Patrona and Bump Green Card Plan

Dear Broker,

As Brexit gets closer without a withdrawal agreement, we’d like to share with you our plan for issuing Green Cards on our main motor lines of business.

As our products have multiple insurers with differing addresses, insurer codes, and policy number sequences, the potential for error will be significant. So to overcome this complexity and keep the green card as simple and easy to produce as possible, we will shortly issue you with blank Green Card stationery. This will be green paper with the reverse side of a Green Card pre-printed, but a blank facing side.  Please find enclosed a Microsoft Excel template that, once you fill in a few essential fields, will allow you to print a full Green Card onto that blank stationery. All the appropriate insurer coding, addresses and logos will switch automatically once you select the appropriate Patrona or Bump product and the same stationery can be used for 4 separate products – Patrona FlexiCar, Patrona FlexiVan, Patrona Evolve and Bump.  

Why are you taking this approach?

We want to avoid 

• Completion errors.

• You having to contact Patrona or Bump to get Green Cards with all the delay and expense that entails

• You having to hold multiple Green Card stocks for our various insurers

• You having to treat Green Card paper as a security document.  

But still:

• Make the process as streamlined as possible, especially allowing you to issue Green cards immediately to customers that need one

When might I expect the rollout of this solution and how can I get the template?

Our stationery is now in stock. We expect to begin delivery next week, assuming there are no Brexit developments that make Green Cards unnecessary by then. An initial stock of Green Cards will be sent out to you.  Please email info@patrona.ie or info@bump.ie if you need a copy of the template, to request replacement stock of Green Cards or if you have any other enquiries.

Are you charging for Green Cards?

There is no charge for issuing Green Cards to allow travel to the UK.

What are you doing for other Patrona Motor products?

For all other Patrona commercial motor products please contact the Commercial Dept. for further information in respect of same; these products include Flexi Fleet, Transport Fleet, Fleet Risk Fix, Single Vehicle Haulage, Courier, Construction HGV and Horsebox lorry.

I’d like a Green Card for every Car and Van customer now. Can you facilitate that?

Yes, but this will be later in March. We can issue you with an initial Green Card but you will need to adopt this solution for replacement ones as policies incept, renew and change.   

Can I use this for a Green Card if the policyholder wants to visit other countries?

Yes, this solution will work for any EEA country, but a Green Card is unnecessary for trips within the EEA. You will still need to contact Patrona if customers are travelling outside the EEA.

What will I have to fill in?

The template you will need to complete will look like this:

What should I look out for?

The template will warn you if some input is incorrect, such as incorrect dates or policy number sequences. There are two main things to watch for:

Minimum Duration: It is an EU requirement that a Green Card lasts for at least 15 days and the “valid to” date may not exceed the cover expiry date. Clearly then issuing one in the 2 weeks before renewal will be an issue. In order to issue a Green Card within 2 weeks of the renewal, the policy will have to be renewed, and the “next renewal date” field of the template (see above) will be the 2020 renewal date.  

Expiry dates: Remember 2020 is a Leap Year. 1^st March 2019 renewals will expire on 29^th February 2020. As will all expiry dates, it should be the day before the renewal date.

Valid Irish registration: A Green Card issued under any of the Patrona or Bump products are for Irish registrations only. You may not use this template to issue a Green Card for a UK or other foreign-registered vehicle, and doing so invalidates the document. The vehicle should be re-registered first.    

Vehicle Manufacturer: We’ve tried to be as Comprehensive as possible with the list without making it too long. If the policyholder has a vehicle not listed, Please contact Patrona or Bump to issue the document.

 What happens UK licence holders? The NDLS has said the UK licence will be invalid

There is no change to cover for existing policies where a driver is resident here but holds a UK licence. Eligibility may change post a No-deal Brexit, but we have no current plans to change this aspect.  

Kind Regards,