“Green Card changes the rules: what awaits drivers from 2025

On January 1, 2025, new rules for international insurance "Green Card" will come into force. From now on, the certificate will not be valid on the day it is issued, but only from the next day. The changes will also affect electronic certificate formats and the pricing system. UNN has collected all the details of the new rules.

Change in the terms of the contract commencement

Starting in 2025, drivers traveling abroad should prepare documents in advance. The international insurance certificate "Green Card", which is mandatory for crossing borders, will no longer be valid from the moment of issuance, but only from 00:00 a.m. the day following the conclusion of the contract. This requires that information about the contract be entered into the Unified Centralized MTIBU Database.

Previously, a Green Card could be issued immediately before a trip, and it would be valid immediately. However, the new rules make this approach impossible. If the data on the insurance contract is not entered into a centralized database, the document is considered invalid. This may result in a refusal to cross the border, and the vehicle will be classified as uninsured.

Oleksandr Salaychuk, Director of the Green Card Bureau in Ukraine, emphasized that such changes are aimed at combating fraud and forgery. Early issuance of the certificate and entering data into the database will improve the transparency of the system and guarantee reliable insurance coverage.

Electronic certificates

An important innovation will also be the introduction of electronic certificates in PDF format, which will be officially accepted in all member countries of the Green Card system. This means that drivers will no longer depend on paper documents - it will be enough to store the certificate on a smartphone or tablet. Border services will use a centralized database to check the validity of the document.

"As of January 1, 2025, electronic Green Cards in PDF format can be used by drivers crossing borders under the Green Card system if they come from a country where this format is issued. We would like to remind everyone involved in the facilitation of road transport border crossings that these new provisions will enter into force within three months," said COB Secretary General Grethe Fleuret. 

Oleksandr Bernazyuk, Director General of MTIBU, noted that it is important that our authorities are aware of the update and are ready to adopt the new format from the beginning of next year.

"We would like to draw the attention of all those involved in border control and other competent authorities in Ukraine responsible for monitoring the existence and validity of compulsory motor third party liability insurance contracts that these new provisions on the Green Card will soon come into force. Starting from the beginning of 2025, any driver of a vehicle with foreign registration entering Ukraine will be able to present his/her Green Card or IMIC in electronic PDF format," Bernaziuk said.

Free pricing

Another important change is the introduction of free pricing for all motor third party liability insurance contracts, including the Green Card.  Until 2025, tariffs for these services were set centrally. However, after the adoption of the law on MTPL (as of June 17, 2024), insurance companies will be entitled to set their own prices. This will create a competitive environment in which drivers will be able to choose the most favorable offers.

Specify

The Green Card system covers 48 countries and provides drivers with financial protection during international travel. This certificate confirms the availability of minimum compulsory third-party liability insurance, as required by the legislation of the host country. Thanks to the Green Card system, victims of road accidents caused by vehicles with foreign registration receive adequate compensation for their losses.

"The Green Card can only be issued by an insurance company of a full MTIBU member or its representatives. The list of such insurers is available at the link: MTIBU | Insurance companies - full members of MTIBU