Compulsory motor third-party liability insurance (MTPL) cover doesn't stop at the border – but it doesn't reach to the ends of the earth either. Before travelling, it's worth clarifying two things: where the cover is valid, and how to prove it. And if there's an accident, it's useful to know that a claim with a foreign element can often be handled from home too. This is an expanded successor to our earlier quick-guide article.
- In EEA countries, Hungarian MTPL is valid without any extra paperwork – for Green Card system countries, you may need international proof of cover (a Green Card).
- Your own insurer issues the Green Card, typically free of charge – ask for it in good time before you set off.
- With a foreign element, the claim can often be handled from home too: through foreign insurers' claims representatives in Hungary.
Where is Hungarian MTPL valid?
In countries of the European Economic Area, Hungarian MTPL is automatically valid – the number plate itself is presumed proof of cover. The Green Card system covers a wider circle: it also includes countries where cover has to be proven with the international document, the Green Card. Before travelling, check the status of your destination country (and any transit countries!) – MABISZ (the Association of Hungarian Insurers) and insurers' lists are kept up to date, and I'll happily check for you on request.
The same three-way split applies abroad: MTPL covers liability claims there too; casco cover (comprehensive insurance for your own car) is for damage to your own car, and travel insurance is for your own medical costs – together, these three give you the full picture before you set off.
Getting and checking your Green Card
Your own MTPL insurer issues the Green Card, typically free of charge, either electronically or by post. Two practical rules: request it with enough time before you set off (it's hard to sort out at the border), and check the country markings and the validity period on it – the card only proves cover for the countries and period shown. For company cars and fleets, it's worth handling requests centrally – for my fleet clients, this is part of the renewal-date routine (more on fleets at flotta.biz).
An accident abroad: the same routine, plus one extra step
The on-scene steps are the same as at home: the accident statement (the field numbering is the same regardless of language), photos, details, and the local police if there's a dispute. The one extra step: note down the at-fault driver's insurer's name and Green Card number, plus the country code. For injuries, 112 is the single emergency number across the EU. And one tip for the way home: get the documents into photos while you're still there – the claim back home will be built on them.
Handling the claim from home
If you're a Hungarian driver injured abroad, the case can often be handled from home too: under the EU system, foreign insurers have a claims representative in Hungary, where the claim can be handled in Hungarian – and if the representative can't be identified or doesn't respond within the deadline, the domestic compensation body can step in under the rules in force. This route needs a fair amount of paperwork, but it's workable – I help track down the representative and get the case started, and if it gets stuck, I help here too, wherever I can, as described in the article on broker support.
A mini checklist before you set off
Five things to tick off before you travel: ☐ the status of your destination country and any transit countries checked (EEA, or Green Card territory?); ☐ Green Card requested and in the vehicle (plus a photo on your phone); ☐ the blue-and-yellow statement and a pen in the glovebox; ☐ assistance and emergency numbers saved (112 is the same across the EU); ☐ the territorial scope of your casco and travel insurance checked – MTPL only covers the liability layer. For a longer trip, a sixth item: photos of the policy and key documents in a cloud folder. These five minutes can be sorted any time before the border – much harder afterwards. Safe travels – and if something does happen, the rest of this article is written for exactly that situation.
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