All insurers present on French territory require the provision of specific documents for the subscription of an auto insurance contract.
These documents make it possible to verify the declarations of the insured and to prevent the contract from being concluded on false grounds which could lead to its cancellation after a claim.
They can be requested before subscription (in branch) or after (online).
The conformity of the information contained in these documents with the declarations of the subscriber is essential for the final validation of the contract.
Mandatory documents with all car insurers
There is no common rule on the types of documents that the insured must submit to the insurer, especially since the commercial adviser (general agent, broker, etc.) is not legally required to verify the accuracy and extent of the insured’s declarations.
The list of these documents is therefore at the discretion of the insurer, but is, in practice, always made up of the same elements:
- The registration certificate (gray card) of the car to be insured;
- The driving licenses of the drivers declared in the contract;
- The information statements of the drivers declared in the contract.
Photocopying or scanning these documents is sufficient for most insurance companies, even more so with the development of online car insurance.
1. The vehicle registration certificate
The gray card gives indisputable information on the car, its serial number and its date of first entry into service. It also creates a presumption of ownership of the vehicle with regard to its holder.
2. The driving license(s) of the declared drivers
The supply of the driving licenses of the drivers declared in the contract allows the insurer to check their validity and their conformity with the declarations of the subscriber.
3. The information statement(s) of declared drivers
The information statement is a document that traces the history of an auto insurance contract.
It includes in particular information on the drivers declared to the contract and the claims, responsible or not, which have occurred during the five years preceding the establishment of the statement.
It also indicates the reduction-increase coefficient applied to the last annual payment.
The information statement(s) therefore provide the new insurer with valuable information on the insurance history of the drivers declared in the contract.
It should be noted that the issuance of an information statement by the insurer at the express request of the insured is legally mandatory (appendix to article A121-1 of the Insurance Code).
Namely: the new insurer can ask the subscriber for information statements from the various vehicle insurance contracts (if there have been several) over a period of five years.
This period corresponds to the retention period of claims data in the national AGIRA file.
Documents required only with certain auto insurers
To refine their perception of the risk to be insured or to facilitate online subscription, some insurers wish to obtain additional documents:
- The contract subscriber’s identity card : it allows the insurer to check the identity of the contract subscriber and its consistency on the various documents transmitted;
- Photos of the car and its license plate, guaranteeing the condition of the vehicle before subscription;
- A driving certificate from the employer, so that the driver of a company vehicle can take advantage of the acquired bonus.
Documents related to premium payment
The payment of the car insurance premium is most often made by direct debit from a bank account. In this case, it is necessary to send the following documents:
- A Bank Identity Statement (RIB);
- If necessary, a completed SEPA direct debit mandate in paper version.
Specific cases: aggravated risks and foreign driving licenses
Some drivers in a malus situation must provide specific documents, allowing the insurer to better assess the situation of the insured and to set the amount of the premium accordingly.
These documents are:
- A copy of the judgment in the event of license withdrawal for alcohol or drug use;
- In general, all documents justifying the reason and the nature of a sanction on the driving license.
For drivers with a foreign driver’s license outside the EEA (European Economic Area), in addition to the copy of the valid driver’s license, a copy of the receipt for the request to exchange this driver’s license is required.
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