19.08.2021 •
Three things to keep in mind about Casco insurance and car owner changes
Whether you’ve decided to sell your beloved ride or need to change your car’s ownership for some other reason, you may be asking yourself – but what about my Casco insurance policy? Lucky for you, in this short article, we’ll take a look into three things to keep in mind about your Casco in case of vehicle ownership changes.
#1 Terminate the insurance contract on time
According to Estonian law, when a vehicle is sold, gifted, etc., rights and responsibilities related to its insurance are transferred to the new owner. If you’re no longer the vehicle’s owner and wish to get back the money for prepaid insurance days, you must terminate the insurance contract before your car’s ownership is transferred.
Terminating the contract usually requires filling out some forms but other than that, it shouldn’t be too much of a headache. Casco isn’t mandatory in Estonia. Thus the choice to end the insurance agreement is entirely up to you. However, bear in mind that after you sell the car, the Casco contract can only be terminated by the new owner. And then your only option to receive any refund will be via an agreement with the new owner.
Note: There also can be a situation where the Casco policyholder is the authorized user of the vehicle and not its owner – a car is legally in another person’s use with official permission by the owner. Therefore, if for some reason you need to change the vehicle’s ownership to, say, another person in your family, you can remain as the authorized user of the insured item and the insurance policyholder.
#2 Apply for a refund for the unused Casco days
In most cases, you will likely be able to receive a refund for the unused, leftover days in your Casco insurance contract. However, as Casco isn’t mandatory in Estonia, each insurance provider has their own terms for such situations.
For example, PZU explains that if you’re selling your vehicle and what to claim a refund for overpaid Casco premiums, the insurer needs to be informed about the sale of the vehicle before the transaction is made. At Salva, the policyholder can terminate the contract at any given moment regardless of the reason. You must submit a written application to the insurer – but the date mentioned in the application cannot be earlier than when the application is actually delivered to the insurer. If insurance, however, offers to submit a contract termination application through If’s e-bureau, but also advises to do so early on for the process to be finalized smoothly.