You have just bought a license-free car and now you need to insure it. But which policy should you choose? What does license-free car insurance actually cover? Are you protected if you have an accident? The answer depends entirely on the level of cover you select, and most license-free car drivers find out too late what their insurance never covered.
Insurance is mandatory, with no exception
This is the legal starting point. Article L211-1 of the French Insurance Code requires every owner of a powered land vehicle to take out insurance covering third-party liability. License-free cars (light motorised quadricycles, category L6e) are fully concerned.
Driving without insurance is not a simple traffic fine, it is a criminal offence, punishable by a fine of up to 3,750 euros, impoundment of the vehicle and a driving ban. If you have an accident while uninsured, you are personally liable for the damage caused to others, and those amounts can reach several hundred thousand euros for serious injuries.
Third-party liability (RC): the legal minimum
Third-party liability cover, also called “au tiers” insurance, is the minimum mandatory level of cover. It covers exclusively the damage you cause to others, meaning the other people involved in an accident for which you are responsible.
What third-party liability covers
- Material damage caused to other vehicles
- Bodily injury caused to other people (pedestrians, passengers, other drivers)
- Damage caused to property (street furniture, building fronts, and so on)
What third-party liability does NOT cover
- Your vehicle, if it is damaged in an accident for which you are responsible, the repairs are at your own expense
- Yourself, if you are injured in an accident for which you are responsible, your medical costs are not covered by your car insurance
- Theft of your license-free car
- Acts of vandalism
- Natural disasters (unless you hold a specific guarantee)
This is the most economical level of cover, but also the one that leaves you most exposed personally.
The useful additional guarantees
Driver cover (strongly recommended)
This is probably the most important addition to your third-party policy. Driver cover protects you, personally, in case of injury during an accident for which you are responsible. Without it, you have no personal protection at all.
It typically covers: medical costs, hospitalisation, temporary incapacity, permanent disability, death. The cost is moderate (15 to 40 euros per year extra) compared with the protection it provides.
Comprehensive accident cover (or “tous risques”)
This guarantee covers the damage suffered by your vehicle, even when you are responsible for the accident. It also generally includes protection in case of an accident with an unidentified third party (hit-and-run) or an uninsured one.
For a new license-free car worth more than 8,000 to 10,000 euros, this guarantee can make economic sense during the first years.
Glass breakage
Covers the replacement or repair of the windscreen and windows. Modern license-free cars often have specific glazing whose replacement can cost 200 to 600 euros. This guarantee is useful, especially if you drive regularly on roads with loose gravel or flying stones.
Theft and fire
Covers the loss of the vehicle in case of total or partial theft, and damage linked to a fire (including accidental or criminal fires). Relevant in dense urban areas where the theft rate for license-free cars is higher.
How much does license-free car insurance cost?
Prices vary according to the driver’s profile, the make and age of the vehicle, and the level of cover chosen.
Third-party liability only: about 150 to 300 euros per year
Intermediate insurance (third-party plus selected guarantees): about 250 to 450 euros per year
Full comprehensive insurance: about 400 to 800 euros per year
For young drivers (14 to 18 years old with an AM licence), the good news is that the surcharge applied is generally lower than for a category B car. The L6e category is treated differently from ordinary cars: the statistical risk associated with it is distinct, and some insurers specialised in license-free cars offer rates adapted to young drivers.
How to compare offers properly
Not every insurer offers license-free car policies. Here is how to proceed efficiently.
Favour insurers specialised in two-wheelers and quadricycles. Players such as Réassurez-moi, LeLynx, or the general comparison sites (LeLynx.fr, Assurland) let you obtain several quotes in a few minutes. General car comparison sites rarely cover license-free cars well, so prefer those that have a “two-wheelers and quad” section.
Compare the guarantee limits, not just the prices. Third-party cover with a bodily-injury liability limit of one million euros is less protective than third-party cover with an unlimited limit, which is the standard for good policies.
Check the excesses on each guarantee. An excess of 500 euros on material damage significantly changes the equation if you have a small claim.
Read the exclusions. Some policies exclude damage if the driver does not hold the AM licence when it is required for their age. Make sure your situation is properly covered.
What you must declare when you take out the policy
The insurer will systematically ask you these questions:
- Your age and your licence (AM, B, or none)
- The use of the vehicle (home-to-work commute, leisure, mixed)
- The usual parking location (closed garage, street, car park)
- The claims history of the past 3 to 5 years
Any false declaration can void the policy, leaving you without cover at the moment of a claim.
The right reflex before buying a license-free car
Insurance must be taken out before you take to the road with your new vehicle, not after. Plan to request your quotes at the same time as you negotiate your purchase, and insure the vehicle from the day of delivery.
Once your license-free car is insured and on the road, TacTac helps you navigate on the roads compatible with your vehicle, automatically avoiding the routes that are forbidden or dangerous for light quadricycles.
Join the TacTac waiting list so you never take an unsuitable road for your license-free car again.