates exclusively for damage to third parties. Innocent participants receive money from insurers that insured the at-fault party.
The policy does not apply to damage to valuable items — antiques, jewelry made of precious metals, expensive paintings, icons, and similar things. Intentional actions leading to an accident are also not considered an insured event.
In addition, motor third-party liability insurance does not cover harm to property or health caused by military actions, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, riots, and similar events that do not relate to road traffic accidents.
