Responsabilité civile Assurance - What does it Cover

[tasng4]

I have a number of old cars which I do not wish to insure all the time, I have heard that in France one is not allowed to own a road worthy car without insurance (one can make the car un-road worthy to get around this). Vehicule du collection assurance companies often quote their minimum price as Responsibilite Ciivile. Can anyone tell me what this covers, is it the same as UK 3rd party?

I would like to have the option of using the cars but do not want to fall foul of the law and end up in court for insufficient insurance cover on the road but I can accept no payout for fire, theft, acts of God etc.

Also if anyone know of assurance companies in France which do multicar policies.

Thanks in advance.

[Sunday Driver]

Responsabilité civile covers injury to third parties (including passengers) or damage to their property and is the minimum cover required by law.

Making a car un-roadworthy does not absolve you from the requirement to have this minimum cover.  If the vehicle was stolen then made drivable by the thieves, then you as the owner would be prosecuted if you hadn't insured it.

 

 

[tasng4]

So, just to confirm, I can legally drive a car on Civil Responsibility, granted it is absolute minimum cover and I wouldn't be covered for fire, theft but others would be covered in the event of an accident.

BTW: SD how do you know all this stuff? Whenever I've posted you're first with a reply.

[Chancer]

I have resposibilité civil cover and it is what you say but also includes breakdown cover, I did find that with  most French insurers the saving from multi-risques was minimal, only about 10% so I am with a Dutch insurer.

[Sunday Driver]

[quote user="tasng4"]

So, just to confirm, I can legally drive a car on Civil Responsibility, granted it is absolute minimum cover and I wouldn't be covered for fire, theft but others would be covered in the event of an accident. 

[/quote]

Yes.

Code des assurances Art L211-1:

Toute personne physique ou toute personne morale autre que l'Etat, dont la responsabilité civile peut être engagée en raison de dommages subis par des tiers résultant d'atteintes aux personnes ou aux biens dans la réalisation desquels un véhicule terrestre à moteur, ainsi que ses remorques, ou semi-remorques, est impliqué, doit, pour faire circuler lesdits véhicules, être couverte par une assurance garantissant cette responsabilité, dans les conditions fixées par décret en Conseil d'Etat.

Les contrats d'assurance couvrant la responsabilité mentionnée au premier alinéa du présent article doivent également couvrir la responsabilité civile de toute personne ayant la garde ou la conduite, même non autorisée, du véhicule, à l'exception des professionnels de la réparation, de la vente et du contrôle de l'automobile, ainsi que la responsabilité civile des passagers du véhicule objet de l'assurance. Toutefois, en cas de vol d'un véhicule, ces contrats ne couvrent pas la réparation des dommages subis par les auteurs, coauteurs ou complices du vol.