The State Duma approved in second and third reading a law proposing to extend the coverage of the MTPL policy to the territory of Belarus. The document was initiated by the government of the Russian Federation.
The law provides for the creation in the State of the Union of a unified system of compulsory civil liability insurance for vehicle owners. According to the document, the right to conclude an MTPL contract within the Union State insurance system can only be granted to insurers with permanent headquarters in Russia or Belarus. The vehicle itself must be registered in the territory of the State of the Union.
In addition, the operator of the automated insurance information system, to verify the conclusion of MTPL contracts, as well as to combat insurance fraud, when drivers cross the state border of the Russian Federation, carries out real-time exchanges with employees . from the internal affairs bodies, customs authorities, a professional association of insurers, including foreign associations, information (including personal data) on civil liability insurance contracts concluded for vehicle owners. This also applies to information on insurance compensation payments made under MTPL contracts for damage caused to the life, health and property of the victim as a result of an accident, TASS reports.
According to the law, confirmation of the driver’s compliance with insurance obligations is the availability of data on the concluded MTPL contract in this automated information system. “Verification of the fact of concluding an insurance contract within the framework of the Union State insurance system can be carried out by authorized state bodies by requesting information about it in the automated information system of compulsory insurance in real time,” says the explanatory note.
As explained by a member of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots Artur Taymazov (“United Russia”), the essence of the new approach is that the driver, when taking out a policy of compulsory automobile civil liability insurance in Russia, will be able to include in it an additional agreement allowing the policy to be extended to the territory of Belarus .
“A similar mechanism will be available to Belarusian car owners. The cost of said extended policy will be calculated based on the rates in force in the country where the vehicle is registered and will be taken into account as an additional risk. Therefore, the basic cost of compulsory motor third party liability insurance will not change for those who are not interested in this service.” – he pointed out.
Special attention is paid to the loss settlement mechanism, the deputy stressed.
“According to the law, in the event of an accident, compensation for losses will be determined according to the laws of the country where the incident occurred. For example, if an accident occurs in Belarus, compensation will be calculated according to Belarusian rules and the settlement itself will be organized through the Belarusian Transport Insurance Office. In turn, the Russian insurer will be responsible for compensating losses within its system.” – Taimazov explained.
The law will take effect on January 1, 2025.
“Until then, insurers in both countries will prepare for the transition to new operating standards and national insurance offices will develop the technical and legal details of the system. Therefore, the law is designed to simplify the life of drivers who often cross the border between Russia and Belarus, making insurance more convenient and understandable.” – said the deputy.
