SYNETERISTIKI Anonymous Hellenic Company of General Insurance
Syndea
Syndea is a motor casco insurance for the Greece market with online purchase and 24/7 assistance.
Direct payment
The insurer (Syndea/Syneteristiki) settles claims directly with the policyholder. Compensation for own vehicle damage is paid after expert assessment. For amicable settlement (friendly settlement – ΣΑΠ) the insurer pays the innocent party directly up to €6,500 for material damage and €30,000 for bodily injury per accident. The company may undertake repairs instead of cash payment.
Geographic scope
Greece (Hellenic Republic)
MTPL liability valid in Greece, EU member states, and countries party to the Multilateral Guarantee Agreement of 15 March 1991. Supplementary casco coverages (own damage, theft, glass, vandalism, natural perils, fire) valid within Greek territory only. Roadside assistance covers Greece and EU countries (plus Switzerland, Norway, Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, North Macedonia), excluding Albania and Asian Turkey.
Unique selling points
- Greece's only purely cooperative insurer, founded in 1978, operating on cooperative principles with a strong social mission.
- 24/7 roadside assistance and accident care (Autohelp) included, with dispatchers covering Greece and most European countries.
- Compensation paid within 5 working days after documentation is collected, with phone appointment at the customer's convenience.
- Bonus Protection cover prevents Bonus-Malus surcharge for the first two at-fault accidents per insurance year.
- Free choice of repair workshop guaranteed; the policyholder is not restricted to any insurer-approved network.
Coverage limits
Own Damage (Collision, Impact, Overturning, Fall)
Optional
Covers material damage to the insured vehicle caused exclusively by collision, impact, swerving, overturning or fall. The insured sum (stated in the policy schedule) constitutes the maximum liability limit per insurance period. Compensation is based on the actual market value of the vehicle or damaged parts at the time of loss, taking into account depreciation and age. The insurer is liable only for the amount exceeding the agreed deductible. The insurer may undertake repair instead of cash payment. The vehicle must be made available for expert assessment within 5 days.
Total Loss
Optional
Total loss is a settlement outcome under own damage (collision/impact/overturning/fall) and fire/explosion coverages when the compensation amount equals the insured vehicle's current market value. When this occurs, the company may require transfer of vehicle ownership to itself or a nominated third party before payment. No separate total-loss monetary limit is stated; the insured sum in the policy schedule applies as the maximum liability cap.
Partial Loss
Optional
Partial loss is the settlement outcome when damage to the insured vehicle does not reach the total loss threshold. Compensation is calculated based on the actual current value of the vehicle or damaged parts at the time of the incident, less depreciation. Customs duties and import fees not borne by the insured owner are excluded from the compensation calculation. Damage to tyres alone is excluded unless concurrent with other covered damage.
Total and Partial Theft
Optional
Total theft covers the risk of complete theft of the insured vehicle. The insurer's obligation arises only after 45 days from the date a police report (μήνυση) was filed, provided the vehicle has not been recovered. Compensation is based on the actual market value of the vehicle on the day of loss. Partial theft covers damage sustained by the insured vehicle during the theft, specifically: removal of parts/accessories firmly attached to the body and essential for movement, and own-damage to the vehicle while in the thief's possession. Excluded from partial theft: tyres, rims, hubcaps and any external accessories removable as a whole (e.g. lights, mirrors, antenna). A pre-insurance inspection is required when adding total theft, partial theft or own-damage coverage to an existing policy.
Glass Breakage
Optional
Covers breakage of any glass in the insured vehicle including cost of replacement and cleaning of glass fragments. Also covers integrated membranes and rain sensors when replacement is necessitated by glass replacement, and breakage during attempted vehicle theft. The insurer may replace broken glass with equivalent quality glass instead of paying the replacement value. After replacement/payment the coverage for those specific panes expires unless supplementary premium is paid to reinstate from the date of damage. Excluded: damage to mirrors, lights, headlights, flashers and plastic panels; damage to cabriolet glass or glass forming part of the roof; damage from fire; breakage caused by repair technicians; breakage due to road accident unless the driver of the insured vehicle is the exclusive at-fault party.
Natural Perils
Optional
Covers damage caused directly by storm, gale, flood, hail, snow, typhoon, whirlwind, volcanic eruption, or earthquake. Mechanical damage caused by frost is explicitly excluded. Coverage also extends to damage from fire/explosion caused by strikes, riots, demonstrations and political disturbances (SRCC), and fire/explosion caused by malicious acts of third parties. The insured sum stated in the policy schedule is the maximum liability limit.
Malicious Acts (Vandalism)
Optional
Covers own-damage (ίδιες ζημιές) to the insured vehicle caused directly by any malicious activity or action committed by a third party. Coverage also encompasses malicious acts causing fire or explosion to the insured vehicle. Coverage under strikes/riots/political disturbances (SRCC) additionally covers damage from acts of persons participating in public order disturbances, lawful authority actions to suppress such disturbances, and deliberate acts of strikers or locked-out workers.
Roadside Assistance (Οδική Βοήθεια)
Optional
Roadside assistance is provided by Interamerican Voithias AEEGA (tel 1158 or 210-9461333), available 24/7, 365 days a year. Covers: on-site repair or towing to nearest workshop; internal vehicle repatriation when breakdown occurs more than 60 km from home and repair takes more than 2 days; hotel accommodation up to €75 total (1 night, 60+ km from home, same-day repair impossible); return travel costs up to €100 (bus/train, 60+ km from home); rental car up to €100 reimbursement for return. In cases where own means are unavailable abroad, reimbursement up to €150 total for on-site repair and towing. Special vehicle recovery from off-road positions: company covers crane costs up to €300. Accident care (Autohelp) also included: 24h dispatch, towing, accident declaration form completion, Friendly Settlement form assistance, photographs, witness data collection. Coverage geography: Greece (mainland + named islands) and EU countries (excl. Albania and Asian Turkey), plus Switzerland, Norway, Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia and North Macedonia.
Replacement Vehicle Rental
Optional
The insurer provides or reimburses a rental vehicle when the insured vehicle suffers damage qualifying under the fire, partial theft or own-damage coverages. Conditions: (a) actual rental costs incurred; (b) damage exceeds 35% of current market value and is not a total loss; (c) the insured vehicle carries the relevant coverage; (d) the vehicle actually undergoes repair. Maximum coverage duration: 30 days; a 5-day waiting period applies from the day after the incident. Only actual repair days count, not workshop waiting days. Rental vehicle must have equal or lower horsepower as the insured vehicle, capped at 11hp. Fuel and optional insurance premiums for the rental are not covered.
Driver Personal Accident
Optional
Covers the driver (and covered persons as defined) for bodily injury constituting the direct and proven cause of death or disability, occurring while boarding, travelling in, or alighting from the insured vehicle during its operation. Benefits include: death benefit, permanent total disability (for total and irreversible conditions including total loss of both eyes, both arms/hands, both legs/feet, or both an arm and a foot, incurable mental illness, or total paralysis), permanent partial disability (percentage of the total disability capital per schedule), medical expenses (antibiotics, X-rays, serums, blood, splints, physiotherapy, etc.) up to the agreed amount, and hospital stay allowance from day 1. Insured sum stated in policy schedule; no specific EUR amount disclosed in available sources.
Key conditions
Driver age and experience limit
Standard coverage excludes drivers under 23 or over 75 years of age (age calculated from 1 January of birth year) unless an additional premium surcharge is paid (60% for amateur licence, 30% for professional licence on liability coverages). For own-damage coverages, if the driver is under 23 without the relevant additional premium, the insurer pays only 50% of the damage and the insured cannot claim the full amount even by offering the additional premium retroactively. New drivers who obtained their licence for the first time within the 12 months preceding the accident are subject to the same surcharge rules (60% additional premium regardless of licence type for liability; 50% own-damage cap if surcharge not paid).
Repair network requirements
Policyholders have the right to freely choose their own repair workshop. The insurer must conduct an expert assessment (πραγματογνωμοσύνη) within 5 days of the vehicle being made available. The insured must not carry out repairs before the expert assessment is completed. The insurer has the right (but not the obligation) to undertake repairs instead of cash compensation.
Territorial scope
MTPL liability coverage is valid in Greece, EU member states, and countries whose National Bureaux of International Insurance have signed the Multilateral Guarantee Agreement of 15 March 1991. For other countries, a special written company confirmation and additional premium are required. Supplementary casco coverages (own damage, theft, fire, glass, vandalism, natural perils) are valid exclusively within Greek territory. Roadside assistance coverage applies in Greece (mainland and designated islands) and all EU countries (excluding Cyprus, Malta, Albania and Asian Turkey), plus Switzerland, Norway, Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia and North Macedonia.
Anti-theft requirements
No specific anti-theft device requirement (e.g. immobiliser, alarm) is stated in the policy terms as a condition for theft coverage. However, the insured must take appropriate preventive measures and exercise particular diligence to avoid or mitigate insured risks, behaving as a prudent vehicle owner. Failure to do so entitles the insurer to offset any resulting damage against the compensation due. A pre-insurance inspection is required when adding total theft, partial theft or own-damage coverage to an existing (mid-term) policy.
Claim notification deadline
The policyholder or insured must notify the insurer in writing within 8 days of learning about the loss event (Art. 9 of General Terms). All judicial or extrajudicial documents relating to the event must be forwarded to the insurer within 8 days of receipt. For total theft, the obligation to file a police report immediately upon discovery applies, and the insurer's payment obligation arises only after 45 days from the report date if the vehicle has not been recovered. For driver accident coverage, notification by telegram in case of death, and in writing within 3 days for any other accident, is required.
Deductible rules
A deductible (απαλλαγή) may apply to own-damage coverage and material damage from uninsured vehicle coverage; the insurer is liable only for the amount exceeding the agreed deductible for each loss. Damages not exceeding the agreed deductible are not counted for Bonus-Malus surcharge purposes. Losses fully assumed by the insured at their own expense (on condition they reimburse any amounts the insurer paid) are also not counted for Bonus-Malus. The specific deductible amount is stated in the individual policy schedule and is not disclosed as a fixed figure in the general terms.
Policy specifics
Own damage coverage
Optional comprehensive coverage for material damages to the insured vehicle from various causes including collision, theft, fire, natural hazards, vandalism, hail, and glass breakage
Material damage settlement limit
Maximum compensation limit for material damages from accidents in the amicable settlement process is €6,500 per vehicle
Material damage from uninsured vehicle
Optional coverage for material damages to the insured vehicle caused by collision with an uninsured vehicle
Fire and Explosion Coverage
Covers partial or total destruction of the insured vehicle from fire, lightning strike, explosion and spontaneous ignition. Damage caused by arson or other intentional acts of the insured or persons acting on their behalf is excluded. Does not cover wear/depreciation or consequential losses. Damage from fire/explosion caused by terrorist acts is covered provided the acts did not occur during war, civil war, revolution, coup d'état or other abnormal situations. Rental vehicle coverage (up to 30 days, 5-day wait) also applies following a fire claim meeting the damage threshold (>35% current value, not total loss, vehicle actually repaired).
Bonus Protection
Optional coverage that prevents Bonus-Malus surcharge upon policy renewal for the first two at-fault accidents caused by the insured within a 12-month insurance period. The protection applies to a maximum of two losses per year.
Repair workshop choice
Policyholders have the right to choose their own repair workshop for vehicle repairs following a covered claim
Claims settlement timeframe
Compensation is provided within 5 working days after required documentation is collected, following telephone appointment scheduling
Pre-insurance inspection requirement
A pre-insurance inspection is required when adding comprehensive coverage components (partial theft, total theft, own damage) to existing policies
Claim documentation requirements
For theft and own damage claims: photographs of vehicle, purchase invoice (if new), vehicle valuation report, driver's license copy, and vehicle registration certificate required