The A500 contract does not refer to any article of the Insurance Code or to a decree published in the Official Journal. This term designates an internal agreement, specific to a network or group, primarily used to cover fleets of vehicles or recurring services between entities.
Understanding what the A500 contract is requires going beyond the search for a unified legal text to examine its concrete mechanisms, its guarantees, and the regulatory changes that affect its daily operation.
End of the green card and verification by the FVA: what changes for an A500 contract
Since April 1, 2024, the paper green card and insurance sticker have been eliminated in France. Proof of coverage now relies on the File of Insured Vehicles (FVA), queried by law enforcement directly via the license plate.
For a fleet contract like an A500, this removal alters the control chain. The driver no longer has to present a physical document. However, each plate and each effective date must be correctly declared in the insurer’s system.
A data entry error or a delay in updating the FVA can cause a vehicle to appear as uninsured during a roadside check. In a fleet of several dozen vehicles, the risk of a discrepancy between the contractual reality and the database mechanically increases. Therefore, the fleet manager must ensure that the insurer transmits the information to the FVA in a timely manner consistent with the movements of the fleet (additions, removals, replacements).
Guarantees of the A500 contract: comparison of coverage levels
The A500 contract generally comes in several formulas, based on the three main levels of French automobile insurance. The table below summarizes the guarantees associated with each tier.
| Coverage Level | Included Guarantees | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|
| Third Party (legal minimum) | Liability only | Older or low-value vehicles |
| Extended Third Party | Liability, theft, fire, glass breakage | Vehicles of intermediate value |
| All Risks | All guarantees, including damage to the insured vehicle | Recent vehicles or long-term rentals |
The price difference between basic third party and all risks can be significant, especially for a fleet. The choice of level depends on the average age of the vehicles and the past claims rate.
Theft and compensation: a frequent point of friction
The theft guarantee deserves special attention in an A500 contract. The compensation conditions vary depending on whether the vehicle was parked in a closed location or on public roads. Some contracts impose a waiting period after subscription, during which theft is not covered.
The amount of compensation depends on the market value at the time of the claim, not the purchase price. In a fleet renewed in waves, two identical vehicles purchased a year apart can generate very different compensations.
Commitment clauses and termination period in an A500 contract
The commitment in an A500 contract follows the same rules as most insurance contracts: an initial duration (often annual), followed by tacit renewal. Termination can occur at the end of the term, provided that a notice period set by the contract itself is respected.
Several situations allow for termination outside of the term:
- The sale or definitive withdrawal of a covered vehicle, which leads to the removal of the corresponding line in the fleet contract
- A change in the subscriber’s situation (relocation of headquarters, change of activity) that may affect the covered risk
- An increase in the premium without a justified claim, which opens a right to terminate within a period defined by the general conditions
Tacit renewal remains the classic trap of fleet contracts. A manager who misses the notice window finds themselves committed for an additional year, even if the pricing conditions no longer match the market.
Information statement and portability of the bonus
The information statement, a key document to prove the claims history, has been subject to European standardization since July 24, 2025. This harmonized statement facilitates changing insurers, including for fleets covered by an A500 contract.
A standardized information statement accelerates competition among insurers. The company no longer has to reconstruct its claims history from disparate documents. The bonus-malus coefficient, calculated based on declared claims, now follows a format readable by all European insurers.
Cross responsibilities between the company, insurer, and driver
In an A500 contract covering a fleet, the distribution of responsibilities is not limited to the subscriber-insurer duo. The vehicle driver, often an employee, acts as a third party whose behavior directly influences the contract.
A responsible claim reported by a fleet driver affects the overall bonus-malus coefficient of the contract. The claims history of a single driver can raise the premium for the entire fleet.
Some A500 contracts provide for a specific deductible per identified driver, while others apply a single deductible regardless of the driver. The first option holds each user accountable, while the second simplifies management but dilutes the incentive for caution.
Claim reporting and contractual deadline
The deadline for reporting a claim is generally set at a few working days. In the case of theft, this deadline often shortens. Exceeding the contractual deadline may lead to a partial or total loss of the right to compensation, even if the claim is valid.
For fleets, centralizing reports at the manager level adds a link. The driver must report the incident to the manager, who then forwards it to the insurer. Each step consumes time. A poorly calibrated internal process is enough to jeopardize coverage.
The A500 contract, despite its lack of specific legislative framework, engages mechanisms identical to those of any automobile insurance contract. The elimination of the green card, the standardization of the information statement, and the management of the fleet bonus-malus constitute the three points where an administrative error can cost more than the claim itself.
