End of car insurance stickers in France: what happens in an accident?
Accident forms still require information from green vignettes
Many French drivers carry a constat amiable form in their vehicle
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Today (April 1) sees the end of green insurance vignettes for vehicles in France.
These no longer have to be displayed on your vehicle with police officers and other authorities instead having access to a database containing information on insurance.
This is called the Fichier des V茅hicules Assur茅s (FVA). You can currently check to see if your vehicle is on the database, using the information below.
Read more: Insurance change for drivers: Can I see if car on new French database?
However, information from the stickers is needed to complete the European-wide vehicle accident form (constat amiable), which is used when involved in an accident with another driver.
Read more: Is the French 鈥榲ehicle accident form鈥� available in English?
There are two boxes on the form that require information about your insurance policy and that of the other person:
- The insurance certificate number (num茅ro de carte verte) of the insurance document
- The date of validity of the insurance certificate (attestation d鈥檃ssurance ou carte verte valable), showing both the start and end date
However French news outlet, Franceinfo, states that the forms can still be filled out and sent to insurers even if these spaces are left blank.
The insurance company will be able to find out the information for the other driver using the FVA to which they have access.
A new version of the form excluding the requirement to complete this information may later be made available.
Insurance still required
Despite no longer needing the insurance vignette, the Ministry of Finance has still been reminding drivers of the obligation to insure their vehicles.
鈥淔ailure to take out insurance is a criminal offence punishable by a fine of up to 鈧�3,750, possibly accompanied by suspension of the driving licence for three years, or confiscation of the vehicle and other additional penalties,鈥� it said.
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