Council of Bureaux

International organisation acting for the protection of cross-border road traffic victims

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Management and coordination

Based in Brussels, the Council of Bureaux (COB) coordinates not only the Green Card System, but also the activity of the Protection of Visitors System, established by the European Directives on motor vehicle insurance.

  • Green Card System: has 46 Green Card Bureaux as members and represents more than 1,500 motor vehicle insurers in 50 countries in Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East.

The GPCV is one of the 46 members of the COB, operating within the Green Card System

  • Protection of Visitors System: its members are the bodies that apply the European Directives on motor vehicle insurance in the 30 Member States of the European Economic Area:
    • Guarantee Funds
    • Compensation Bodies
    • Information Centres

In Portugal, these roles are carried out by the Motor Guarantee Fund, under the authority of the Insurance and Pension Funds Supervisory Authority (ASF).

Find out more here

National Insurers’ Bureaux

They guarantee the application of the Green Card System in each adhering State.

Recognised by the States where they are based, the National Insurers’ Bureaux ensure that any injured party in a road accident caused by a foreign vehicle (a vehicle from another country that is also a member of the system), can be compensated in the country where the accident occurred, in accordance with that country’s legislation.

The Bureau of the country where the accident happened (“Handling Bureau”) may then recover the compensation paid from the Bureau of the foreign country of the vehicle that caused the accident (“Guaranteeing Bureau”).

The Bureaux interact in a completely reciprocal manner.

The Internal Regulations is the document that brings together all the provisions governing relations between the National Insurers’ Bureaux.

See here the 46 Green Card Bureaux that are members of the Council of Bureaux (CoB):

meet-us

FAQs

Do you have a question?

We can help.

    My policy also covers own damage. Is this cover valid in all the countries not crossed out in the Green Card?
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    No. One thing is mandatory third party liability cover and another is optional cover (own damage); they do not apply equally to all territories. The Green Card covers mandatory third party liability only and this is valid for all countries whose acronym is not crossed out. To learn about the territories where own damage applies, please check the special and particular conditions of your insurance policy or contact your insurer or insurance broker.
    What should I do when entering a country crossed out in my Green Card?
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    You must acquire frontier insurance when entering that country.
    Should I always take the Green Card with me when travelling abroad?
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    It depends on the country you are visiting:
    • In countries which are signatories to the Multilateral Agreement (Section III of Internal Regulations), you do not need to take your Green Card, as it is not a mandatory document.
    • For all the other countries, it is necessary to take your Green Card with you, either printed on paper or in digital format (PDF), as it is now possible to show it to police or border authorities electronically (as a precaution, in case your mobile phone is lost or runs out of battery, it is recommended that you always carry a printed copy of your Green Card with you).
    What is frontier insurance and what can it be used for?
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    It is a temporary mandatory third party liability insurance policy covering injured third parties in the country you are entering. Whenever entering a country outside the EEA that is crossed out in your Green Card, you must acquire frontier insurance to be duly insured. This is the only way to be insured for any damages you may cause to third parties with your vehicle.
    Which countries are signatories to the Multilateral Agreement (Section III of the Internal Regulations)?
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    36 countries:
    • The 27 EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
    • Plus 3 EEA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway
    • Plus 6 other countries: Andorra, Bosnia Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
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