Buying a car at a car dealership is always an exciting moment, accompanied by many legal and bureaucratic procedures. One of the first steps that the owner needs to take is to take out a compulsory civil liability insurance policy. According to the law, you are not allowed to drive on the road unless you have a valid insurance policy, even if you have not yet received license plates.
Modern technologies make it possible to resolve this issue remotely, without visiting the offices of insurance companies and without waiting for the state registration number to be installed. Electronic MTPL for a new car without license plates is issued quickly and conveniently, however, there are a number of specific nuances associated with entering data into forms. In this article we will analyze in detail the process of purchasing a policy, the necessary documents and common mistakes.
Legislative framework and features of insurance without numbers
Many motorists mistakenly believe that the lack of license plates is an obstacle to concluding an insurance contract. In fact, legislation of the Russian Federation directly allows the issuance of a compulsory motor liability insurance policy without an assigned state number. In this case, a special marking is entered in the corresponding column of the policy instead of a digital code.
When filling out data on the insurance company website or through aggregators, instead of the car number, indicate vehicle id. The most commonly used code is the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), which is unique for each vehicle. The body or chassis number may also be used if the VIN is missing, although this is uncommon for new passenger cars.
It is important to understand that a policy issued with a VIN code comes into force immediately after payment and receipt of the file by email. However, to fully use the car on public roads, you will still need to obtain license plates and make changes in the insurance policy. This is a critical point that many newbies forget.
Insurance companies are required to accept applications for electronic insurance, even if the car does not have license plates. Refusal to issue a policy due to lack of license plate number is illegal. If you encounter technical limitations on an insurer's website, these are usually temporary glitches that can be worked around through other sales channels.
Necessary documents for obtaining a policy online
Registration procedure electronic MTPL requires a certain package of documents in digital form. Since the entire process takes place remotely, you need to prepare scans or high-quality photographs of the papers in advance. The absence of any of the documents may result in failure of the automated system or the need for manual verification by the operator.
First of all, you will need a vehicle passport (PTS) or its electronic equivalent (EPTS). It is from the PTS that the main technical characteristics of the car are taken: engine power, fuel type, engine size and, of course, the VIN code. For new cars, the PTS is often issued immediately in electronic form, and data about it must be in the traffic police database.
You will also need the passport of the car owner and the driver’s licenses of all persons who will be allowed to drive. If the policy is issued with limited list of drivers, you will need data from each of them. For an unlimited policy (open), only the owner’s data is sufficient.
- 📄 Vehicle passport (paper or electronic) is the main source of technical data.
- 🆔 Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation of the owner of the car - necessary for identification.
- 🪪 Driver's licenses of all drivers included - series, number and date of issue required.
- 📱 Diagnostic card - for new cars (up to 3-4 years, depending on the type of vehicle) is not required.
⚠️ Attention: Make sure that the data in the PTS and the owner’s passport completely match. Even one changed letter in the surname or an error in the passport series will lead to the fact that the policy will be considered invalid, and the RSA database will produce an error during verification.
Step-by-step instructions: registration through the insurance website
Applying for a policy directly on the insurance company’s website is often the most reliable way, as it eliminates intermediaries. The process begins by going to the “Electronic OSAGO” or “Apply online” section. Here the system will prompt you to enter vehicle data.
At the first stage, the VIN code is entered. The system will automatically load data from the RSA (Russian Union of Motor Insurers) database. If the car is new and has not yet been insured, the system may report that there is no data. In this case data entry is done manually based on PTS. It is important to carefully double-check the engine horsepower, as the final cost depends on this.
Next, a block of data about the owner and drivers is filled in. Here you enter the phone number to which the confirmation code will be sent, as well as passport and driver’s license information. At the stage of choosing an insurance period for a new car without license plates, they usually choose a standard period of 1 year, but you can also take out a temporary policy for 20 days for driving to the place of registration.
☑️ Check before payment
After filling in all fields, the system will calculate the cost. Payment is made by bank card. Immediately after payment, you will receive a policy file in PDF format and a receipt to your email. This document already has legal force and can be presented to traffic police officers in electronic form or in printed form.
Comparison of costs and conditions in different insurance companies
The cost of compulsory motor liability insurance is regulated by the state, but the base rate varies within the corridor set by the Central Bank. Each insurance company chooses its rate within this range. Therefore, the price for the same car may differ from different insurers.
For new cars without mileage, minimum base rates are often applied, since accident statistics for them are absent or minimal. However, the total amount depends on coefficients: region of registration of the owner, age and experience of drivers, as well as engine power.
| Insurance company | Base rate (min/max) | Discount for online registration | Average processing time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ingosstrakh | within the Central Bank corridor | up to 10% | 10-15 minutes |
| Rosgosstrakh | within the Central Bank corridor | up to 5% | 15-20 minutes |
| AlfaInsurance | within the Central Bank corridor | up to 15% | 5-10 minutes |
| Tinkoff Insurance | within the Central Bank corridor | up to 10% | 5-7 minutes |
When choosing an insurer, you should pay attention not only to the price, but also to the reliability rating and reviews of payments. A cheap policy from a company with low solvency can create problems in the event of an insured event. Some companies also offer additional services, such as roadside assistance or telemedicine, included in the price.
Use insurance aggregators to quickly compare prices. They allow you to enter data once and receive quotes from a dozen companies, but the aggregator commission may already be included in the final price.
Typical mistakes when filling out vehicle data
Automated data verification systems are very susceptible to errors. The most common problem is a discrepancy between the data in the RSA database and the data that you enter from the PTS. If the system writes "Data not found", check that the VIN code is entered correctly.
Often errors occur due to confusion in symbols. The VIN and body number do not use the letters I, O, Q to avoid confusion with the numbers 1 and 0. If the letter on the document looks like a number, try replacing it. It is also worth considering that Latin letters are entered only in upper case.
Another common mistake is incorrectly indicating the engine power. In PTS, power can be indicated in kilowatts (kW), but to calculate compulsory motor insurance, horsepower (hp) is needed. The conversion is made according to the formula: 1 kW = 1.35962 hp. Rounding is done to hundredths. Incorrect input of power will lead to the fact that when checking the policy, the traffic police will see a discrepancy, which may result in a fine.
⚠️ Attention: If the system has automatically loaded the engine power, but it is different from that in your PTS, do not ignore it. Most likely, incorrect data was entered into the RCA database by the manufacturer. You will need to request clarification of the data from the manufacturer or provide a certificate to the insurance company for manual correction.
What should I do if the system writes “Sales limit exceeded”?
Many insurance companies artificially limit the number of online MTPL policies sold, since this type of insurance is often unprofitable for them. If you see a message about the limit, try to issue a policy early in the morning (at 00
00 or 06:00 Moscow time) when quotas are updated. You can also try changing your browser or device.
Registration with the traffic police and making changes to the policy
After issuing a policy without numbers, you have 10 days to register the car with the traffic police. During this period, you can legally drive a car, having in your hands a printout of the policy (or a file on your phone) and a purchase and sale agreement (or transit numbers, if they were issued, although they have now been abolished for new cars).
After receiving state license plates from the traffic police, you are required to notify the insurance company about this. According to the rules, this must be done during the policy period. You can also make changes online, through your personal account on the insurer’s website, or by visiting the office.
To make changes you will need: policy number, new license plates and date of issue. Usually this is a free procedure, and a new policy form with the entered numbers will be sent to you by email. The old policy (without numbers) is formally valid, but the presence of up-to-date data eliminates questions from inspectors.
Answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to apply for compulsory motor liability insurance without license plates if I bought a used car?
Yes, the procedure is similar. You buy a policy using your VIN code. However, for a used car older than 4 years (for passenger cars), a valid diagnostic inspection card will be required. Without it, you will not be able to issue a policy.
Do I need to print out the policy if it is electronic?
By law, it is enough to have the policy in electronic form on your smartphone screen. However, it is recommended to have at least one printed copy with you in case your phone dies or the inspector has communication problems.
What happens if I do not enter the numbers into the policy after registration?
Formally, the policy is valid, since the VIN code remains the main identifier. However, the lack of up-to-date data may raise additional questions when checking documents or registering an accident. It's better to spend 5 minutes updating the data.
Is it possible to return money for the policy if I did not manage to register the car?
The policy can be returned only if the car is sold (to the owner), disposed of, or the owner dies. Simply “changed your mind” or “didn’t have time to register” is not a basis for returning the premium under compulsory motor liability insurance.
The main rule: a policy without numbers gives the right to travel and registration, but after receiving the numbers they must be entered into the insurer’s database to update the data.