For a registered vehicle insured in France, the insurer must provide a document containing the essential details of the policy when it is taken out. This car insurance document can serve as temporary proof of the policy while the FVA is updated. It states that it provides a presumption of insurance for the 15 days following the policy’s effective date.
Keep this document accessible: it can also help you throughout the policy term, for example when completing an accident report or contacting your insurer. Here is how to read it and distinguish its temporary evidentiary status from its usefulness for administrative tasks.
Which document should you ask for when taking out a policy?
If you have insured a registered vehicle, proof of insurance is established primarily by checking the FVA, the Insured Vehicles Register. It lists third-party liability insurance policies taken out in France.
When you take out a policy, the insurer must provide you with a document bringing together its essential details. To prepare for a discussion, you can ask the insurer to help you find this document and understand the information it contains.
Before reading the document, keep its context in mind: it concerns a registered vehicle and the policy you have just taken out. For an unregistered vehicle, the proof documents provided by the insurer are different.
What is its evidentiary status while the FVA is being updated?
The document can serve as temporary proof of the policy during the period required to update the FVA. It must bear the following statement: “This document constitutes a presumption of insurance for the 15 days following the policy’s effective date”.
To interpret this statement, locate the policy’s effective date: it is the stated starting point for the 15 days. The document’s issue date is also among the required details; when reviewing your proof document, it is worth distinguishing it from the date on which the cover takes effect.
The presumption described in this statement is temporary. It concerns proof of the policy during the stated period; it must not be confused with using the document to find the contact details or references needed for an administrative task.
What should you check on the proof document?
The document must contain the insurance company’s name and address, as well as the policyholder’s surname, given names and address. It must also state the insurance policy number, the document’s issue date and the date on which the cover takes effect.
For the vehicle, look for the registration number, make and model. If the cover applies to both a motor vehicle and its trailers or semi-trailers, the document must state the type of trailers or semi-trailers that may be used with the vehicle.
Where necessary, the document also states whether the vehicle is used for a paid private passenger transport activity. If any information appears to be missing or does not match your situation, tell your insurer so they can help you check the document.
Why keep it after the temporary period?
The document is issued only once, except if it is lost. It is not renewed annually like the green card.
It can be used throughout the policy term for certain administrative tasks, such as completing an accident report or contacting the insurer to request information. Service Public recommends keeping it in the vehicle or downloading it to your phone.
To stay organised, choose a place where you can find it when you need it. Before contacting the insurer, have the document ready so that you can refer to the policy number and vehicle information. It can also help you find the relevant details when completing an accident report.
How can you prepare your questions for the insurer?
If you have just taken out a policy, ask where to find the document provided at that time. Then reread the statement about the presumption of insurance and locate the date on which the cover takes effect. If the date or any other information seems uncertain, ask your insurer for clarification rather than drawing your own conclusions about the document’s evidentiary status.
You can also ask the insurer to check the registration number, make, model and contact details on the document with you. Then keep the proof document in the vehicle or on your phone so you can find it when dealing with administrative tasks.
Do not confuse proof of insurance with an insurance proposal
Before a policy is taken out, the insurer approached must provide an insurance proposal. This includes, among other things, a copy of the draft policy, an information sheet on prices and cover, and a detailed information notice.
These documents provide information on the limits of cover, such as the list of risks not covered. The proof document provided when the policy is taken out, on the other hand, brings together the essential details of the policy and can serve as temporary proof while the FVA is updated.
To prepare for your discussion, read the proposal to understand the cover being considered, then keep the proof document provided when you take out the policy close at hand so you can find the policy references. This general information helps you prepare for administrative tasks; if you have a question about your situation or cover, contact your insurer.
