Certificate and certificate of insurance
Verified 01 April 2021 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
A road motor vehicle (car or motorcycle) in use must be insured for the civil liability. The insurer issues the owner who takes out a contract with a certificate of insurance and a certificate of insurance. The certificate of insurance must be affixed visibly to the vehicle. The insurance certificate must be in the driver's possession in order to be able to present it in the event of a check. Failure to provide such documents shall be punishable by a fine.
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Certificate of insurance and certificate of insurance
What's this about?
The certificate of insurance, also called green butterfly, is a document which can be used to prove that a vehicle is insured.
However, it does not constitute absolute proof of the validity of the insurance contract. Indeed, the insurer can prove that the contract is no longer in force, for example because the contributions are not paid or because the insured has applied for the temporary suspension.
The certificate of insurance must be affixed to vehicles subject toinsurance obligation, namely:
- Motor vehicle with 2 or 3 wheels, whether or not registered (e.g. motorcycle or scooter), including less than 50 cm3)
- Private vehicle or commercial vehicle, of less than 3,5 tons (excluding trailers)
FYI
vehicles registered abroad are not required to display the insurance certificate.
Where to affix the certificate?
The certificate of insurance must be affixed in such a way that its front is visible, to enable the police and gendarmerie to consult it even in the absence of the driver. It should be displayed in the following locations:
- For 2 or 3 wheels: at the front, near the front fork of the vehicle (e.g. on the front mudguard)
- For a car or utility vehicle: lower right of the windshield (inside the vehicle)
Various display systems are possible: transparent pouch, plastic self-adhesive film,...
Certificate particulars
The certificate of insurance shall contain the following information:
- Insurer's name
- Contract Number
- Vehicle registration (or engine number if not subject to registration)
- Effective Start and End Dates
Sanctions
Failure to affix the certificate of insurance or the affixing of an invalid certificate shall be punishable by a fine of €35.
FYI
this fine shall not be applied where the driver has to be penalized for failure to submit the insurance certificate within five days.
What's this about?
The insurance certificate, also called green card, is a document which can be used to prove that a vehicle is insured.
However, this document does not constitute absolute proof of the validity of the insurance contract. Indeed, the insurer can prove that the contract is no longer in force, for example because the contributions are not paid or because the insured has applied for the temporary suspension.
The driver of a vehicle subject to the obligation to insure must be able to present the insurance certificate to the police and gendarmerie in case of inspection.
The vehicles subject to the insurance obligation are:
- Motor vehicle with 2 or 3 wheels, whether or not registered (e.g. motorcycle or scooter), including less than 50 cm3)
- Private vehicle or commercial vehicle, of less than 3,5 tons
Particulars of the certificate
The statement of assurance shall contain the following information:
- Insurer's name
- Insurer's address
- Contract Number
- Name, first name and address of the subscriber
- Vehicle registration (or engine number if not subject to registration)
- Effective Start and End Dates
Sanctions
The penalty is not the same for vehicles subject to the obligation to display the insurance certificate and for the others.
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Vehicles subject to the obligation to display the certificate of insurance
Failure to submit the insurance certificate during an inspection shall not be penalized if the insurance certificate is affixed to the vehicle.
However, if the insurance certificate is not affixed to the vehicle, the driver will be asked to go to the 5 days at the police or gendarmerie to present the insurance certificate. In this case, failure to submit the insurance certificate within the 5 days shall be punished by a fine of €135
Vehicles not subject to the obligation to display the insurance certificate
Failure to submit the insurance certificate during an inspection shall be punishable by a fine of €35.
Drivers who have not been able to present an insurance certificate at a roadside check must go to the 5 days at the police or gendarmerie with the document. Failure to submit the statement of insurance within 5 days shall be punished by a fine of €135. In this case, the fine of €35 no longer applies.
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If you are entering into a new contract
Your insurer issues you with a provisional certificate and attestation.
They will send you the final documents within a maximum of 15 days.
If your insurer has not sent you these documents within this period, you can send him a formal notice of dispatch of the certificate and the attestation, by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt.
If he still does not reply to your request, you can then send your insurance business to the mediator by post. You will find his contact details in the booklet of the general conditions of your contract.
In case of renewal of contract
If you already have a contract, the documents are given to you either when it is renewed or by special mail.
If your insurer has not sent you these documents, you can send them a formal notice to send the certificate and the attestation, by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt.
If he still does not reply to your request, you can then send your insurance business to the mediator by post. You will find his contact details in the booklet of the general conditions of your contract.
In case of loss or theft of the certificate or attestation, you must urgently report it to the police or gendarmerie in order to obtain a receipt.
Who shall I contact
You can legally circulate with the receipt pending the issue of a duplicate.
You must then report the loss to your insurer and ask them to issue you a duplicate of the lost document.
If your insurer has not sent you these documents within 15 days, you can send a letter of formal notice to send a duplicate of the certificate and the attestation, by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt.
If he still does not reply to your request, you can then send your insurance business to the mediator by post. You will find his contact details in the booklet of the general conditions of your contract.
The insured vehicle register shall contain information on all vehicles for which a motor insurance contract has been concluded.
Its consultation enables law enforcement agencies to identify uninsured vehicles more quickly during checks.
FYI
the insurer of a driver responsible for an accident may not refuse to compensate the victim for reasons connected with the contract (non-payment of contributions, for example). It must compensate the victim before turning against the person responsible for the accident.
- Insurance Code: Articles R211-14 to R211-21Certificate of insurance
- Insurance Code: Articles R211-21-1 to R211-21-7Certificate of insurance
- Insurance Code: Articles A211-4 to A211-8Certificate of insurance
- Insurance Code: Articles A211-9 to A211-10Certificate of insurance
- Decree No. 2018-644 of 20 July 2018 on the system for combating the lack of motor vehicle liability insurance
- Code of Criminal Procedure: Article R48-1 to R49-8
- Refer to the Insurance Ombudsman
Document template
FAQ
- Motor insuranceSupervisory and Resolution Authority (ACPR)
- Insurance: Prudential Control and Resolution Authority documentationSupervisory and Resolution Authority (ACPR)