Car Insurance: Should I Transfer It to the Buyer?

Selling a car is a process that requires attention to detail, especially when it comes to paperwork. One of the most frequent questions: What to do with insurance or insurance CASCO? Is it given to the new owner, can you return the money for an unused period, or will you have to issue a new policy? The answer depends on the type of insurance, the terms of the contract and even how quickly you will have time to reissue the documents.

Many sellers mistakenly believe that insurance is “tied” to the car and automatically passes to the buyer. Others, on the contrary, believe that the policy loses its validity immediately after the change of ownership. In practice, it's more complicated. OSAGO and CASCO are regulated by different rules, and errors in registration can lead to fines or denial of payments in case of an accident. In this article, we will analyze all the nuances - from legal subtleties to step-by-step instructions for refunding money.

OSAGO when selling cars: the rules of re-registration in 2026

Polis. OSAGO - compulsory insurance, which is tied not to the owner, but to the car. Which means that theoretically, she maybe move to a new owner, but only under certain conditions. I agree. The OSAGO Act (art. 15)The seller must notify the insurance company of the sale of the car during the 3 working days. If this is not done, the policy will remain valid, but the responsibility for it will lie with the former owner - up to fines.

Here's how the mechanism works:

• 📌 If the buyer He did not re-register the OSAGO.But continues to drive, in case of an accident, the fault will lie on the seller - the insurance company can claim damages from him.
• 🔄 If the buyer policy-change (added as a driver or reissued the document), insurance automatically passes to him.
• ⚠️ If the seller failed to notify the insurance on sale, he risks getting fined before 500-800 rubles (in the art.) 12.37 CAO.

Important: from 2021 MTPL They are automatically linked to the PTS data. When changing the owner, the insurance company receives a notification from the traffic police, but The seller still needs to confirm the sale. via personal account on the insurer's website or by phone.

Can the policy be transferred to a new owner?

Unlike OSAGO, CASCO Voluntary insurance, the terms of which depend on the contract with the company. Most insurers forbid transfer the policy to another person, as it is issued on a specific owner and takes into account his experience, age and driving history. But there are nuances:

1. Personal CASCO (tied to the driver) – automatically loses power when selling the car. Money for unused period can be returned (minus the insurance commission).

2. CASCO on the car (without reference to the driver) - theoretically can be re-registered for the buyer, but only with the consent of the insurance company. In practice, most companies require termination of the contract and registration of a new one.

Example: If you sold 2020 Toyota Camry CASCRO ingostrakhaThe new owner must:

1. Contact the insurance with a purchase and sale agreement.
2. Provide data for recalculation of the tariff (if insurers for reissuance).
3. Conclude a new contract if re-registration is not possible.

⚠️ Attention: If the CASCO is not re-registered, and the car got into an accident, the insurance has the right to refuse payment. The buyer will be left without compensation, and the seller with claims.

How to recover money for unused insurance period?

If you've decided break up (Osago or Casco) after the sale of the car, you can return some of the money. The procedure depends on the type of insurance:

You will need to get the money back:

Insurance policy (original)

Contract of sale of the vehicle

Passport of the owner

Application for termination (sample on the insurance website)

Requisites for transferring money--

Important: Some insurance companies (for example, RESO-Guarantee or Alpha Insurance) allow you to make a return online through your personal account. Others (e.g., SCF) require a personal visit to the office.

What happens if you don’t re-insure the buyer?

Ignoring the rules of re-issuing insurance is fraught with consequences for both parties to the transaction:

For the seller:

• 🚨 Fine before 800 rubles for failure to notify the insurance (art. 12.37 CAO.
• 💸 Financial lossesIf the buyer gets into an accident, the insurance company can recover damage from the previous owner.
• 📉 Problems with MSC (bonus-malus ratio) if the new owner is the culprit of the accident.

For the buyer:

• 🚗 Denial of payment In case of an accident, if the policy is not reissued.
• 📄 Problems with registration In the traffic police - without the current OSAGO to put the car on the record is impossible.
• 🔍 Risk of invalidating the transactionif the insurance was part of the contract.

⚠️ Attention: If the buyer refuses to re-register the OSAGO, the seller can block registration actions in the traffic police through the portal of public services. This will force the new owner to decide on the insurance issue.

Step by step: how to transfer insurance when selling a car

To avoid problems, follow this algorithm:

1. Before sale:
   • Check the validity of the OSAGO/CASCO policy.
   • Check with the insurance company the conditions of re-registration (especially for CASCO).
2. On the day of the deal:
   • Sign the contract of sale (include insurance data in it).
   • Give the buyer a copy of the policy (if he agrees to re-issuance).

The Seller undertakes to transfer to the Buyer the current OSAGO policy NoXXXXXX,
issued by LLC "Insurance Company" (valid until DD.MM.GYG).
The buyer undertakes to re-issue the policy in his name within 5 working days.