Every change of auto insurer involves a document that most drivers discover at the last moment: the information statement. This summary, framed by the Insurance Code, outlines the driving history and the bonus-malus coefficient over several years. Requesting it seems simple, but the time frame for obtaining it, the exact content, and specific cases regularly pose difficulties during a new subscription.
Legal timeframe and insurer obligations for issuing the information statement
The Insurance Code requires the insurer to send the information statement within fifteen days after the subscriber’s request. This timeframe starts from the receipt of the request, whether it is made by mail, email, or through the online customer space.
In practice, some insurers send the document within a few days, while others approach the deadline. Failure to comply with the fifteen-day deadline constitutes a breach that the subscriber can report to the insurance mediator. The request does not need to be justified: no reason for change or cancellation is required to obtain the document.
The insurer must also automatically send the information statement at each annual contract renewal. Many drivers do not notice it, as it accompanies the renewal notice without any special mention. Systematically checking this correspondence allows for an up-to-date statement without any additional steps.
For those who want to understand how to obtain an auto insurance information statement from an online insurer, the procedure most often goes through the digital customer space, with a direct download in PDF format.
Restricted information statement and full statement: two documents, two uses
The confusion between the restricted information statement (RIR) and the full information statement (RII) is common. The RIR is the standard document, the one the insurer provides with each request or at each renewal. It generally covers the last five years of insurance.
The RII, on the other hand, covers the entire driving history since the driver’s first subscription. It is not issued automatically. The driver must make an express request for it, and some insurers charge processing fees for its production.
The RII becomes useful in specific situations:
- A driver returning to insurance after several years of interruption who needs to prove a favorable old history
- A dispute over the bonus-malus coefficient, when the driver contests the calculation applied by a new insurer
- A cancellation file for repeated claims, where the driver wants to document their entire history with another insurer
For a standard subscription with a new insurer, the RIR is sufficient in the vast majority of cases. Requesting an RII “as a precaution” extends the timeframe without any real benefit if the recent history is clean.
Bonus-malus coefficient on the statement: what the insurer really calculates
The information statement mentions the reduction-increase coefficient (CRM), commonly referred to as bonus-malus. This coefficient is recalculated at each annual contract renewal. One year without a responsible claim reduces the coefficient by 5%, while a responsible claim increases it.
The point that escapes many drivers concerns the reference date. The coefficient listed on the statement corresponds to the last annual renewal, not the day of the request. If a claim occurs between the last renewal and the request for the statement, it does not yet appear in the displayed CRM but will be taken into account at the next renewal.
The new insurer may thus discover a declared claim that has not yet been integrated into the coefficient. This discrepancy sometimes creates surprises at the time of the final quote. Declaring any recent claims when requesting a quote avoids a reassessment of the premium after subscription, or even a dispute over the contract for false declaration.
Partially responsible claims and their trace
A claim with shared responsibility is also noted on the statement. The increase applied depends on the percentage of responsibility retained. A 50/50 claim results in a reduced increase compared to a 100% responsible claim, but it leaves a visible trace during the years covered by the document.
Non-responsible claims also appear, without impacting the CRM. Their presence serves to document the complete history of the vehicle and the designated driver.
Changing auto insurance without an information statement: what really blocks it
No legal text formally prohibits subscribing to an auto contract without an information statement. However, almost all insurers refuse to finalize a contract without this document. The statement allows them to calculate the premium based on the actual CRM and assess the driver’s risk profile.
A driver who does not provide a statement is generally assigned a neutral coefficient of 1, which erases any benefit from a bonus accumulated over several years. For an experienced driver with a good history, the difference in premium can be significant.
Two situations pose a particular problem:
- The driver insured abroad, whose information statement issued by an insurer outside France is not always recognized by French companies
- The young driver without insurance history, who simply has no statement to provide and starts with a coefficient of 1
In the first case, some insurers accept a statement translated by a sworn translator, but feedback on this point varies among companies. It is better to contact the underwriting service before starting the procedure.
The information statement remains the only transferable document between insurers that validates the driving history. Keeping each statement received at the annual renewal, even without plans for change, is the most effective precaution to avoid any difficulties when a change of insurer becomes necessary.