If the UK leaves the European Union (EU) on 29 March 2019 without a Withdrawal Agreement in place, and in the absence of a specific agreement to the contrary, UK motorists are being advised that they will need to carry a Green Card while driving their vehicles in the European Economic Area (EEA) as well as Andorra, Serbia and Switzerland… and as digital copies of Green Cards are not currently accepted, physical copies may be necessary.

Some countries also require separate insurance for trailers, so separate Green Cards may also be required for trailers.

What are Green Cards?

Green Cards are an international certificate of insurance issued by insurance providers in the UK, guaranteeing that the motorist has the necessary minimum motor insurance cover for travel in the country they are visiting.

Obtaining Green Cards

Green Cards are supplied by insurers and insurers require us to contact them at least a month before our customers travel to enable us to request Green Cards on their behalf.

Failure to comply with the requirement to have a Green Card could lead to severe consequences; your vehicle could be seized, you could face a fine and/or the risk of prosecution.

Are there any additional requirements?

Given the current uncertainty over the terms of the UK’s exit from the EU it is important to monitor guidance issued from the Government as a number of requirements (including international driving licences or permits, vehicle identification etc.) for driving abroad may change, depending upon the terms of the UK’s departure from the EU.

We will update you with further information and actions you may need to take as soon as we can. In the meantime, if you have any queries about any of the issues discussed in this blog please do not hesitate to call us on 020 7637 1606.