Recent changes to the MTPL rules have affected the method of concluding an insurance contract. Now you can get an electronic MTPL policy by purchasing it “online” from any insurance company. Of course, if the Central Bank has not limited its license.
It’s convenient – it saves you from visiting the insurer’s office, and it’s fast – the insurance will be sent to you immediately after payment. Many car owners are in no hurry to take advantage of this opportunity because of the old prejudice - paper is more reliable.
Paper or digital?
The law does not distinguish between policy forms. Both of them certify the fact of concluding an agreement (see paragraph 7 of Article 15 No. 40-FZ).
The first one is protected from counterfeiting by special printing methods and is issued on a strict reporting form. The electronic MTPL policy exists only in the form of a digital record, is signed by the insurer’s electronic signature certified by an independent center, and can be checked using a single Internet database.
Remember! An insurance policy issued in the form of a digital document is equivalent to a paper policy executed on a strict reporting form.
What the law says
The use of existing electronic MTPL policies is increasingly becoming part of everyday life, and the basis for this was laid back in 2015, fully regulating the procedure for its registration.
All data that is used when obtaining a document is based on information obtained in the unified RSA database, including information about previously concluded insurance, accidents that have occurred and payments for them, KBM, the driver and his vehicle.
The application is filled out directly on the car insurer’s website and certified with a simple electronic signature, in accordance with clause 7 of Art. 15. If we refer to Federal Law No. 63 of 2011 “On Electronic Signature”, this term is usually understood as combinations of a password and login to a personal account, which confirm that the application was sent by this particular person. If insurance is issued for a car of a legal entity, then an enhanced electronic signature is required.
The policy, in accordance with the same paragraph 7., is concluded on the basis of the same information that is usually provided by the purchaser upon receipt of a paper policy. e-OSAGO is sent immediately after non-cash or cash payment, and no later than 1 business day after payment. At the same time, the company employee must enter information into the RSA database.
Actions to reissue an electronic policy are also provided for in the law. In order to enter or change certain data, you will still need to send an online application to the insurer requesting changes to the document. If necessary (for example, when you need to register one more person), an additional payment is made at the established rates. Within 2 days, the company must either provide the policy with changes made to it, or notify the citizen that re-issuance is impossible for any reason.
What does electronic car insurance look like?
Any digital document is an intangible thing, physically non-existent. This is a file, a collection of information (data) intended for processing by a computer. Such a document can only be read on a digital device, using special software. A person cannot independently perceive digital data, but it is necessary to work with information, so the user is given the opportunity to make a material copy of the document - print it.
A printout of an electronic MTPL policy looks the same as insurance issued on a strict reporting form. All details and information will be in place, in strict accordance with the requirements of the rules (Regulation N 431-P, 09.19.2014 Appendix 3). Depending on the insurance company, the graphic design of the insurance will be simplified or completely replicate the paper form.
From January 1, 2021, a two-dimensional QR code will be displayed on the e-OSAGO printout. With its help, it will be possible to check the accuracy of the information specified in the insurance, without the need to enter identification data into the web form manually.
Concluding a contract in the form of a digital document does not exclude the possibility of receiving a copy of the policy from the insurance company on a secure form. (see paragraph 7, clause 7.2, article 15 No. 40-FZ)
New amendments
A new law on compulsory car insurance is starting to work, and the reason for this was the amendments that were introduced by Federal Law No. 214 back in June last year. The most important of them is the introduction of mandatory (that’s right!) electronic compulsory motor liability insurance. That is, now absolutely every licensed insurance company is required by law to provide the opportunity to issue a policy using the Internet. There should be a corresponding notice about this on the insurer's website. This obligation is specified in clause 7.2 of Art. 15 of the Law “On Compulsory Motor Liability Insurance”.
From the beginning of 2021, the instructions of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, which also relate to e-MTPL, will come into force. They reduce the likelihood of minor fraud by auto insurance companies. The fact is that many vehicle owners have noticed that companies use various technical tricks (long technical work, etc.) in order not to provide remote policy issuance services. Now all technical work must be carried out at night, and a corresponding notification must appear on the site 24 hours in advance, and interruptions in the operation of the portal should not exceed 30 minutes per day.
If, due to technical problems, it is impossible to obtain insurance, the car owner will be asked to go to the website of another company.
What to show to the traffic police inspector
Unfortunately, to date, no changes have been made to the traffic rules that clearly oblige traffic police officers to accept a printout of “e-insurance” as proof of compulsory motor liability insurance. Failure to have an “insurance policy” still results in fines and parking. They are trying to correct this situation with departmental clarifications. The average car owner does not always know about them. Unscrupulous inspectors often take advantage of this for personal gain.
Such employees need to be reminded that according to the administrative regulations, in order to confirm the electronic compulsory motor liability insurance, the driver must present to the traffic police inspector only a printout of the policy (Order N 664, 08/23/2017, clause 6.11).
Registration on the Internet
Insurance companies, including VSK, step-by-step instructions are reflected on the official portal of the organization. In this case, it is important to take into account that only those citizens whose information is reflected in the RSA data can use this opportunity. This suggests that these persons previously took out policies. It is necessary to contact the insurer's offices.
Including:
- the document is processed for the first time;
- a new car was purchased, information about which is not registered in the database;
- purchasing a used vehicle when the information is registered with the previous owner.
In addition, this applies to situations where issuing a policy in electronic form is not allowed when there have been changes in information about the owner. This includes data from the act through which identity or rights are verified. If the database does not contain information on a valid diagnostic card, then it will also not be possible to issue a report using the specified method.
The same rules apply to cases where the car is registered in another country or the documentation is completed with errors, including in the citizen’s data.
ATTENTION !!! When these situations do not apply to a specific person, this indicates that he has the opportunity to take advantage of electronic policy registration. This can be done at any time, regardless of weekends and holidays. You need to prepare a certain package of documentation.
Including:
- citizen's identity document;
- driver's license;
- paper indicating that the vehicle has been registered;
- car passport.
Registration on the official website of the insurer is a mandatory requirement. Without this action, you will not be able to use all the features of the portal. In this case, all actions are carried out remotely. There is no need to visit the insurer's office in advance. On the main page you need to open the tab related to purchasing a policy.
The procedure for creating an account in the system requires entering a mobile phone number. In addition, you will need to provide an email address. An alternative is to use a personal account created on the State Services portal. However, registration is also required.
ATTENTION !!! The process involves entering mobile number data as well as email. Using such data, you can log into your personal account and issue a policy. In addition, you need to enter data into your personal account. A form will open in front of the user where you need to enter certain information.
It is necessary to indicate at what address the person is registered. It is reflected in the document by which the identity is verified. When entering information into the form, you can immediately check how reliable it is. To do this, you need to click on the button that allows checking in PCA. When the information matches, a green tick is displayed on the screen.
How to check authenticity
If you independently, without intermediaries, bought an electronic MTPL policy on the company’s official website, you just need to verify its authenticity by checking the insurer’s electronic signature. As a rule, the document file is sent to the policyholder in pdf format. This format provides the ability to sign documents with an enhanced digital signature. Most pdf viewing programs do a great job of checking it. You may need to further customize the program by following the instructions posted by the insurance company on its pages.
If such verification is not enough for you or you purchased insurance from a dealer, intermediary, or agent, you should make sure that the information indicated on the printout corresponds to the information that was reported to the insurance company. Perhaps your car “on paper” is a motorcycle from the Ryazan region, and you were so happy about the savings on insurance. The electronic policy should be checked on the official website of the insurer or contact the nearest office.
By the way, purchasing paper insurance does not guarantee protection against fraud. You can check the “legitimacy” of the form through the PCA service; the compliance of the information is with the insurer.
The 20-minute rule and reducing the time limit for sending an electronic policy
Explanation: the policyholder decided to change the data previously specified in the MTPL agreement. In this case, the insurer is obliged to send a corrected electronic policy to the client within 20 minutes.
This is possible only if making adjustments to the MTPL policy does not imply additional payment of the insurance premium, and the insurer does not have to wait for confirmation of payment from the bank.
In the event that making adjustments requires additional payments, the deadline remains the same - two business days.
Why has the deadline for sending electronic documents been reduced?
First of all, the innovation is aimed at increasing sales of electronic MTPL policies and the full transition of insurance companies to a new document flow format. In addition, e-OSAGO allows you to:
- Save drivers time.
- Provides additional opportunities to control the activities of insurers.
Advantages of an electronic OSAGO policy
The electronic MTPL policy has many advantages:
- There is no need to waste time traveling to the company’s office - the document will be sent by email;
- Online registration ensures payment only for those services that the client really needs, without overpayments;
- You can apply for compulsory motor liability insurance in any region for any car;
- It is not necessary to print out the policy - just present it to the traffic police officer on your smartphone. A specialist using the series and document number will check its relevance through the RSA database or hotline;
- An electronic policy has the same legal force as a regular paper one, but it cannot be lost somewhere;
- You can also use electronic MTPL to register your car.
An electronic policy is issued in 5-10 minutes. After this, the client will be able to count on round-the-clock support from his insurance company for any issues.
You can buy insurance electronically at any time. Technical problems on the insurance company's website are excluded. But if you can’t insure your car remotely, the problem may be a problem with the PCA system.
Attention! If you need an insurance policy on a strict reporting form, then to obtain it you need to contact the office of the insurance company. The service is provided on a paid basis.
