How can you find out if your auto liability insurance is paid up, and what should you do if you have an outstanding balance?

Quick Overview

• The easiest way to check your liability insurance coverage is by entering your vehicle’s license plate number into the Czech Insurers’ Bureau’s registry.
• If the vehicle is uninsured, do not use it and purchase new insurance immediately.
• For the period during which the vehicle was uninsured, the Czech Insurers’ Bureau (ČKP) may require a contribution to the guarantee fund, the amount of which is calculated based on the vehicle type and the number of uninsured days.
• If you’ve received a payment demand, first verify the time period, the amount, and whether you were actually the vehicle’s operator during that time.

Not sure if the demand from ČKP is valid, or if someone is trying to collect a debt from you for a period when you didn’t even own the car yet? Send us the documents, and our attorney will help you determine whether you should pay, file a claim, or defend yourself.

What to Do Immediately If You’re Unsure About Your Mandatory Liability Insurance

1. Verify your insurance coverage by license plate number in the ČKP registry.
2. Check your policy, green card, and account statements.
3. If you don’t have insurance, do not drive the car.
4. Take out new compulsory liability insurance without delay.
5. If you receive a payment notice, verify the period for which the ČKP is requesting payment.
6. If the amount is incorrect, provide the purchase contract, proof of insurance, or proof of vehicle transfer.

How to verify insurance by license plate number?

So, you bought a used car, but you’ve misplaced the contract, or you simply don’t know if you actually made the last payment for your liability insurance? Don’t worry—put your stress aside for a moment. There are a few ways to check your insurance coverage using the license plate number.

Compulsory Liability Insurance by License Plate: The easiest way is through the Czech Insurers’ Bureau. Just go to their website and use the search service by license plate. When you enter your car’s license plate number, you’ll find out whether the vehicle has valid liability insurance and which insurance company it’s registered with. So really, anyone can easily check liability insurance status by license plate number.

Documents from the Insurance Company: If you’re the organized type, you should definitely have your policy, account statement, or other proof of payment for compulsory liability insurance tucked away in a folder or drawer. Searching for such documents can sometimes feel like detective work, but it’s worth finding them before the police pull you over and both you and they discover that you’re driving an uninsured car.

Green Card: Do you have it? Because if your car is insured, you’ll receive a Green Card. In the past, this document was actually green, but today the Green Card is white, which can be a bit confusing. In any case, you’re no longer required to carry the card with you in the car; the police will verify the validity of your insurance online.

Check Directly with Your Insurance Company: If you’re completely at a loss and don’t know how else to find out if your mandatory liability insurance is unpaid, there’s nothing simpler than calling the insurance company you took out the policy with directly. Usually, all you need to do is provide your name, birth number, and vehicle information, and you’ll know right away where you stand.

What Are the Consequences of Not Paying Your Compulsory Auto Liability Insurance?

So, you may have just discovered that your car doesn’t have valid auto liability insurance. That’s a problem, but there’s a solution. In any case, don’t drive the car anywhere, because a car without liability insurance has no business being on the road. What are the potential consequences of not paying your liability insurance?

A fine from the police: If the police stop you and find that you don’t have valid auto liability insurance, you could face a fine of up to 40,000 crowns. That’s more than what a year’s worth of insurance would cost for most ordinary cars. And that fine isn’t the only thing that will make your life difficult.

Contribution to the Czech Insurers’ Bureau Guarantee Fund: If your vehicle is listed in the registry as uninsured, the Czech Insurers’ Bureau (ČKP) may require you to pay a contribution for each day you are uninsured. The rates are governed by Decree No. 69/2024 Coll., as amended by Decree No. 458/2025 Coll. For passenger cars, the daily rate varies depending on engine displacement—for example, 51 Kč, 61 Kč, 83 Kč, or 109 Kč per day. For some trucks, the amount can run into the hundreds of crowns per day. The total can therefore climb to thousands or even tens of thousands of crowns over a few weeks or months, especially if you do not respond to the demand in a timely manner.

Recourse Compensation in the Event of an Accident: And now for the worst-case scenario: Imagine you’re driving without insurance and cause a traffic accident. In the process, you cause half a million in damage to the other driver’s vehicle. Who will pay for this if you don’t have mandatory liability insurance? No one—it’s all on you. While the injured party will receive money from the guarantee fund, the Czech Insurance Association (ČKP) will subsequently recover the full amount from you—down to the last crown.

The obligation to have motor vehicle liability insurance stems from the Act on Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance. In practice, this means that liability isn’t just tied to whether you have a certificate in your car’s glove compartment, but mainly to whether the vehicle is insured and who operates it. The amount of the daily penalty for the period without insurance is set by the implementing regulation for this law.

What Should You Do If You Discover You Have a Debt on Your Compulsory Auto Insurance?

So now you know you have an outstanding balance. What next? Even at this point, there’s no need to panic. Even an outstanding balance on your auto liability insurance can still be resolved. First and foremost, don’t continue with your current coverage— get new auto liability insurance right away. The sooner you sign a new policy, the better. Because the shorter the period you’re uninsured, the lower the amount the Czech Insurance Association (ČKP) will require you to pay.

Real-life example: Debt for the period when the client did not yet own a car

We handled a case involving a client who received a demand for payment of a fee for an uninsured vehicle. At first glance, it seemed he would have to pay the amount because the car was already registered in his name. However, after reviewing the purchase contract, the vehicle’s delivery date, and the registry records, it turned out that ČKP had included a period during which the client had not actually been operating the vehicle. In such a situation, it’s important not to pay automatically, but first to verify the period for which the fee is being requested and to provide supporting documentation.

Next, verify the amount of your debt. If you’ve already received a letter from ČKP, find out exactly how much you owe. Sometimes, ČKP may demand payment even for periods when you didn’t own the car. In that case, you can file a complaint.

Next, arrange a payment plan. This is especially beneficial when the amount owed is very high and you cannot pay it all at once. It’s better to start paying in installments than to wait for a debt collector to show up at your door.

If you’ve received a payment demand from the ČKP but are certain you’ve been paying your mandatory liability insurance, contact your insurance company and the ČKP immediately to file an appeal. Have your insurance policy, bank statements, and Green Card ready, as these can serve as evidence.

Don’t want to pay an amount you may not actually owe? Send us the demand from the ČKP, the purchase contract, your green card, or proof of payment. Our legal advisory service will verify whether the debt is justified and suggest a specific course of action for filing a claim or mounting a defense.

What if the previous owner was supposed to pay?

What should you do if you buy a used car and discover that the previous owner didn’t pay for liability insurance? In any case, take out insurance in your name as soon as possible. If the Czech Insurance Association (ČKP) attempts to collect anything from you, present them with the purchase agreement, which clearly states that you were not yet the owner of the vehicle during the relevant period.

How can you prevent problems in the future?

First and foremost, set up a standing order for your auto liability insurance premium. This is usually paid annually or semi-annually, so it’s quite easy to forget about it. A standing order will ensure you don’t miss a payment. When buying a car , always check the ČKP website using the license plate number to verify that the car has valid liability insurance. Also, be sure to keep your insurance policy and payment receipts in a safe place. If, on the other hand, you’re selling a car, cancel the insurance immediately and report the change of ownership to the vehicle registry.

Compulsory auto liability insurance is like a toothbrush—if you don’t have it, it will soon start to hurt a lot. And the longer you put it off, the more it will cost you. So if you’re not sure whether everything is in order, check it using the license plate number right now. And if you’ve already received a letter about an outstanding debt, don’t wait—start addressing the situation right away. Otherwise, your auto liability insurance will cause you some optional—but quite unpleasant—financial problems.

Summary

The quickest way to verify your liability insurance is by checking your license plate number in the Czech Insurers’ Bureau’s registry, or with your insurance company, using your green card, insurance policy, or account statement. If you find that the vehicle is uninsured, do not use it and arrange for new insurance as soon as possible. For the period during which the vehicle was uninsured, the Czech Insurers’ Bureau (ČKP) may require a contribution to the guarantee fund, which is calculated for each uninsured day based on the vehicle type. When you receive a payment demand, always check the time period, the amount due, and whether you were actually the vehicle’s operator during that time. For used cars, keep the purchase contract, proof of transfer, and the insurance policy in effect from the date of purchase. If the amount is incorrect, do not ignore the demand; instead, file a complaint and provide supporting evidence. In cases of a large debt, a dispute with ČKP, impending debt collection, or an accident involving an uninsured vehicle, it is advisable to consult an attorney.