RCA available at all times

Crowds, queues, anger. Every year, drivers remember in December that they have to buy the civil auto liability insurance (RCA).
The only mandatory insurance in Romania has to be concluded for a calendar year or for six months. Starting next year, things may change, though.
“The Insurance Supervision Commission is looking into this proposal (i.e. originated by the insurers and insurance brokers) to have the RCA possible to conclude all through the year. This might relieve some of the pressure off December,” Nicolae Crisan, CSA chairman said.
Until now, everyone buying a car in September, for instance, had no other option but to buy an RCA policy for a period ending December 31, instead of a full-year policy, as in the case of the other general insurance types (full auto insurance, earthquake or liability).
“We have been making this proposal – to have the mandatory civil auto insurance no longer bound to the calendar year period, for years now. To have it turned into effect would require two things: the insurance companies to no longer be licensed to sell one-year RCA’s only and the liability limitations and premiums to be calculated in euro equivalent, to avoid erosion by inflation,” said Sorin Greceanu, head of the auto department of the Allianz-tiriac insurer.
Insurance brokers are behind this proposal hundred percent, as well. “We have suggested CSA to have the RCA insurance year separated from the calendar year,” says Bogdan Andriescu, general manager of Eos Risq and chairman of the National Union of Insurance Brokerage and Consulting Firms in Romania (UNSICAR). “A set of propositions have been submitted to the CSA, such as raising the claim cap and creating a computerised system to monitor the events in which drivers are involved – the so-called bonus-malus system” Andriescu explains.
The increase of the insured amounts and the introduction of a bonus-malus system are some of CSA’s goals for 2002.
“We are considering an increase in the amounts insured by 85%-90%. At the same time, the companies authorised to sell RCA will have to set up a computerised system to track the events involving their insured clients. Their data, along with those supplied by the Police will be the basis of a bonus-malus system,” Crisan explained.