In Brief (TL;DR)
Learn how to inherit the most advantageous merit-rating class from a cohabiting family member thanks to the Bersani Law and save on your new car insurance policy.
Discover the household requirements needed to transfer an advantageous merit-rating class to a new vehicle and save on insurance.
Discover the household requirements to transfer an advantageous merit-rating class to a new vehicle and save money.
The devil is in the details. 👇 Keep reading to discover the critical steps and practical tips to avoid mistakes.
Purchasing a vehicle in Italy involves a series of bureaucratic and economic burdens that can significantly weigh on a family’s budget. Among these, the cost of third-party liability (RC Auto) insurance is one of the most substantial expenses, especially for new drivers or those insuring a vehicle for the first time. In this complex scenario, Italian law offers a key tool to control prices: the Bersani Law.
Introduced in 2007 with Law Decree No. 7, this regulation revolutionized the insurance market by allowing individuals to inherit the merit-rating class of a cohabiting family member. This is not just a financial convenience but a mechanism that reflects the Italian social structure, where the family often acts as an economic buffer. Thoroughly understanding the requirements and recent developments, such as the Family Auto Insurance (RC Auto Familiare), is essential to maximize savings without making procedural mistakes.
The Bersani Law is not a simple discount, but a right that allows you to start your insurance history from a privileged position, avoiding the penalizing fourteenth class.
The Italian Context: Insurance and Family Tradition
The Italian insurance market has unique characteristics compared to the rest of Europe. Average premiums for third-party auto liability are historically higher than in countries like France or Germany, due to complex factors related to claims frequency and fraud. In this context, intergenerational solidarity becomes a key element. The Mediterranean culture, which views the family unit as a center of economic support, finds a practical and legislative application in the Bersani Law.
Traditionally, Italian parents support their children in purchasing their first car. The ability to transfer their own merit-rating class, painstakingly earned through years of safe driving, to their children is an extension of this support. It is a bridge between the tradition of family protection and regulatory innovation, designed to facilitate mobility for younger people and reduce the number of uninsured vehicles on the road.
How the Bersani Law Works: Key Requirements
To access the benefits of the Bersani Law, specific conditions must be met. The core requirement is cohabitation: the vehicle to be insured and the one from which the class is inherited must belong to individuals listed on the same Family Status Certificate (Stato di Famiglia). Being related is not enough; it is essential to reside at the same address and appear on the same official household certificate. This restriction ensures that the benefit remains within the actual household unit.
Another crucial point concerns the type of vehicle and policy. Originally, the law only allowed the transfer of a merit class between vehicles of the same category (car to car, motorcycle to motorcycle). Furthermore, the benefit applies exclusively to vehicles being insured for the first time within the household, whether new or used. If you want to learn more about how to save money immediately with the Bersani Law, it is essential to verify that the policy of the “donor” vehicle is active and not suspended.
Family Auto Insurance (RC Auto Familiare): The Evolution of the Law
In February 2020, the legislative landscape was enhanced with the introduction of the so-called Family Auto Insurance (RC Auto Familiare), a significant expansion of the original Bersani Law. This amendment broke down one of the most rigid barriers of the previous system: the distinction between vehicle categories. Today, it is possible to transfer the merit-rating class between different types of vehicles, for example, from a car to a scooter, provided that certain safe driving parameters are met.
The necessary condition to take advantage of this extension is the absence of at-fault, sole, or primary fault accidents in the last five years on the risk certificate. This innovation rewards safe-driving families and offers significant financial relief, especially for those who use two-wheeled vehicles for urban mobility. For motorcycle owners, knowing the new rules on policies for two-wheelers is vital to make the most of this opportunity.
Required Documents and Operational Procedure
Activating a policy using the Bersani Law requires specific documentation to be submitted to the insurance company. Accuracy at this stage is crucial to avoid delays or rejection of the application. The essential documents include:
- Vehicle registration document: For the vehicle to be insured (or the temporary transfer of ownership document).
- Donor’s risk certificate: The document certifying the family member’s merit-rating class (now digitally available).
- Family Status Certificate (Stato di Famiglia): A self-certification or an official certificate issued by the municipality attesting to cohabitation.
- Identification documents: For both individuals involved (the one transferring the class and the one receiving it).
It is important to note that the correct management of the risk certificate is the foundation of the entire process. Companies will verify the accuracy of the data through the ANIA database. In case of false statements, the policy may be canceled or the premium recalculated with heavy penalties.
Financial Advantages and Savings Strategies
The savings generated by applying the Bersani Law can be substantial. A new driver starting in the fourteenth class could pay an annual premium of over €2,000 in many Italian provinces. By inheriting a parent’s first class, the cost can drop dramatically, sometimes by half. However, the price will never be identical to that of the “donor” family member, as other risk factors such as the driver’s age and the vehicle’s horsepower also play a role.
Inheriting class 1 does not mean paying the same premium as a fifty-year-old father: the new driver still pays a surcharge due to their statistical inexperience, but avoids the prohibitive base rate.
To further optimize costs, it is advisable to compare several online quotes, specifying from the outset the intention to use the Bersani decree. Understanding how the Bonus-Malus system works helps to see why, despite inheriting the class, companies apply different rates based on the individual risk profile.
Limitations and Disadvantages to Consider
Despite the clear advantages, the Bersani Law has limitations that must be carefully considered. The inherited class is linked to the risk certificate but does not carry over the donor’s past claims history. This means that, for the insurance company, the beneficiary is a driver in “Class 1” but without years of certified experience. In the event of an at-fault accident, the malus (penalty) mechanism could be more severe than for someone who earned that class “in the field.”
Another aspect to consider involves businesses. The law applies only between individuals or sole proprietorships; it is not possible to transfer the class from a vehicle registered to a limited company (Srl, SpA) to an individual, even if the director is a family member. Furthermore, if the household unit dissolves (for example, a child moves out), the acquired benefit remains on the existing contract, but the ability to inherit it again from that household in the future is lost.
Conclusion
The Bersani Law and its evolution into Family Auto Insurance represent fundamental pillars for the sustainable mobility of Italian families. In a market characterized by high costs, these regulatory tools help preserve purchasing power and facilitate vehicle access for new generations. Knowing how to navigate the bureaucratic requirements and the opportunities offered is not just a matter of immediate savings, but a long-term investment in one’s own insurance history.
Legislative innovation has successfully adapted to social changes, recognizing the central role of the family in the country’s economic fabric. However, safe driving remains the determining factor: inheriting a merit-rating class is an initial advantage, but maintaining it over time requires responsibility and constant attention on the road. Staying informed, comparing offers, and driving conscientiously remain the best strategies for comprehensive and affordable protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it’s possible, but only if the friend is officially listed on your same Family Status Certificate (Stato di Famiglia). Simply sharing an apartment without being registered with the municipality in the same household does not grant the right to this benefit.
The original Bersani Law does not, but the new Family Auto Insurance (introduced in 2020) does. It is possible to transfer the merit-rating class between different types of vehicles (e.g., from a car to a motorcycle), provided the risk certificate shows no at-fault accidents in the last 5 years.
Generally, no. Even when inheriting the same merit class (CU), insurance companies consider other risk factors such as age, driving experience (new drivers), and vehicle type. The premium will still be much lower than the standard 14th class.
You will need: the ID card and tax code of the owner and the family member, an updated copy of the Family Status Certificate (Stato di Famiglia) attesting to cohabitation, the registration document of the vehicle to be insured, and the risk certificate (or license plate) of the vehicle from which the class is being inherited.
If you cause an at-fault accident, the Bonus-Malus system will penalize your merit-rating class (by increasing it) at the next renewal. This does not affect the class of the family member from whom you originally inherited the position, which will remain unchanged.
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