"The Green Card will be valid only the day after issuance: important changes from 2025

Are you planning a trip abroad in 2025? Don't forget to take care of your Green Card international motor third party liability insurance in advance! Starting from January 1, 2025, the Green Card will be valid only the day after it is issued.

Previously, drivers had the opportunity to issue a Green Card insurance certificate, which came into force on the day it was issued, immediately before crossing the state border. Starting in 2025, insurance companies will no longer be able to enter into international insurance contracts with an effective date of entry into force on the day of their conclusion. In accordance with the requirements of the new law, the international insurance contract "Green Card" comes into force from 00:00 hours of the date of commencement of its validity period specified in such contract, but not earlier than the beginning of the day following the entry of such agreement into the Unified Centralized Database (i.e., the date of conclusion of such agreement). This means that:

The Green Card insurance certificate must be issued at least one day before the trip.

Information about the international insurance contract must be entered into the Unified Centralized MTIBU Database, otherwise the document may be invalidated.

The absence of a valid Green Card insurance certificate may result in a refusal to cross the border.

Tip: plan your Green Card application in advance to avoid unpleasant surprises on the day of travel.

Also, starting from January 1, 2025, free pricing will be introduced for all motor third-party liability insurance contracts, including Green Card insurance certificates. Currently, pricing is regulated by the state (Law on MTPL No. 1961) by establishing uniform insurance premiums that insurance companies are required to apply in their tariff setting.

Starting from January 1, these restrictions will be lifted, and insurance companies will be able to determine the parameters that will affect the pricing of policies based on their own underwriting models and insurance portfolios, as well as other factors related to the risks that cause an insured event.

Another important update: from the beginning of the new year, the electronic Green Card insurance certificate will be fully operational in all member countries of the system. Accordingly, drivers will be able to present the insurance certificate in digital form, saving it, for example, in a PDF file on a mobile device in any country that is part of the insurance system. At the same time, in order to avoid possible misunderstandings and ensure unimpeded cross-border traffic, the MTIBU recommends that Ukrainian drivers print and keep the certificate in paper format before traveling abroad to present it at the request of authorized foreign regulatory authorities.

We remind you that the Green Card insurance certificate can only be issued by an insurance company that is a full member of the MTIBU or its representatives. The list of such insurers is available here.

Be careful and plan your travels in advance to avoid unforeseen situations at the border!