PURPOSE OF THE GREENCARD

The international motor vehicle insurance certificate system, known as the Green Card System, came into effect on January 1, 1953. The purpose of this system is to assist motor vehicle users traveling between countries and to ensure protection for those affected by accidents caused by these motor vehicle users in foreign countries. Accordingly:

•  Damages will be compensated regardless of whether the country where the traffic accident occurred is the country of residence of the motor vehicle user responsible for the accident.
• Motor vehicle operators will not need to obtain separate insurance policies at the border of each country they visit.

The Green Card System has been successfully operating internationally for over fifty years and has more than achieved its fundamental objectives. Currently, 45 countries are part of the system.

Issuing a Green Card Insurance Certificate to the insured is conditional on the issuance of a compulsory motor vehicle liability insurance policy.

To ensure the operation of the Green Card System, Green Card Bureaux recognized by the governments of the participating countries have been established. These bureaux aim to compensate for material and/or bodily damages resulting from traffic accidents caused by motor vehicles registered in any country participating in the system while they are abroad.

By being a member of their national Green Card Bureau, national insurance companies issue Green Card Certificates for vehicles traveling outside their country.

The original card issued to the insured must be green. It is prepared in two copies and must not have any erasures or alterations. All Green Card certificates used within the Green Card System must adhere to a specific format determined by the Council of Bureaux (COB), which is formed by the member countries of the system.