Motor Third-Party Liability Insurance (RCA) is a mandatory insurance policy for owners of vehicles registered in Romania. It covers damages caused to third parties as a result of a road accident. It does not cover damage to the insured’s own vehicle; instead, it provides compensation to the injured parties.
The mandatory civil liability insurance for third-party damages caused by vehicle accidents (or RCA insurance) is a contract between a vehicle owner and an authorized insurance company.
Based on this contract, the company that issued the RCA policy compensates third parties affected by an accident caused by the insured vehicle. This includes material damages, death, bodily injuries, and moral damages.
Learn more about how the premium is calculated here.
The contractual conditions for RCA insurance are set by Law no. 132/2017. This law addresses mandatory auto civil liability insurance. It covers damages caused to third parties by vehicle and tram accidents. The law was published in the Official Gazette on June 12, 2017. It became applicable 30 days after publication. The Financial Supervision Authority (A.S.F.) regulations also apply. These are outlined in Norm no. 20/2017 on car insurance in Romania. Norm no. 20/2017 became applicable on August 1, 2017. The form and content of the RCA contract are established by the regulations of the A.S.F.
The contractual conditions for RCA insurance are set by Law no. 132/2017. This law addresses mandatory auto civil liability insurance. It covers damages caused to third parties by vehicle and tram accidents. The law was published in the Official Gazette on June 12, 2017. It became applicable 30 days after publication. The Financial Supervision Authority (A.S.F.) regulations also apply. These are outlined in Norm no. 20/2017 on car insurance in Romania. Norm no. 20/2017 became applicable on August 1, 2017. The form and content of the RCA contract are established by the regulations of the A.S.F.
RCA contracts can be concluded for a period between one and 12 months, in multiples of one month, depending on the option of the insured.
By way of exception, the RCA contract can be concluded for less than one month in the following situations:
Yes. RCA is mandatory for all vehicles subject to registration or record in Romania, regardless of whether they are used frequently or occasionally, as long as they have not been officially deregistered.
RCA does not cover damage to the at-fault driver’s own vehicle or their personal property. To cover your own damages, a voluntary insurance policy such as CASCO insurance is required.
Driving without valid RCA insurance constitutes an offense and is punishable by a fine, confiscation of the vehicle registration certificate, and removal of the license plates, in accordance with the applicable legislation.
The maximum compensation limits are established by law and cover both material damages and bodily injuries or death, up to the ceilings provided by the applicable national and European regulations.
Under certain conditions, yes. Through the direct settlement mechanism, the injured party may contact their own RCA insurer, who will subsequently recover the amount from the at-fault driver’s insurer, provided that the legal conditions are met.
An RCA policy can be concluded for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months, in accordance with Romanian legislation.
It provides the determination of RCA insurance premium rates depending on the insured’s history regarding damages caused in a certain reference period.
In other words, those who cause damage will pay more for RCA insurance and those who do not cause any damage will be rewarded by getting a discount for the RCA premium.
Bonus-Malus system
As of August 1st, 2017, according to ASF Norm 20/2017, a new bonus-malus system was added. The bonus-malus system consists of the basic category B0, 8 bonus classes, and 8 malus classes; class B0 is assigned to a new insured with no insurance history. The bonus-malus system adjusts the rates charged by the RCA insurer. This applies when the insured signs the RCA contract. The adjustment is in effect from the moment the RCA contract is signed. Each class corresponds to a specific percentage change in the premium rate. The percentage can either reduce or increase the RCA insurance premium. The table below outlines these changes:
It provides the determination of RCA insurance premium rates depending on the insured’s history regarding damages caused in a certain reference period.
In other words, those who cause damage will pay more for RCA insurance and those who do not cause any damage will be rewarded by getting a discount for the RCA premium.
Bonus Malus system
As of August 1st, 2017, according to ASF Norm 20/2017, a new bonus-malus system was added. The bonus-malus system consists of the basic category B0, 8 bonus classes, and 8 malus classes; class B0 is assigned to a new insured with no insurance history. The bonus-malus system adjusts the rates charged by the RCA insurer. This applies when the insured signs the RCA contract. The adjustment is in effect from the moment the RCA contract is signed. Each class corresponds to a specific percentage change in the premium rate. The percentage can either reduce or increase the RCA insurance premium. The table below outlines these changes:
Direct settlement is an auxiliary claims management service provided by RCA insurers to their policyholders. In other words, your RCA insurer handles the payment to the car repair shop that will fix your vehicle directly, without needing the intervention of the insurance company of the driver who injured you. This makes the entire claim resolution process faster and easier.
Direct settlement between RCA insurers is regulated by Law 132/2017, art. 26, and is applicable upon cumulative fulfillment of the following conditions:
a) car accidents that occur on the territory of Romania.
b) the vehicles involved in car accidents are registered in Romania.
c) damage caused exclusively to vehicles.
d) both vehicles involved in the car accident have valid RCA insurance on the date of the event.
e) damage excludes bodily injury.
The direct settlement service is mandatorily offered by the insurer, but its purchase is optional for the insured.
The RCA insurer does not grant compensation for:
(i) in case of force majeure.
(ii) due to the exclusive fault of the injured person.
(iii) due to the exclusive fault of a third party, apart from damages caused to third parties because of opening the vehicle doors, while driving or when the vehicle is stopped or parked, by its passengers, without making sure the safety of other traffic participants is not endangered.
(i) the damages were caused to goods belonging to individuals or businesses if they were caused by an RCA-insured vehicle, owned or used by the same individual or business and that is driven by a subordinate of the same legal entity or by another person for whom the individual or business is responsible.
(ii) the damaged property and the insured vehicle are part of the joint patrimony of the spouses.
(iii) the damaged good is used by the owner of the insured vehicle, which caused the damage.
d) damage caused in situations where there is no proof of validity for the RCA insurance at the date of the accident or the RCA insurer is not liable.
e) the part of the damage that exceeds the liability limits established in the RCA contract, produced in the same accident, regardless of the number of injured people and the number of people responsible for causing the damage.
f) fines of any kind and criminal expenses for which the owner, user, or driver of the insured vehicle is responsible when causing damages.
g) expenses incurred in the criminal process by the owner, user, or driver of the insured vehicle, responsible for causing the damage, even if the civil side was also settled in the criminal process.
h) the driver responsible for the damage must pay the vehicle owner or user for the damage or destruction of the vehicle. This payment is required if they entrusted the vehicle to the driver.
i) damages caused to transported goods if, at the time of the accident, there was a contractual relationship between the owner, user of the vehicle, or the responsible driver that caused the accident and the injured people.
j) damages caused to people or goods transported in the vehicle that caused the accident if the RCA insurer can prove that the injured people knew that the respective vehicle was stolen.
k) damages caused by devices or installations mounted on vehicles, when they are used as work equipment or installations, constituting risks of professional activity.
l) damage caused by accidents that occurred during the loading and unloading operations, constituting risks of the professional activity.
m) damages caused due to the shipping of dangerous products: radioactive, ionized, flammable, explosive, corrosive, and/or combustible products that determined or aggravated the damage.
n) damages caused by using a vehicle during a terrorist attack or war if the event is directly related to that attack or war.
The RCA insurer does not grant compensation for:
(i) in case of force majeure.
(ii) due to the exclusive fault of the injured person.
(iii) due to the exclusive fault of a third party, apart from damages caused to third parties because of opening the vehicle doors, while driving or when the vehicle is stopped or parked, by its passengers, without making sure the safety of other traffic participants is not endangered.
(i) the damages were caused to goods belonging to individuals or businesses if they were caused by an RCA-insured vehicle, owned or used by the same individual or business and that is driven by a subordinate of the same legal entity or by another person for whom the individual or business is responsible.
(ii) the damaged property and the insured vehicle are part of the joint patrimony of the spouses.
(iii) the damaged good is used by the owner of the insured vehicle, which caused the damage.
d) damage caused in situations where there is no proof of validity for the RCA insurance at the date of the accident or the RCA insurer is not liable.
e) the part of the damage that exceeds the liability limits established in the RCA contract, produced in the same accident, regardless of the number of injured people and the number of people responsible for causing the damage.
f) fines of any kind and criminal expenses for which the owner, user, or driver of the insured vehicle is responsible when causing damages.
g) expenses incurred in the criminal process by the owner, user, or driver of the insured vehicle, responsible for causing the damage, even if the civil side was also settled in the criminal process.
h) the driver responsible for the damage must pay the vehicle owner or user for the damage or destruction of the vehicle. This payment is required if they entrusted the vehicle to the driver.
i) damages caused to transported goods if, at the time of the accident, there was a contractual relationship between the owner, user of the vehicle, or the responsible driver that caused the accident and the injured people.
j) damages caused to people or goods transported in the vehicle that caused the accident if the RCA insurer can prove that the injured people knew that the respective vehicle was stolen.
k) damages caused by devices or installations mounted on vehicles, when they are used as work equipment or installations, constituting risks of professional activity.
l) damage caused by accidents that occurred during the loading and unloading operations, constituting risks of the professional activity.
m) damages caused due to the shipping of dangerous products: radioactive, ionized, flammable, explosive, corrosive, and/or combustible products that determined or aggravated the damage.
n) damages caused by using a vehicle during a terrorist attack or war if the event is directly related to that attack or war.
a) from the following day of the previous RCA contract expiration date for the insurer who fulfills their obligation to sign a new policy, at the latest on the last valid day of the previous contract.
b) for people who did not have an available RCA policy when they signed the contract – the following day after signing the RCA contract.
c) in the case of sold vehicles that are not yet registered – from the moment the insurance contract is issued but not earlier than the start date for the provisional driving license or for the registration of the vehicle.
a) the owner of the vehicle notifies the RCA insurer, with supporting documents, that the ownership of the vehicle changed.
b) the vehicle was removed from circulation.
c) the RCA contract expires.
d) the insurer exercises their right to terminate the RCA contract due to unpaid premiums (when the RCA contract includes a clause that states the insurance needs to be paid in installments).
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