Patente Quiz B
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Lesson and quiz, category B licence

Insurance and liability (Assicurazione e responsabilità)

On the exam this topic tests compulsory third party insurance (RCA), who and what the policy covers, the owner's liability, the guarantee fund, merit classes and the joint accident report; this site has 21 true or false statements to practise on it.

The theory exam has 30 statements in 20 minutes and you pass with at most 3 mistakes. Source: Codice della Strada.

Skip to the quiz Study the rules

The real theory exam is in Italian, with French or German available on request. Lessons here keep the Italian terms in italics, and the quiz shows each statement in Italian with English help underneath. Switch to Italian only in the quiz to practise under exam conditions.

The rules

Question 1 of 1

Rule 1

RCA cover is compulsory, even when parked

A motor vehicle may not be used on the road without third party liability insurance (RCA). The duty also covers a vehicle parked on a public road or equivalent area, even if nobody uses it. Driving without cover is penalised and the vehicle is seized. Once a vehicle is scrapped and deregistered it can no longer be used, so the duty ends. An inspection does not replace insurance or the other way round: they are separate duties, and an overdue inspection is penalised even with a valid policy.

Example

A car has sat unused for months on the street outside home. It still needs a policy, unless cover has been formally suspended or the vehicle withdrawn from use.

Legal reference: CdS art. 193; D.Lgs. 209/2005, art. 122

Exam traps

  • «An inspection replaces insurance» and «an overdue inspection is fine if insured»: both false.
  • «A deregistered vehicle must stay insured»: false.

Rule 2

Who and what the policy covers

An RCA policy is attached to the vehicle, not to the person: someone driving another person's car with their consent is covered by that car's policy, subject to clauses such as exclusive driver or experienced driver, which limit who may drive without financial consequences. It covers damage caused to third parties, including passengers carried, who count as third parties. It does not cover damage to the at fault driver's own vehicle, which needs extra cover such as comprehensive (kasko) or collision. Deliberate damage is excluded: the insurer pays the third party, then recovers the money from whoever caused it.

Example

You lend your car to a friend, who runs into a van. The van's damage is paid by the lent car's policy; the lent car's own bumper is not, unless there is extra cover.

Legal reference: D.Lgs. 209/2005; CdS art. 193

Exam traps

  • «Cover follows the driver onto any vehicle»: false, it follows the vehicle.
  • «RCA also pays for the at fault driver's car»: false.

Rule 3

Driver and owner liability

Damage caused while driving is the liability of the driver and, jointly with them, of the vehicle's owner, unless the vehicle was used against the owner's will, as with theft. A driver without insurance pays for the damage personally: if the guarantee fund steps in, it then recovers the money from them.

Example

A stolen car hits a cyclist. The owner, who shows through the theft report that the car was used against their will, is not liable for the damage.

Legal reference: Codice civile art. 2054

Exam traps

  • Statements that always exclude the owner are false: the owner is liable with the driver, unless the car was used against their will.

Rule 4

The road victims guarantee fund

When the vehicle at fault is uninsured or cannot be identified, the road victims guarantee fund (Fondo di garanzia per le vittime della strada) steps in where the law provides, mainly for personal injury. The victim is not left without compensation, and the fund can then recover the money from whoever caused the damage.

Example

A pedestrian is hit at night by a car that drives off unidentified and breaks a wrist. They can claim compensation for the injury from the fund.

Legal reference: D.Lgs. 209/2005

Exam traps

  • «Someone harmed by an unidentified vehicle has no chance of compensation»: false.

Rule 5

Merit class, expiry and claims record

The bonus malus system links the premium to claims: the merit class gets worse after a claim where you were mainly at fault and improves over years without at fault claims. Your insurance history is in the claims record (attestato di rischio), held electronically: a new insurer checks it in the database. The paper insurance disc is no longer displayed on the windscreen either, because cover is checked electronically. After expiry, cover stays in force for 15 days, until the new policy takes effect.

Example

A policy expires on 1 March and the renewal starts on the 10th. For those nine days third party cover remains in force.

Legal reference: D.Lgs. 209/2005, art. 170-bis

Exam traps

  • «The paper disc must be displayed on the windscreen»: false, the duty was abolished.

Rule 6

Joint report and direct compensation

A joint accident report (constatazione amichevole) is valid with both drivers' signatures, with no officer needed: it describes what happened and cuts down disputes. It is filled in and signed by whoever was driving at the time, even if they are not the owners. Under direct compensation (risarcimento diretto) the injured party claims from their own insurer, in crashes between two identified vehicles insured in Italy with damage within the legal limits.

Example

A young woman driving her father's car bumps another car in a car park. She signs the joint report, because she was driving.

Legal reference: D.Lgs. 209/2005, art. 149

Exam traps

  • «It is valid only if countersigned by an officer»: false.
  • «Only the owners fill it in»: false, whoever was driving does.

Rule 7

What can go wrong

Three scenes show what an insurance mistake costs. First scene: in Cagliari a young man lets his scooter policy lapse at the end of October, planning to renew in spring, and meanwhile rides it to university. On 20 November, past the 15 day grace period, he hits a pedestrian on a zebra crossing in via Roma. Where the law provides, the pedestrian is compensated by the road victims guarantee fund, which then claims the money back from him; on top of that the scooter is seized under art. 193 of the Codice della Strada. Second scene: in Trento a father has a policy with an experienced driver clause and lends the car to his 19 year old son, licensed last year. The son runs into a car at traffic lights. The insurer pays the third party, because cover follows the vehicle, but then recovers money within the limits set by the clause, and the father must repay what the contract provides. At the same time the merit class gets worse. Third scene: in Pescara, after a minor bump at a junction, the two drivers argue and wait an hour for the municipal police to sign the form, blocking traffic. There was no need: with nobody hurt, the joint report is valid with just the drivers' signatures, and the cars should have been moved after a few photos. The shared lesson is simple. The policy follows the car, not the person, after 15 days from expiry you are uninsured, and the policy clauses are read before lending the wheel to anyone.

Legal reference: CdS art. 193; D.Lgs. 209/2005

CdS: Codice della Strada (d.lgs. 285/1992). Reg.: its implementing regulation (d.P.R. 495/1992). c.: comma, the numbered paragraph of an article.

Full text of the Codice: www.ivass.it

Trap words

False statements on the exam often repeat a true rule and change a single word. These are the Italian words to read carefully in this topic. They stay in Italian because that is how they appear on the exam.

Words that appear in every topic

sempre
always. An absolute: the statement is true only if there is no exception at all.
«Keeping to the limit sempre (always) guarantees a safe speed»: false, in fog or on ice you go slower.
solo, soltanto, esclusivamente
only. It rules out every other case, so a single exception makes the statement false.
«The children sign is placed soltanto (only) outside primary schools»: false, it also appears near parks and sports grounds.
mai, in nessun caso
never, in no case. The statement is true only if the behaviour is not allowed in any situation.
«A driver with priority may in nessun caso (never) give it up»: false, they may, as long as they make it clear.
ovvero
In the language of the Codice it means «or» and introduces an alternative. It does not mean «that is».
Emergency stop: the vehicle has broken down ovvero (or) the driver must stop because they feel unwell (art. 157). Two separate cases; either one is enough.
obbligatoriamente, è obbligatorio
compulsory. A duty: it is not enough for the behaviour to be allowed, it must be required.
«Overtaking on the left is obbligatorio (compulsory) even past a driver turning left»: false, in that case you pass on the right.
è consentito, è ammesso
allowed, permitted. A permission, not a duty. «È consentito» does not mean «è obbligatorio», and the reverse.
«It is consentito (allowed) to pass on the right a driver who has signalled a left turn»: true, and art. 148(7) actually requires it.
di norma, di regola
as a rule, normally. It states the general rule, which allows exceptions, so the statement does not claim to hold in every case.
«Outside built up areas warning signs are placed di norma (as a rule) 150 metres ahead»: true, and a panel gives any other distance.
anche
also, even. It stretches the rule to one more case; ask whether that added case really belongs.
«The no parking sign anche (also) bans stopping»: false, a brief stop is still allowed under a no parking sign.
automaticamente, di per sé
automatically, in itself. It suggests an effect that applies on its own, when the effect usually depends on a sign or a specific condition.
«In fog the motorway limit automaticamente (automatically) drops to 90 km/h»: false, the automatic cut applies to rain and snow.
qualsiasi, qualunque, in ogni caso
any, in every case. It generalises; look for the category or situation the rule leaves out.
«The safe distance is the same at qualunque (any) speed»: false, it grows with speed.
corsia
lane. The part of the carriageway wide enough for one line of vehicles (art. 3).
A two way carriageway (carreggiata) usually has two corsie (lanes), one for each direction.
carreggiata
carriageway. The part of the road for vehicles, made up of one or more lanes (art. 3). It does not include the verge or the pavement.
A speed limit applies to the whole carreggiata (carriageway), not only to the lane next to the sign.
banchina
verge, hard strip. The strip beside the carriageway and outside it, not meant for driving (art. 3).
Outside built up areas you park off the carriageway, for example on a suitable banchina (verge) (art. 157(3)).
fermata
stop. A brief halt to let people get in or out, with the driver present and ready to move off (art. 157).
Pulling in to drop off a passenger and leaving straight away is a fermata (stop), not a sosta (parking).
sosta
parking. A prolonged halt during which the driver may leave the vehicle (art. 157).
A divieto di sosta (no parking) does not ban stopping; a divieto di fermata (no stopping) bans parking too.
arresto
halt. An interruption caused by traffic, such as a red light or a queue. It is not the driver's choice (art. 157).
Stopping at a red light is an arresto (halt); no stopping ban prevents it.

Check yourself

Three statements on the topic. Answer and see straight away whether the rule has stuck. These answers are not saved.

Question 1 of 1

  1. La copertura assicurativa obbligatoria segue il conducente e vale su qualunque veicolo guidi.

    Compulsory insurance follows the driver and covers any vehicle they drive.

  2. La polizza di responsabilità civile risarcisce anche i danni al veicolo di chi ha causato il sinistro.

    Third party liability insurance also pays for damage to the vehicle of the driver at fault.

  3. Il proprietario di un veicolo demolito e radiato deve mantenere attiva la copertura assicurativa.

    The owner of a scrapped and deregistered vehicle must keep the insurance active.

Topic quiz: 21 statements

Untimed. After each answer you see the solution, the explanation, the trap words highlighted and a link back to the rule. At the end you get your score and can retest just the ones you missed.

Question 1 of 1

  1. L'assicurazione per la responsabilità civile è obbligatoria per far circolare un veicolo a motore.

    Third party liability insurance is compulsory to use a motor vehicle on the road.

  2. L'assicurazione obbligatoria copre i danni causati a terzi dalla circolazione del veicolo.

    Compulsory insurance covers damage caused to third parties by the vehicle.

  3. Il contrassegno cartaceo di assicurazione deve essere esposto sul parabrezza.

    The paper insurance disc must be displayed on the windscreen.

  4. La copertura assicurativa obbligatoria segue il conducente e vale su qualunque veicolo guidi.

    Compulsory insurance follows the driver and covers any vehicle they drive.

  5. La constatazione amichevole di incidente è valida solo se controfirmata da un agente di polizia.

    A joint accident report (constatazione amichevole) is valid only if countersigned by a police officer.

  6. Chi guida senza assicurazione risponde personalmente dei danni causati.

    A driver without insurance is personally liable for the damage caused.

  7. La responsabilità civile per i danni da circolazione può gravare anche sul proprietario del veicolo.

    Civil liability for damage caused by the vehicle on the road can also fall on the vehicle owner.

  8. La revisione periodica del veicolo sostituisce l'obbligo di assicurazione.

    The periodic roadworthiness test replaces the insurance requirement.

  9. La polizza di responsabilità civile copre anche i danni subiti dai passeggeri trasportati sul veicolo assicurato.

    Third party liability insurance also covers injury and damage suffered by passengers carried in the insured vehicle.

  10. La classe di merito peggiora dopo un sinistro con responsabilità principale del conducente assicurato.

    The bonus malus class worsens after a claim where the insured driver is mainly at fault.

  11. Il risarcimento diretto consente al danneggiato di rivolgersi alla propria compagnia nei casi previsti dalla legge.

    Direct compensation lets the injured party claim from their own insurer in the cases the law provides.

  12. L'attestato di rischio è gestito dalle compagnie in forma elettronica.

    The claims record is held by insurers in electronic form.

  13. Il Fondo di garanzia per le vittime della strada interviene quando il veicolo responsabile non è assicurato o resta non identificato.

    The road victims guarantee fund steps in when the vehicle at fault is uninsured or is never identified.

  14. L'obbligo di assicurazione riguarda anche il veicolo lasciato in sosta su area pubblica.

    The insurance duty also covers a vehicle left parked in a public area.

  15. Chi guida il veicolo di un'altra persona con il suo consenso è coperto dalla polizza di quel veicolo, salvo clausole limitative.

    Someone driving another person's vehicle with their consent is covered by that vehicle's policy, subject to limiting clauses.

  16. La polizza di responsabilità civile risarcisce anche i danni al veicolo di chi ha causato il sinistro.

    Third party liability insurance also pays for damage to the vehicle of the driver at fault.

  17. Il proprietario di un veicolo demolito e radiato deve mantenere attiva la copertura assicurativa.

    The owner of a scrapped and deregistered vehicle must keep the insurance active.

  18. La constatazione amichevole può essere compilata soltanto dai proprietari dei veicoli coinvolti.

    The joint accident report can be filled in only by the owners of the vehicles involved.

  19. Chi subisce un danno da un veicolo rimasto non identificato non ha alcuna possibilità di risarcimento.

    Someone harmed by a vehicle that is never identified has no chance of compensation.

  20. L'assicurazione copre anche i danni provocati volontariamente dal conducente.

    Insurance also covers damage caused deliberately by the driver.

  21. Con la revisione scaduta il veicolo può circolare liberamente purché sia assicurato.

    With an expired roadworthiness test a vehicle may be used freely as long as it is insured.

What next

All exam topics

Educational content. For the official rules, see the Codice della Strada and legal notes.