Update on Green Card requirements from 2nd August 2021
Authored by NIG
Since 1st January 2021 the guidance from the Government has been that all UK drivers travelling within the EU/EEA must have a Green Card. However, on 30th June 2021 the European Commission confirmed that the UK will be re-admitted into the Free Circulation Zone. This announcement means that from 2nd August 2021, Green Cards will not be required to be carried by UK drivers when driving through the EU and EEA states as proof of a valid motor insurance policy.
To better manage the transition, NIG will continue to issue Green Cards until 2nd September 2021 to ensure that news of the agreement has filtered through to European border crossings and road policing authorities across Europe.
Our policies do not cover travel outside of the EU/EEA, however Bosnia and Herzegovina is now included within the Free Circulation Zone of the EU/EEA as of 19th October 2020.
For any Green Cards that are required until 2nd September 2021, please contact your regional underwriting team. To find your regional contact information, please click here.
For more information on Green Cards, please see the FAQs below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I request a Green Card for the policyholder before 2nd September?
A: You will need to request the Green Card on behalf of your client by emailing your regional mailbox 15 – 30 days before travel. We will not accept any requests received directly from the policyholder. To find your regional contact information, please click here.
When you send the request please title the email ‘Green Card request’ and include the following information:
- policyholder name and number
- dates of travel
- name/s of the driver/s
- name/s of the countries visited
- vehicle registration number, make and model
- trailer or caravan make and model
Q: How does the policyholder receive the Green Card before 2nd September?
A: The Green Card will be emailed to you, the broker. The Green Card must be printed as a physical document but the paper no longer needs to be green. You can either print the Green Card and send the physical document to the policyholder or they can print it themselves. The policyholder needs to take the printed document with them on their travels. An electronic PDF version will not be accepted.
Q: Does the policy cover the vehicle whilst driving within the EU/EEA?
A: Yes, and there is no change to the cover afforded by the policy.
Q: Where can I find more information on the Government’s guidance for travel post Brexit?
A: More information can be found on the Government website www.gov.uk.
About NIG
We’ve been experts in commercial insurance for 125 years.
The National Insurance and Guarantee Corporation (NIG) is a broker only insurer; we believe in getting to know both the brokers we work with and their clients’ businesses, building trusted partnerships that last for the long-term. Our highly experienced underwriting team are focused on working with brokers to identify and understand the risks faced by UK enterprises. Together, with our risk control experts and risk management tools we develop solutions to help UK enterprises reduce and mitigate key exposures. We offer a wide range of products with flexibility to create tailored insurance cover and when clients need us, claims are dealt with quickly and fairly through a proactive claims approach.
Our trading model has been designed to reflect the differing requirements of how brokers like to trade, with regional offices, National Trading Centre, National Schemes Centre, eTrade Centre of Excellence and dedicated experts for specialist sectors.
We’re investing in new technology to make us even easier to trade with. We’re launching an online risk management resource supported by our in-house Risk Control Team and introduced online claims submissions to speed up the claims process, minimising disruption to clients’ businesses. We are also the only insurer two years running with a five-star rating for both TheHub and Software Houses, in the Insurance Times 2019 and 2020 eTrade survey.
We are dedicated to making UK enterprises more resilient.
NIG is a wholly owned subsidiary of Direct Line Insurance Group plc, providing stability and financial strength. Our policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited.