How and where to easily find your insurance green card number
The green card number serves to uniquely identify a car insurance contract. Since the physical green card was abolished for vehicles registered in France, finding this contract number poses a real challenge: the reference document has changed, but the number is still necessary to fill out a mutual report or justify coverage to a third party.
Composition of the insurance contract number: structure and reading
| Element | Content | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Country code | Letter identifying the issuing country | F (France) |
| Insurer code | Sequence of 3 or 4 digits assigned to the company | 123 or 4567 |
| Individual number | Sequence of digits specific to the subscriber’s contract | Variable depending on the insurer |
The structure remains the same on current digital documents: a country code, an insurer code, followed by the individual contract number.
This standardized format allows law enforcement and foreign insurers to quickly identify the concerned company. The insurer code does not change from one contract to another within the same company.
Knowing where to find the green card number remains a common question, because each insurer places this information in a slightly different location in their digital documents.
Insured vehicle memo: the document that replaces the green card
The insured vehicle memo has taken over from the green card as a practical support. It combines the policy number, the name of the insurer, and the vehicle registration on a single document, usually available in PDF format in the online client area.
This memo does not have legal value to prove insurance during a roadside check (the File of Insured Vehicles fulfills this role). Its usefulness lies elsewhere: it facilitates the completion of a mutual report after an accident, especially when someone other than the subscriber is driving the vehicle.
Difference between memo and insurance certificate
The insurance certificate remains an official document issued by the insurer, with a specific validity period. The insured vehicle memo is a practical summary, without a formal expiration date, intended to keep contract information handy.
- The insurance certificate serves as temporary proof during subscription or renewal, before the update of the FVA
- The insured vehicle memo gathers contract number, insurer contact details, and registration for daily use
- In case of loss of the memo, the insurer can regenerate it from the client area or upon simple phone request
File of Insured Vehicles and its limits for finding a contract number
The FVA (File of Insured Vehicles) allows verification that a vehicle registered in France is indeed covered by insurance. Law enforcement accesses it directly, which has rendered the green sticker on the windshield unnecessary.
Limit to know: the FVA does not provide access to the contract number or the subscribed guarantees. It only confirms the existence of coverage. To find the policy number or contract details, one must go through the memo, the client area, or contact the insurer directly.
Delay after a recent subscription
A recent subscription may create a delay between the effective date of the contract and its appearance in the FVA. During this period, the insured vehicle memo serves as a temporary proof. Keeping this document in the glove compartment or on your phone avoids an uncomfortable situation during checks in the first few days following the subscription.
Traveling abroad: the international car insurance card remains
The abolition of the green card concerns vehicles registered in France circulating within the national territory. For certain trips outside France, the international car insurance card remains in effect. It also applies to unregistered vehicles subject to the insurance obligation.
Before a trip to a country outside the European Economic Area, checking with the insurer whether an international card is necessary remains a useful precaution. The contract number appears in the same standardized format (country code, insurer code, individual number).
Where to look specifically according to your situation
- On the insurer’s online client area: in the “my documents” or “my contract” section, the policy number appears on the certificate and the insured vehicle memo
- On the original insurance contract (paper format or PDF received by email at the time of subscription), usually on the first page
- On the annual premium notices sent by the insurer, where the policy number appears in the header
- By calling the insurer’s customer service, which can provide the number after verifying identity
The most reliable reflex remains to photograph the insured vehicle memo and store it in a dedicated folder on your phone. In case of an accident, this digital copy allows you to fill out a mutual report without delay, even if the paper documents are elsewhere.
The disappearance of the physical green card has not eliminated the contract number: it has simply moved the place where to find it. The insured vehicle memo and the online client area are now the two direct access points to this information.
