Green Card for Motor Insurance Abolished in France
As of April 1, 2024, motorists in France will no longer be required to carry the ‘green card’ or display the ‘green butterfly’ sticker to prove they have motor insurance. This change simplifies the process and shifts to a digital verification system, according to a decree published in the Official Journal on December 9, 2023.
How Insurance Verification Will Work
Instead of physical documents, law enforcement will use the Insured Vehicles Index (AVF), a digital tool powered by insurance companies that details all active insurance contracts. This database is updated by insurers when policies are renewed or new ones are initiated. The change impacts all registered vehicles, including:
- Cars
- Commercial vehicles (vans, etc.)
- Motorcycles
- Scooters
What to Expect
Previously, drivers showed either their ‘green card’ or the ‘green butterfly’ affixed to their windshield to prove insurance compliance. Now, the only proof required will be the digital record in the Insured Vehicles Index. Your insurer will provide you with an “insured vehicle memo” when you purchase or change your insurance policy. If you’ve been insured for less than 72 hours, your vehicle may not yet be in the database. In this case, you can present the memo to law enforcement. This memo also serves as a handy reference for your insurance details when writing an accident report or contacting roadside assistance.
Insurers will, exceptionally, send an insured vehicle memo to all policyholders this year. Keep your last ‘green card’ until it expires.
Important Considerations
These new provisions apply only to registered motor vehicles. If you drive an EDPM, such as an electric scooter, you will still need to carry an insurance certificate and display an insurance sticker prominently.
Motorists can also check the register of insured vehicles to confirm their vehicle’s status online. You will need to provide your vehicle registration plate number and either the registration certificate form number or the last six characters of the vehicle identification number, depending on your vehicle’s registration format. Contact your insurer if your vehicle isn’t listed.
Legal Requirement and Coverage
French law mandates insurance for all land motor vehicles. At a minimum, this insurance must include civil liability coverage, which protects against damages the vehicle might cause, such as injuries to pedestrians or passengers, and damage done to other vehicles or street furniture.
