The International Motor Insurance Certificate (IMIC), also known as the Green Card, is the International Motor Insurance Certificate accepted without any obstacle or cost by the authorities of all 50 countries of the Green Card System.
Function of the IMIC or GREEN CARD: It serves as proof that you hold valid insurance when driving your vehicle in certain countries. It ensures compensation for the victims of an accident involving a foreign vehicle.
Although it has long been referred to as the Green Card because it was printed on green paper, you can now receive the IMIC from your insurance company via email and print it on regular white A4 paper.
The Green Cards are issued in the name of and under the supervision of each National Insurance Bureau in accordance with Recommendation No. 5 issued by the Inland Transport Committee of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. The Green Card is a unique document recognized by all member states of the Green Card System.
At the international level, it allows insured drivers residing in one member state to visit another without having to purchase insurance coverage every time they cross a border, certifying that they have third-party liability coverage.
In other countries, such as France,the Green Card is a national proof of insurance, on the basis of national insurance, as it demonstrates compliance with the obligation to have third-party liability insurance from a company that is a member of the National Bureau. Therefore, despite what is explained above, in some countries it might still be necessary to have a Green Card, but not for travelling internationally. In Andorra, for our own citizens while driving within Andorra or in countries that are signatories of the multilateral agreement, the Green Card is not required.
IMIC or Green Card: If you do not carry it, depending on the country you are in, you may be committing an infraction by not proving that you are insured (contact us to check in which countries it is mandatory).
The IMIC or Green Card ensures that if a foreign vehicle causes an accident, the insurer from the vehicle's home country will cover the damages based on the laws of the country where the accident occurred. In this way, the victim of an accident caused by a foreign vehicle is duly compensated for the damages suffered.
In Andorra, although Green Cards are issued under the supervision of the Andorran Bureau, in practice, they are issued by the insurers themselves, taking into account that insurance companies are only entitled to issue Andorran Green Cards if they have joined the Andorran Bureau, which exclusively supplies the corresponding document to its members (green in its physical paper version and black on a white background in its electronic format). The Andorran Bureau grants each entity an identification code that must appear on the Green Card or International Motor Insurance Certificate.
Each member of the Andorran Bureau prints its own Green Cards based on specifications drawn up by the Andorran Bureau, which are issued only to insurers, upon request through the private area of the Andorran Bureau website. (https://www.bureau.ad).
IMIC or Green Card
Language= official language(s) of the issuing country + title of the document in English and French.
Format= horizontal o vertical (determined by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe - UNECE).
What is the format of the Green Card?
The Green Card is a standardized document. Its format and content are approved by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on the recommendation of the Council of Bureaux and no changes can be made without the endorsement of the UN.
Some details to consider:
- Language: It must be the official language of the issuing country and additionally in English.
- Size: DIN-A4 and single-sided printing (one-sided printing is possible).
- Paper colour: White paper (black and white) or green (classic format still used in some countries).
- Printed requirements: Currently, the digital IMIC format is not valid as proof, so it must be printed for validation. Displaying it via mobile PDF is not accepted yet, although this is expected to change by 2025, when PDF formats will be accepted in all countries.
- Paper orientation: Horizontal or vertical.
- Territorial scope: The IMICs issued in European Economic Area (EEA) countries must cover the EEA, so these countries are grouped in a single, undivided box. For other countries, if an insurer does not want the International Certificate of Insurance to be valid in certain countries, they must check the box corresponding to the country or countries that want to be excluded. For example: Morocco, Russia, Ukraine, etc.
- Duration: It must be valid for at least 15 days and no more than 1 year from the date of issue. Make sure the card is valid and not expired.
- Country code and insurer: Check the country code and insurer code in box no. 4 matches the name of the insurer listed in box no. 8.
What about the validity period?
The minimum validity period of a Green Card is 15 days and extends throughout the duration of the insurance policy. If a Green Card expires while travelling in a country within the Green Card System, the vehicle owner must purchase a frontier insurance policy or temporary coverage in that country.
IMIC or Green Card: Effective 365 days from the date of issue.
How to obtain a IMIC or Green Card?
To request an International Motor Insurance Certificate or Green Card,contact your insurance company directly.
If you plan to drive your vehicle outside the European Economic Area (EEA), you may need the International Motor Insurance Certificate or Green Card.
Keep in mind that insurance companies are not required to provide it, as not all insurers can extend the territorial scope of third-party liability coverage (particularly to non-EEA countries) that the issuance of the International Motor Insurance Certificate entails, and not all companies offer this guarantee.
If you are unable to obtain it, an alternative is the Border Insurance, which can be purchased at the frontier of any non-European Economic Area country where you intend to drive.
You can resolve your questions regarding the International Motor Insurance Certificate and other useful information about international vehicle traffic in the Frequent Asked Questions and/or by submitting your queries to incorporate them.
Your insurance company is not obliged to provide you with the IMIC or Green Card.