Gjensidige
Gjensidige is a motor third-party liability insurance for the LV market with online purchase and limited assistance availability.
Direct payment
Claims can be submitted via the Gjensidige self-service portal online, by phone, or at a branch office. If the claimant is the injured party and Gjensidige is the at-fault party’s insurer, the claim is filed with Gjensidige directly.
Geographic scope
LV
EEZ dalībvalstīs, Šveices Konfederācija, Serbija, Andora, Bosnija un Hercegovina, Lielbritānijas un Ziemeļīrijas Apvienotā Karaļiste, Melnkalne
Unique selling points
- Online purchase available immediately for 1, 3, 6, 9, or 12-month policy periods, with longer terms offering more favourable premiums.
- Gjensidige guarantees an individual approach and timely claims payments to every customer.
- Claims can be submitted quickly and easily online via the self-service portal or the Gjensidige Hand mobile app.
- OCTA policy can be paid in instalments via bank transfer, card at a branch, or at MAXIMA Latvia store cash desks (for premiums up to EUR 1000).
- Gjensidige is one of three authorised Guarantee Fund administrators in Latvia, covering victims of accidents caused by uninsured vehicles.
Coverage limits
Bodily injury liability
Covered
Covers losses caused to persons (health, non-material damages) in a road traffic accident caused by the insured vehicle, regardless of the number of victims.
Property damage liability
Covered
Covers losses caused to third-party property (including vehicle, road infrastructure, other property) in a road traffic accident caused by the insured vehicle, regardless of the number of third parties.
Legal defence
Not offered
Legal defence costs are not mentioned as covered under the standard OCTA policy. OCTA covers only third-party liability as mandated by law.
Green Card (international insurance certificate)
Covered
The standard OCTA policy is valid in EEA, Switzerland, Serbia, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, UK, and Montenegro. A Green Card (international insurance contract) must be purchased separately for travel to Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Israel, Russia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Morocco, Moldova, Tunisia, Turkey or Ukraine.
Roadside assistance
Excluded
Roadside assistance (Autohelp24) is offered only as an add-on to CASCO insurance, not included in or available as an add-on to OCTA.
Driver accident insurance
Excluded
OCTA does not cover losses sustained by the at-fault driver or their property; it covers only third-party losses. Driver accident insurance is not part of the standard OCTA product.
Passenger accident (bodily injury to passengers of at-fault vehicle)
Covered
OCTA covers bodily injury (health losses) sustained by passengers travelling in the vehicle that caused the accident, as they are considered third parties under the OCTA law.
Key conditions
territorial_scope
The OCTA policy issued for a vehicle registered in Latvia is valid in all EEA countries, Switzerland, Serbia, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United Kingdom, and Montenegro. For travel to Albania, Belarus, Iran, Israel, Macedonia, Morocco, Moldova, Montenegro, Tunisia, Turkey, Russia, or Ukraine, a Green Card (international insurance contract) must be purchased separately.
green_card_rules
A Green Card is an international insurance contract issued for vehicles participating in road traffic in Green Card system member states. It must be purchased if travelling to or through Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Israel, Russia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Morocco, Moldova, Tunisia, Turkey or Ukraine. The Green Card can now be issued electronically (printed on white paper) and is available from Gjensidige on request.
driver_restrictions
No specific driver age or experience restrictions are stated in the OCTA IPID. The insurer has the right to seek recourse (regress) if the vehicle was driven under the influence of alcohol, narcotics or other intoxicating substances, or if the driver had no valid driving licence for the relevant vehicle category.
claim_notification_deadline
Within 10 days of the road traffic accident, the policyholder must: (1) notify their insurer of the accident; (2) submit a completed Agreed Statement form to their insurer if the accident was documented using such a form. Claims for property damage must be filed within 1 year; claims for health (bodily) damage within 3 years of the accident.
bonus_malus_rules
As of 1 August 2024, the previous Bonus-Malus (BM) class system in Latvia was abolished and replaced by a centralised insurance history data service. Insurers now evaluate premiums based on the owner’s insurance history (number of insured days and claims), penalty points, vehicle use purpose, and other risk factors. Gjensidige does not take into account insurance history certificates issued in other EU member states when calculating the OCTA premium.
Policy specifics
Territorial scope of coverage
MTPL policy issued for vehicles registered in Latvia is valid in all European Economic Area (EEA) countries, Switzerland, Serbia, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and UK
Insurer’s right of recourse (regress)
The insurer is entitled to file a recourse claim if: the driver was under the influence of alcohol, narcotics or other intoxicating substances; the driver had no valid licence for the vehicle category; the vehicle owner or driver failed to provide accident information upon insurer request; the vehicle lacked a valid technical inspection or winter tyres as required.
No recognition of foreign BM insurance history certificates
Gjensidige does not take into account insurance history certificates issued in another EU/EEA member state when calculating the OCTA premium; the presence or absence of such a certificate does not affect the premium.