If a vehicle with Russian or Belarusian registration is used to drive in Estonia, the user must take out a frontier insurance policy or register the vehicle in Estonia and get regular motor insurance, the Estonian Motor Insurance Bureau (LKF) and the Police and Border Guard (PPA) said.

LKF board member Lauri Potsepp said that countries belonging to the European Economic Area have decided that the green card international liability insurance certificate system will no longer cover Russian and Belarusian vehicles. "This means that such vehicles' green cards will no longer be valid in Estonia starting this June, even if the insurance contract has a longer expiration date."

"In order to be legally driven in Estonia, a vehicle registered in Russia or Belarus needs frontier insurance of any EEA member country, which does not necessarily have to be registered on the Estonian border. Vehicles used permanently in Estonia will need an Estonian license plate and mandatory motor insurance," Potsepp explained.

Marek Liiva, head of the Narva border crossing point, said that officials check vehicles for valid motor insurance upon entering and leaving Estonia. "A vehicle lacking valid insurance will not be allowed to enter the country. The driver is given the choice of registering a frontier insurance policy on the border," he said.

Estonian green cards will similarly not be accepted in Russia and Belarus from June 1.

The green card is an international insurance policy available from insurance providers.

The Estonian Motor Insurance Bureau (LKF) is a motor insurance guarantee fund, compensation body and the Estonian Green Card bureau.

The LKF guarantees the functioning of the motor insurance system by performing the functions arising from the Motor Insurance Act, the management contract entered into with the state and its articles of association.

All insurers that offer motor insurance in Estonia are members of the LKF.

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