When planning a trip abroad in your own car, you should take a responsible approach to insurance issues. In the absence of mandatory documents, a negligent traveler may not be allowed to cross the border. These include the “Green Card” in Spain, which must be issued in advance - in the country of registration of the vehicle. Falsification or loss of a document results in serious fines and damage to the reputation of an individual or legal entity. In the future, such an offense may affect the possibility of obtaining a Schengen visa.
What it looks like and why do you need a Green Card in Spain?
The agreement on the introduction of the Green Card system was adopted on January 1, 1953. The reason for this was the recommendations of the UN Economic and Social Council. After the London International Conference of Auto Insurers, a special international Bureau was convened, uniform standards for issuing / issuing / validating "Green Cards" were developed and national Bureaux were organized in each country participating in the Agreement.
The essence of the innovation was that now, to insure the civil liability of a driver on the territory of several foreign countries at once, it became enough to issue only one document. At the same time, the insurance limits for the victims were set in each country.
The joining of individual insurers to the national Green Card Bureau is voluntary.
Currently, the Agreement unites several dozen countries and many insurance companies. If we talk about Russian realities, then this type of insurance is similar to OSAGO, but, unlike it, it operates not in the Russian Federation, but abroad.
How to get a "Green Card" in Spain
It takes 30 days to issue a Green Card on the territory of the Russian Federation. The border insurance purchased upon entry into the country has functional limitations: as a rule, it is valid only in the territory of the country of entry or in a limited list of countries.
As of 2021, in the Russian Federation, car insurance under the Green Card agreement is provided only in 11 companies. In addition, policies can be sold by their official agents.
To get your hands on a document, you must provide a list of required papers and conclude an agreement with the insurer. After filling in all the data, the card is entered by the insurer into the international register.
Package of documents for a Green Card to Spain
When preparing for a visit to the office of an insurance company, prepare the following documents in advance:
- national passport of an individual / certificate of registration of a legal entity, a power of attorney from the head of the company to insure its property belonging to the company, as well as the passport of a representative of the legal entity, on which the presented power of attorney is issued;
- technical passport, registration certificate and vehicle passport;
- completed application for insurance services (it is possible to enter data into an electronic form with subsequent printing).
After that, the applicant receives in his hands:
- the first three pages of the Green Card certificate form (the fourth page remains in the office of the insurance company, the second is presented to the authorities in the event of an insured event);
- Green Card program rules;
- memo of actions in the event of an accident (road traffic accident);
- confirmation of payment for the insurer's services (receipt / check).
How much insurance is valid in Spain and what is its cost
The general rules of the program are the same for all countries participating in the Green Card Agreement. That is why the terms of validity of the document are the same on the territory of any of them.
At the same time, you cannot choose an arbitrary number of days: the periods for which car insurance is issued are broken down according to the tariff scale and vary from 15 days to 12 months.
The cost of the "Green Card" for all insurance companies is fixed and depends on:
- the desired insurance period;
- vehicle type;
- the region of the insurance policy (all countries participating in the agreement, only the country of entry or a special card for Moldova, Belarus, Ukraine and Azerbaijan).
This condition also applies to resellers who are official representatives of insurance companies.
It should be borne in mind that the price of the policy cannot be higher than the limit set by the agreement, but it can be lower. In particular, discount insurance options may be offered at the border. But they will be valid only in the country of entry.
For November 2021, for citizens of the Russian Federation, the cost of insurance "All countries of the Green Card system" for 15 days is 2,450 rubles. For 1 month - 4 670 ₽.
Where can you buy a "Green Card" in Spain
There are several options for issuing an international driver's liability insurance policy:
- at the office of the insurance company;
- through an official intermediary at the place of residence or at the border.
- online, with the provision of scans of the necessary documents.
You can calculate the cost of the policy in advance using the calculator on the insurer's website. The application can also be completed online and submitted in a printed form.
What to look for when applying for a Green Card to Spain
Taking advantage of the inattention and haste of citizens, fraudsters often present fake documents as real ones. That is why it is recommended to take the time to check the policy received in your hands:
- Price. The first thing to check is the compliance of the policy cost with the established tariffs. However, suspicion should not only be raised, but also too low prices.
- Organization. Make sure that the company is included in the list of organizations accredited for obtaining this type of insurance in a particular country. In the case of resellers, contact the parent company to confirm the fact of cooperation.
- Form. On the insurer's website, you can check the issued document by its registration number, series and code. As a result, you will receive one of three responses:
- the document is lost / not listed in the database;
- transferred to an insurance company and can be purchased (confirms the fact of cooperation with an intermediary);
- sold by the company for the specified period (confirms the purchase).
If you get the first option, contact law enforcement immediately.
What happens if you drive a car in Spain without a Green Card
If you have lost your policy or received a fake document with which you managed to cross the border, if this fact is discovered, you will be punished immediately. In this case, the policy is recognized as invalid and the driver is not relieved of responsibility.
In Spain, the following types of punishment are provided for the lack of international insurance of civil liability of the driver:
- fine up to 1,500 €;
- compulsory registration of local auto insurance;
- seizure of the vehicle and sending it to the impound lot;
- compensation for damage to the injured party in the event of an accident from its own funds.
Summarizing
If you need a Green Card to Spain, then you should apply for a policy option "All countries of the Green Card system". At the same time, the minimum document validity period cannot be less than 15 days.
Making it takes at least 30 days. Cards purchased at the border, as a rule, have restrictions on the territory of action, which is the reason for the possibility of their express issuance.
The rates for the policy are fixed, and the choice of the insurance company depends only on your preferences.
Purchasing a policy at the border is the cheapest but risky option.Carefully check the details of the issued document so as not to become a victim of scammers.
