All motorists are well aware of the axiom that car insurance is mandatory and necessary. However, the insurance market is sometimes difficult to navigate even for experienced drivers, let alone beginners. Find out more about the difference between MTPL and Green Card

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Insurance is an essential element of driving a car. But how do you know what type of car insurance you need? It all depends on the specific situation and type of trip.

Let's take a closer look at when you need insurance and where you can buy each type.

What is a Green Card?

Green Card is an international policy of civil liability for drivers. The document is mandatory when travelling abroad for all vehicles registered in Ukraine. The Green Card has a number of advantages, including protecting drivers from unforeseen expenses during a trip, which is why it is primarily the car owner who is interested in insurance.

The principle of operation of the Green Card is similar to that of the CTP, only abroad. The policy does not insure the owner's property, but his or her liability. In other words, in the event of an accident, the Green Card insurance policy will cover the damage caused by the culprit to other participants in the accident - the cost of treatment or repair of the victim's car.

For more information about the Green Card insurance policy for travelling abroad and everything you need to know in 2025, please follow the link.

The policy is valid in the territory of the member countries of the Green Card system, 46 participants in total:

Albania, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark (except for Athos), Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece (except Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Ireland, Israel, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands (except Aruba, the Caribbean Netherlands, Curacao, St. Maarten), Germany (except Büsingen am Hochrein), Norway (except Svalbard and Bear Island), North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Hungary, Finland, France (except Overseas Region), Croatia, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Switzerland, Sweden, Switzerland, Sweden, Morocco, Tunisia and Iran.

In the previous article, we wrote about how to check the validity of an insurance policy and its validity period through the MTIBU's Centralised Database.

Liability in the absence of a Green Card

A Green Card is a mandatory document without which it is impossible to pass border control.

In 2022, at the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian drivers could cross the borders of Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Moldova in their own cars without Green Card policies, but as of 2025, such conditions no longer apply.

If you are planning to go on a trip without insurance, here are the risks you may face:

- fines for not having a policy from 1000 euros;

- deportation;

- prohibition to enter the country;

- seizure or arrest of the vehicle, etc.

Important changes in the Green Card system from 2025

From the beginning of 2025, the Green Card international insurance system will undergo a significant transformation, introducing a number of important changes for drivers.

First of all, according to the new law on motor third party liability (the Law of Ukraine on MTPL as of 17 June 2024), the insurance market will move to a free pricing model - insurance companies will be entitled to set the cost of policies independently, which will allow drivers to compare offers from different insurers and choose the most favourable terms.

Significant changes will also affect the procedure for activating insurance policies: from 1 January 2025, an insurance contract will come into force no earlier than the day after it is concluded and entered into the Unified Centralised Database, which will require drivers to plan their trips abroad more carefully, as the option to take out insurance immediately before crossing the border will no longer be available.

At the same time, in 2025, all member states of the Green Card system will recognise electronic insurance certificates, which will allow drivers to present the policy in a digital format, for example, as a PDF file on a mobile device, with the subsequent complete abandonment of paper versions of documents.

Read here for the difference between an electronic Green Card and a paper one.

Who is the Green Card issued for?

In fact, the Green Card is issued for a car. The documents contain the data of the vehicle owner or any other insured. However, the policy applies to any driver who will be driving the car legally.

To apply for a Green Card policy, you must provide: the applicant's passport and identification code, vehicle registration certificate and driving licence. The policy must be valid for the entire period of stay abroad, as an accident can occur at any time.

The Visit Ukraine portal allows you to apply for a Green Card online quickly and easily. Follow the link and apply for an insurance policy for the required period in just a couple of minutes. The finished insurance will be sent to your email immediately.

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What is a motor third party liability insurance?

MTPL or motor third party liability insurance is a compulsory insurance for car owners in Ukraine, which

compensates for the losses that the victim will suffer in the event of an accident, namely damage to the life, health and property of the party involved in the accident.

Article 21 of the Law ‘On Compulsory Insurance of Civil Liability of Owners of Land Vehicles’ states that when using a vehicle in road traffic, the person driving the vehicle must have an MTPL insurance policy (motor third party liability insurance). In the absence of an MTPL policy, the driver will be fined.

MTPL insurance directly insures the vehicle, so the liability of all drivers who have been driving legally will be insured. The policy is valid throughout Ukraine.

The following documents are required to take out an MTPL policy:

1. Driver's licence or passport of the insured;

2. Technical passport of the vehicle;

3. Certificate of TIN of the insured;

4. For privileged categories - confirmation of the existence of a benefit.

The validity period of the MTPL policy is 1 year. The contract comes into force on the next day from the date specified in the document as the beginning of the contract.

Do foreigners need to take out an MTPL policy?

Citizens of other countries entering Ukraine by car with foreign registration are allowed to do so on the basis of a Green Card policy, so there is no need to take out a motor third party liability insurance policy.

However, foreigners are recommended to take out voluntary Mini Hull insurance for additional protection on the roads of Ukraine.

Read more about CTPCI for foreigners: how to insure a car in Ukraine here.

What does a motor third party liability policy cover?

Damage to property:

1. Damage or complete destruction of the vehicle;

2. Damage or destruction of roads, road structures, etc;

3. Damage or destruction of the victim's property;

4. Expenses for the work necessary to rescue the victims of the accident;

5. Evacuation of the vehicle from the accident scene.

Damage to the life and health of the victims:

1. Treatment of the victim;

2. In connection with the temporary disability of the victim;

3. Insurance indemnity in case of permanent disability;

4. In case of death of the victim.

For more information about insurance payments under MTPL and new amounts in 2025, please follow the link.

Car CTP insurance policy: changes in 2025

On 1 January 2025, the new Law ‘On Compulsory Insurance of Civil Liability of Vehicle Owners’ came into force in Ukraine, which provides for a number of significant changes in the motor third party liability system.

First of all, the insurance limits have been increased: the costs of car repairs have risen from UAH 160,000 to UAH 250,000, and the costs of medical treatment of injured persons have increased from UAH 320,000 to UAH 500,000. The total limits are now UAH 1,250,000 for property and UAH 5,000,000 for life and health.

In addition, the deductible is cancelled, so insurance companies now cover all expenses within the specified limits. A direct claims settlement mechanism is also being introduced, which will allow victims of road accidents to contact their insurance company, which will speed up the process of receiving payments.

In addition, insurance companies are now able to arrange car repairs at authorised service stations, which will improve the quality of service.

Starting from 2026, all policies will be exclusively electronic, which will simplify the process of issuing and verifying them in line with modern standards of digital services.

The conditions for privileged categories have also changed: combatants and people with disabilities will no longer be able to use vehicles without insurance, but they will receive a 50% discount on a policy that will be valid only for the person named in it.

For holders of policies issued before 31 December 2024, the old rules will remain in force until the expiry of these documents. This makes it possible to purchase insurance under the old terms in advance and avoid additional costs in 2025.

For instructions on how to check the validity of an MTPL policy and its validity period through the MTIBU, please follow the link.

Where to take out an MTPL policy?

It is better to buy insurance online because it is quick and easy. On the Visit Ukraine portal, you can take out an MTPL policy from a licensed insurer. Packages with a deductible of UAH 3200, UAH 1600 and UAH 0 are available.

What are the advantages of taking out a CTP insurance policy on Visit Ukraine?

- Fair market rates that guarantee payments.

- Unified pricing policy with service station partners, which guarantees the restoration of the victim's car.

- Possibility to conclude a contract with a franchise of UAH 0.00.

- One of the best Contact Centres in Ukraine providing information support.

- One of the best settlements in Ukraine, which guarantees protection of the Insured's/Insured's budget.

What is the difference between Green Card and CTPCI?

So, we have already found out that both CTPCI and Green Card are compulsory insurance of civil liability of vehicle owners. The differences are that CTPCI is domestic insurance, while the Green Card is international.

In addition, the limits for motor third party liability insurance comply with Ukrainian law, while the indemnity under the Green Card complies with the laws of the country in which the accident occurred.

The validity period of the CTPCI is one year, while the Green Card is valid for the period of stay abroad (from 15 days to one year).

It is important to remember that CTPCI and Green Card do not replace each other!

Just a reminder. Since the beginning of 2025, Ukraine has changed the rules for compensation for car damage caused by an accident. This applies to owners of CTPCI. Read more about the new rules for settling road accidents in Ukraine here.

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