What does car insurance cover?
Third-party liability covers damage your vehicle causes to others. Since 1 June 2025, vehicle insurance against forest fire and flood is also required, subject to statutory exceptions. Comprehensive insurance adds cover for damage to your own vehicle, but has conditions and exclusions.
What does mandatory third-party liability cover?
Every vehicle on Greek roads must carry third-party liability insurance. It compensates third parties for bodily injury and property damage your vehicle causes — it never pays for your own car or your own injuries as the at-fault driver.
Minimum coverage limits are set by law and adjusted periodically; they are in the range of millions of euros per accident for bodily injury and property damage. The exact current amounts are published by the Hellenic Association of Insurance Companies (HAIC/EAEE).
What do basic and comprehensive packages add?
Package names do not mean the same thing at every insurer. Check separately for glass, theft, roadside assistance, legal protection and other covers.
Comprehensive cover usually includes damage to your own vehicle even when you are at fault. It does not cover everything. Check exclusions, the limit and the deductible — the part you pay.
- Third-party liability: mandatory — third-party damage only.
- Basic package: + glass breakage, roadside assistance, legal protection (varies by insurer).
- Fire/theft: + fire, total/partial theft, often natural phenomena and hail.
- Comprehensive: includes damage to your own vehicle, subject to the terms and your share of the claim.
What are the most common exclusions?
Exclusions are where most drivers get surprised at claim time. The most common: driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a driver without a valid license or outside the declared drivers, participation in racing, using the vehicle for a purpose other than declared (e.g. commercial delivery on a private-use policy), and normal wear or mechanical failure.
Under liability cover, the insurer may compensate the third party and then seek recovery from you if an exclusion applied — e.g. drunk driving. Read the general and special terms: that is where your own policy's exact exclusions are defined.
How do you choose between basic and comprehensive?
Compare the cost, vehicle value, your share of a claim and exclusions. If there is a loan or lease, also check that contract's requirements. Your adviser can explain options for your circumstances.
Reassess at every renewal: market value drops each year, so the same comprehensive cover protects an ever-smaller sum for a similar premium.
Frequently asked questions
Is car insurance mandatory in Greece?
Yes. The third-party liability requirement depends on the vehicle's circulation status; lawful immobilisation is a different case. However, forest-fire and flood insurance is also required for vehicles in administrative immobilisation, subject to statutory exceptions.
What is the deductible in comprehensive insurance?
It is the part of a covered claim you pay. For example, a €2,000 claim with a €500 deductible leaves €1,500 for the insurer, provided no other restrictions apply.
Am I covered if someone else drives my car?
It depends on the terms: some policies cover any lawful driver, others only declared ones. Drivers under 23-25 or newly licensed often require an extra premium or explicit declaration.
Does my insurance apply abroad?
Liability cover applies across the European Economic Area. For Green Card system countries outside the EEA — such as Albania, North Macedonia or Turkey — you need a Green Card from your insurer, usually free or at small cost. Outside the Green Card system you need frontier insurance.