Despite the commitments of the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire on the next abolition of the green card, the discussions are slipping. For its part, the insurance lobby is hopeful that things will progress by next year. France is one of the last countries to require its nationals to have this paper insurance document glued behind the windshield of the vehicle.
We are working, with Interior Minister Grald Darmanin, on removal of this small green thumbnail that you have to stick behind your windshield and which testifies that you are well insured so that it is dematerialized, explained last September the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire.
Problem, despite the commitments of tariff moderation granted by the companies, the discussions between Bercy and Beauvau have not succeeded on this point and it will be necessary to wait at least until 2024 to see the disappearance of the green car insurance card from French windshields.
We are hopeful that it will be put in place next year, soberly declared Florence Lustman, president of France Assureurs (FA), during a press conference on Thursday 30 March. In addition, for the abolition of the green card to come into force on January 1, 2024, a decree would have had to be published before this Friday, March 31.
Negotiations in progress
Technically, the port by FA project consists of use the File of Insured Vehicles (FVA), created in 2016 and shared since 2019 with the police and the gendarmerie. This file lists the vehicle’s registration number, the name of the insurer and the number of the insurance contract and its period of validity. All in real time, according to France Assureurs.
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In the meantime, meetings are multiplying between the different parties to reach an agreement. On the menu of the tractactions: the reluctance of the police who fear extended road checks. Another point of discussion according to The echoes: giving policyholders the option of consulting a service online to find out if they are covered.
The green card: a French exception
France is one of the last countries to require its nationals to present paper documents. For example, Germany has abolished this format since 2008. Such documents are not necessary to circulate within the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. In all the countries concerned, the license plate alone is worth presumption of insurance, argues France Assureurs.
The green card meets specific standards which are quite expensive. The precious sessame is said by the French Central Office in order to respect the size and type of paper used. Its price is no stranger either to the demand from insurers to put an end to the badge: 300 euros for around 1000 vignettes. A theoretical saving of 17 million euros based on the 56 million vehicles on the French market.