Close economic cooperation and a common border make it popular to travel to Poland by car. In this regard, vehicle insurance when traveling to EU countries bordering Ukraine has become mandatory. "Green card" to Poland allows you to solve with maximum comfort problems that may arise when moving on the roads of the country. This type of insurance policy will become even more profitable if you purchase it well in advance of your trip.
For what purpose is the "Green Card" issued?
Currently, even for a short-term visit to Poland, a Green Card is required. This type of insurance is an analogue of Ukrainian motor third party liability insurance, it is valid on the territory of the countries participating in the Green Card system.
Such a policy allows you to compensate for damage caused to the life and health of third parties, to compensate for losses caused to a vehicle and other property in the event of an accident. In fact, the Green Card insurance certificate is an international analogue of the CTP and CASCO policy.
The form of the international car insurance system is presented below:
How to issue a card
In Ukraine, this type of policy is sold only by companies that are full members of the Motor Transport Insurance Bureau of Ukraine (MTIBU) and agents accredited by them. Only in this case is it guaranteed that your data will be entered into the electronic state database and the provision of support in the event of an insured event abroad.
When registering a Green Card, dubious sellers are very likely to remain on the roads of Poland without support and assume all the costs of compensation for damage. Insurance from reliable companies will save you from many problems, moreover, it can be purchased online with delivery to the specified address.
Where can I get a "Green Card"
It is possible to purchase the Green Card insurance policy in any city of Ukraine, regardless of the place of registration of the vehicle. More and more often, auto insurance contracts are concluded via the Internet, which allows you to choose the nearest company and use a specialized calculator to calculate the cost, specifying the following data:
- vehicle type;
- country of visit;
- the desired duration of insurance;
- FULL NAME;
- telephone;
- email.
You can find out about the availability of the nearest Green Card agent in the insurance companies:
- “TAS”, 03062, Kiev, Pobedy Ave., 65. Tel: 0 800 500 19 5;
- "INGO Ukraine", 01054, Kiev, st. Bulvarno-Kudryavskaya, 33. Tel: 0 800 30 555 3;
- “PZU Ukraine”, 04112, Degtyarevskaya, 62. Tel: 0 800 50 311 5;
- NASK "Oranta", Zhilyanskaya, 75. Tel: 0-800-508-505;
- SC "ASKA", 03186, Antonova, 5, Tel: (044) 455-99-79;
- SC "Knyazha", Glybochitskaya, 44. Tel: (044) 207-72-59.
Documents required for card registration
Only the owner of the vehicle can conclude an auto insurance contract, regardless of whether he is an individual or a legal entity.
The Green Card is valid for any person driving a vehicle when an insured event occurs. Several people can be specified as a driver.
Before going abroad, it is recommended to bring the car back to normal condition:
- the vehicle must comply with the registration certificate;
- some unformed accessories, tinting, xenon lamps may cause difficulties when crossing the border;
- personal numbers are not allowed to leave, only standard alphanumeric combinations;
- a “UA” sticker is required on the car;
- a European standard first aid kit and a fire extinguisher are required.
To issue a policy, the owner of a car must provide the following documents:
- technical passport;
- state registration numbers.
The previous owner of the car can cancel his insurance or transfer it to the new owner - in this case, it must be renewed. The presence of the PESEL identifier, which is optional, will expand the choice of insurance companies and get the most optimal conditions. Before buying a policy, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the agent's certificate confirming his authority.
How much does the "Green Card" cost and how long does it last?
The term of the Green Card insurance contract can vary from 15 days to one year, which in turn determines its cost. The price of insurance is also affected by:
- type of vehicle (trailer, motorcycle, truck or car);
- the country to be visited;
- the current exchange rate of the national currency.
At the same time, the range of prices is quite significant. For example, the cost of a Green Card to Poland for a motorcycle is from 270 to 2500 hryvnia, and for a passenger bus - from 2500 to 23000 hryvnia. Each member state of the Green Card system determines the cost of insurance independently. There are no benefits when applying for a policy.
What to consider when taking out insurance
The car owner should be aware that there are two types of Green Card policies implemented in Ukraine. The first, the cheaper one, is used to visit Russia, Belarus, Moldova and Azerbaijan. The second type, more expensive, operates on the territory of all states participating in the Green Card system.
What are the amounts of insurance payments provided in Poland
Before traveling to any country, you should familiarize yourself with the limits of liability of the companies of the "Green Card" system and the maximum amounts of insurance payments. In Poland, compensation for damage to health in an accident is limited to 1.5 million euros, and material damage is reimbursed in the amount of up to 30 thousand euros per accident.
It should be borne in mind that in each country participating in the Green Card system, the damage caused is compensated within the limits established by national legislation on civil liability.
How to verify the authenticity of insurance
The question of the authenticity of the Green Card policy becomes relevant if it was purchased not from a full member of MTIBU, but from an unnamed company, in extreme conditions, for example, a lack of time. Verification can be carried out in several ways, including via the Internet. The latter option is more preferable for individuals.
Cases on payments for fake insurance are considered in MTIBU, of which about 90% are in Italy. However, when traveling to Poland, you should not be careless buying a Green Card in unusual places and conditions.
Before buying a policy, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with its appearance (samples are given below):
Forms of auto insurance can be checked under a UV lamp available at any exchange office, large store, bank. The policy number in blue under the light of the lamp should take on a green color.
Even if the form turned out to be real, you should carefully study the rules for filling it out. The policy consists of four pages of self-copying paper.
- First, all four sheets indicate the validity period of the insurance, vehicle (TC), full name and address of the policyholder.
- Further, the first two sheets are turned over and the third indicates the amount of payment, the time and place of sale of the policy.
- The third sheet remains with the insurer (agent), the rest are transferred to the owner of the vehicle. It is important that the information on the third sheet matches the data on the other pages.
If the agent on pages 1, 2 and 4 indicates the term of the contract is 1 year upon receipt of the corresponding payment, and on the third page writes “15 days”, this will make it impossible for the company to pay for the insured event, except for the fraudster's appropriation of about 2000 hryvnia.Moreover, it will be extremely difficult for the owner of the insurance to prove that he was not involved in the deception.
With that said, checking an insurance policy online is the most promising and reliable. By the serial number of the policy, you can determine not only its authenticity, but also verify the terms of the concluded agreement.
In addition, before buying a policy, you should familiarize yourself with the price level for a particular country, find out which companies are full members of MTIBU. The purchase process should begin with familiarization with the contract of the selling agent, which confirms his authority and status.
Currently, only 14 companies listed on the MTIBU website have the right to sell Green Card policies. All other companies and individuals can only be agents of these 14 insurers.
What to do in the event of an insured event in Poland
After purchasing the policy, it is advisable to simulate your actions in the event of an insured event in order to avoid refusal to compensate for the damage incurred.
How to behave if your fault in an accident is obvious:
- stay calm and remember that the damage is compensated by the insurance company;
- maintain the location of the vehicle until the arrival of the police;
- provide first aid if necessary;
- to call the police;
- it is advisable to make photo or video recording of an accident, collect data from participants and witnesses of the accident;
- follow the orders of the arriving police officers, hand them the required documents, including the Green Card certificate;
- if you do not speak the language of the host country, try not to sign papers you do not understand. If this cannot be avoided, indicate that you did not understand the essence of the documents you are signing;
- write down the details of the police officers who arrived (name, rank, position, number) and receive a copy of the protocol and other drawn up papers;
- upon returning to Ukraine, inform the IC about the occurrence of the insured event.
If your fault in the accident that occurred is not obvious, you should:
- when registering an accident, persistently prove to the police their innocence;
- to ensure that the explanations of the passengers of your car were included in the protocol by the police;
- to be active and consistent in defending their position, not allowing the police to lean on the side of their compatriot;
- it is not necessary to issue an accident in the form of a Europrotocol;
- Do not give a copy of the Green Card to anyone, as the interpretation of the situation may change dramatically over time;
- collect as much data as possible about witnesses and participants in the incident;
- be sure to get a copy of the policy of the person responsible for the accident or as much information as possible about his insurance, its number and other data;
- If possible, take photographs of the accident site and the damage sustained by the vehicle.
If your fault in the accident is not, in every possible way avoid resolving the issue with the guilty party through settlements on the spot for the following reasons:
- there is a risk of receiving inadequate compensation for your damage;
- in the event of a repeated accident, it will be difficult to explain to the police the clear traces of the previous incident.
If you do not understand something in the submitted documents, there are disagreements about the road accident scheme, be sure to indicate this in your native language in the protocol, without signing it.
What are the features of traffic rules in Poland
In most countries of the world, the traffic rules are practically the same - in Kaliningrad and in Szczecin. However, there are minor differences.
- For example, in Poland, the dipped beam must be turned on at any time of the day, regardless of the season, while in Ukraine this requirement is valid from autumn to spring.
- In addition, Polish rules very strictly regulate the use of seat belts, which all passengers are required to use, both in the front and in the back seat of a car; there is a strict ban on conversations of car drivers on mobile devices. Such violations are punishable by high fines.
- While in Poland, pay close attention to the speed limit signs. So, within the city, the speed is limited to 50 km / h, and from 00 to 6 in the morning - 60 km / h. Outside the city, speed limits are set at 90, 110 and 140 km / h, depending on the type of road. It should be borne in mind that Poland's road network is literally “stuffed” with automatic radars.
- Another feature of the traffic rules in Poland is the passage of a traffic light with an additional section. The fact is that in Poland, when you are in the extreme right lane, it is not necessary to move to the right when the section is turned on, it is possible to move straight.
- Pay attention to pedestrians when passing a zebra: as soon as a pedestrian approaches it, you should stop.
- Never occupy a parking space for the disabled if you do not want to pick up your vehicle from the penalty area.
- Do not forget that covert patrolling of roads by “civilian” police vehicles is widespread in Poland.
Finally
If you need to get the latest or additional information about insurance companies in Ukraine and the latest changes in insurance rules, you should visit the website https://forinsurer.com. Remember that buying a compulsory insurance certificate in the last days or hours before going abroad, you will overpay a lot of money. It is most profitable to buy a Green Card ahead of time based on your specific needs.
