OSAGO not the owner: who has the right to take out a policy for someone else’s car?

Obtaining a policy OSAGO — a mandatory procedure for every car operated on Russian roads. But what to do if the car owner cannot or does not want to do the registration himself? Can another person do this - a relative, friend or even a tenant? The question is relevant for thousands of drivers: from those who buy a car in installments (when the bank remains the owner) to those who temporarily use someone else’s transport.

In this article we will look at legal nuances registration of compulsory motor liability insurance by a non-owner, we will find out what documents will be required in 2026, and tell you about the pitfalls that you may encounter. You will learn in what cases insurance companies refuse to issue policies to third parties, and when this is not only possible, but also profitable. We will also analyze exceptional situations when registration of compulsory motor liability insurance by a non-owner becomes the only legal way out - for example, when buying a car on lease or inheritance.

Who, according to the law, can issue compulsory motor liability insurance for a car?

According to Federal Law No. 40-FZ “On OSAGO”, the insured under the policy can be not only the owner of the vehicle, but also any other person - subject to two key conditions:

• 📄 Availability of a notarized power of attorney from the owner (if the policyholder is not included in the title or registration certificate).
• 🚗 Actual ownership of the car - for example, under a rental agreement, leasing agreement or on the basis of a general power of attorney.
• 💳 Payment of insurance premium — the policyholder must be willing to pay a fee for the policy.

Important: insurance companies often tighten requirements compared to the law. For example, some refuse to draw up compulsory motor liability insurance without the presence of the owner or require additional documents (for example, an installment purchase agreement). This is not entirely legal, but in practice such cases do occur.

Special case - leasing cars. Here, the insured is usually the lessee (the one who uses the car), and not the lessor (the owner). This is stated in the leasing agreement and does not require additional powers of attorney.

Documents for registration of compulsory motor liability insurance by a non-owner

To successfully obtain a policy, a third party will need a package of documents. Its composition depends on the situation:

Situation	Required documents	Notes
Cars on lease	Leasing agreement, PTS, policyholder’s passport	The lessee is indicated as the insured
Car in installments (bank - owner)	Loan agreement, PTS, borrower’s passport	The bank may require you to include yourself in the policy as a beneficiary
Power of attorney from the owner	Notarized power of attorney, PTS, passport of the authorized person	The power of attorney must authorize the registration of compulsory motor liability insurance
Car rental	Lease agreement, PTS, tenant’s passport	Insurance companies often refuse without a power of attorney

Please note: from 2026 electronic insurance policies are issued through the portal Public services or insurance company websites. This will require ESIA (unified identification system) of the policyholder. If the owner is not the owner, he will need to confirm his authority by uploading scanned documents.

PTS or vehicle registration certificate|Passport of the policyholder (the one who issues the policy)|Document confirming the right to issue (power of attorney, leasing/rental agreement)|SNILS or data for the unified identification and authentication system (if issued online)-->

Step-by-step instructions: how to apply for compulsory motor liability insurance for someone else’s car

Let's look at the process using the example of registration through insurance company (in person or online).

Step 1. Preparing documents

Collect a package of documents depending on your situation (see table above). If you are drawing up a power of attorney, make sure that it states the right to vehicle insurance. Sample wording:

“I trust Ivan Ivanovich Ivanov, passport series 1234 No. 567890, to conclude compulsory civil liability insurance contracts (MTPL) for a LADA Vesta car, VIN XTA210123456789012, 2020.”

Step 2. Selecting an insurance company

Not all insurers are willing to work with third parties. According to the experience of drivers, the easiest way to apply for a policy is in:

• 🏢 RESO-Garantiya — loyal to leasing cars and powers of attorney.
• 🏢 Ingosstrakh — accept documents from tenants if there is an agreement.
• 🏢 AlfaInsurance — allow registration under a general power of attorney.

Step 3. Filling out the application

In the form please indicate:

• 📝 Data of the policyholder (the one who issues the policy) - full name, passport, address.
• 🚘 Vehicle data - VIN, body/chassis number, model.
• 👥 List of drivers (if the policy is limited) or mark “without restrictions”.

Step 4. Payment and receipt of the policy

After checking the documents, the insurer will issue a policy. It arrives electronically to the policyholder’s email within 10–30 minutes. The paper version can be picked up at the office or ordered by courier delivery (for an additional fee).

Typical insurance company refusals and how to get around them

Even if all the documents are available, insurers sometimes refuse to issue compulsory motor liability insurance to non-owners. Let's look at common causes and ways to solve them.

⚠️ Attention: If the insurance company refuses without legal grounds (for example, it requires the presence of the owner with a notarized power of attorney), you have the right to contact Central Bank of the Russian Federation with a complaint about violation of Law No. 40-FZ.

Reason for refusal	What to do?
“The presence of the owner is required”	Present a notarized power of attorney with the right to insurance. If they refuse, demand a written refusal and complain to the Central Bank.
"The power of attorney is invalid"	Make sure that the power of attorney contains the passport details of the policyholder and vehicle details (VIN, license plate number).
“We do not accept documents from tenants”	Try to take out a policy with another company (for example, RESO or VTB Insurance).
“Car is pledged to the bank”	Check with the bank whether it is required to include him in the policy as a beneficiary.

Special case - cars with temporary registration (transit numbers). Some insurance companies refuse to issue compulsory motor liability insurance for such cars if the policyholder is not the owner. In this case it will help:

• 🔄 Contact RSA (Russian Union of Auto Insurers) to resolve the dispute.
• 📞 Call the insurance hotline to clarify the reason for the refusal.

OSAGO for a company car: nuances for employees

If you are using company car (for example, by position or for business trips), the compulsory motor liability insurance policy is usually issued by the employer. However, there are situations when an employee has to do this. Let's look at the key points:

1. Who should pay for compulsory motor liability insurance?

According to labor law, the cost of insuring a company car is borne by the employer. If you are offered to take out a policy at your own expense, this is a violation. Exception: if the employment contract stipulates otherwise (for example, reimbursement of expenses later).

2. Can an employee apply for compulsory motor liability insurance for a work car?

Yes, but only if you have:

• 📑 Power of attorney from the owner organization (with the stamp and signature of the director).
• 📄 Agreement on material liability (if the car is assigned to an employee).

What to do if the employer refuses to issue compulsory motor liability insurance?

If a company ignores the requirements of the law and does not insure a company car, the employee has the right to:

1. Refuse to use such a car (Article 212 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation on the employer’s responsibilities to ensure safety).

2. Report to State Labor Inspectorate or prosecutor's office about violation.

3. Issue a policy yourself, and then recover expenses through the court (based on Article 188 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation on reimbursement of expenses).

3. Features of a limited policy

If a company car is used by several employees, all drivers must be included in the MTPL policy. This increases the cost of insurance, but reduces the risk of an accident. Some companies save money and issue a policy for only one employee - this illegal and is fraught with fines.

Frequent mistakes when registering compulsory motor liability insurance by a non-owner

Even experienced drivers make mistakes that later lead to problems with the policy. Here are the most common:

⚠️ Attention: If the compulsory motor liability insurance policy specifies an insured who does not have the right to registration (for example, without a power of attorney), the insurance company may invalidate the contract. In the event of an accident, this means refusal to pay!

• ❌ Power of attorney without the right to insurance — if the document does not indicate permission to issue compulsory motor liability insurance, the insurance company has the right to refuse.
• ❌ Data mismatch - for example, the power of attorney indicates one car, but you insure another.
• ❌ Overdue documents — the power of attorney or lease agreement must be valid at the time of registration.
• ❌ Lack of organization seal — if the policyholder acts on behalf of a legal entity (for example, for a company car), the power of attorney must be stamped.

Another common mistake is incorrect indication of the policyholder. For example, if the car belongs to a company, and an individual (employee) is included in the policy without a power of attorney. In this case, in the event of an accident, the insurance company may demand compensation for damage from the actual culprit.

1. Relevance of the power of attorney or agreement.

2. Compliance with the data in the documents (VIN, license plate number, full name).

3. Availability of the right to insurance in the power of attorney (must be stated in explicit text).-->

Alternative methods: when it is impossible for a non-owner to issue compulsory motor liability insurance

There are situations when no insurance company agrees to issue a policy to a third party. What to do in this case?

1. Issue a policy through the owner and then make changes

The owner can first apply for compulsory motor liability insurance for himself, and then:

• 🔄 Add the policyholder to the policy as additional driver (if the policy is limited).
• 📝 Renew the policy for another person through an insurance company (possibly not in all cases).

2. Use an electronic policy with subsequent editing

Some insurance companies (for example, SberInsurance) allow you to change the policyholder’s data in the electronic policy after registration. To do this you need:

1. Issue a policy for the owner.
2. Contact the insurance company with an application to change the policyholder (attaching a power of attorney).

3. Contact RSA for clarification

If all insurance companies refuse without reason, you can send a request to Russian Union of Motor Insurers (RSA) with a request to explain why you are being denied the right to apply for compulsory motor liability insurance. RCA does not issue policies, but can influence insurance companies.

Last resort - apply for a policy through a broker. Brokers often have access to special rates and can “push” a policy even in difficult cases (for example, for rented cars without a power of attorney). However, their services are paid - the commission is usually 5-15% of the cost of compulsory motor liability insurance.

FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions

Is it possible to apply for compulsory motor liability insurance for a car that is not yet registered in my name (for example, purchased by proxy)?

Yes, but only if you have notarized power of attorney from the previous owner with the right to insurance. Without it, insurance companies will refuse. Also make sure that the car is not stolen or seized - check it through the service traffic police or Autocode.

What happens if the owner does not get compulsory motor liability insurance and then gets into an accident?

If the policy is issued legally (with a power of attorney or on the basis of an agreement), payment under compulsory motor liability insurance will be made as usual. If the policyholder did not have the right to registration (for example, forged a power of attorney), the insurance company may invalidate the policy and refuse to pay. In this case, the culprit of the accident will compensate for the damage from his own pocket.

Can a wife apply for compulsory motor liability insurance for her husband’s car without a power of attorney?

No, even if you are married. For registration of compulsory motor liability insurance by a non-owner a notarized power of attorney is required (or other document confirming the right to insurance). An exception is if the car is registered as joint property of the spouses (this must be indicated in the title).

How much does it cost to obtain compulsory motor liability insurance through a broker?

The cost of the policy remains the same as with direct registration, but the broker takes a commission - usually 5–15% of the OSAGO price. For example, if the policy costs 10,000 rubles, the commission will be 500–1,500 rubles. However, brokers often help in difficult cases (for example, for cars with transit license plates or foreign citizens).

Is it possible to apply for compulsory motor liability insurance for someone else’s car online?

Yes, but this will require:

1. Upload scans of documents (power of attorney, PTS, policyholder’s passport) on the insurance website.
2. Verify your identity via Public services (ESIA).
3. Indicate the details of the policyholder (not the owner) in the form.

Some insurance companies (for example, Tinkoff or AlfaInsurance) allow you to issue a policy online even without the presence of the owner, if the documents are in order.