How to become a member of DFIM - foreign insurance companies

As part of the initial dialogue, it must be stated where the insurance company is domiciled and how it conducts business in Denmark - by an established branch or by selling services from abroad (cross-border).

Foreign insurance companies must be registered in the Danish Companies Register either as a branch (FOE principle) or as another foreign company (FOS principle) with a c/o address.

DFIM shall be informed of the assigned company registration number as part of the preparation for admission as a member.

It is required that DFIM is informed of the insurance company's representatives as follows:

• Danish speaking representative
  DFIM is a Danish association, and all member communication will be in Danish. Consequently, DFIM requires the appointment of a Danish representative.

• Claims handling in Denmark outsourced to a third party on behalf of the insurance company.

• Claims handling representation according to the Danish Insurance Business Act
  If a foreign insurance company operates in Denmark, either under the FOS or FOE principle, and covers risks under insurance class 10, a claims representative who is resident or established in Denmark must be appointed.

• Claims representation according to the Motor Insurance Directive
  If a person is injured abroad, the injured party must be able to file a claim in their own language.

Lists of the above representatives must as a minimum contain:

1. Company name

2. Company registration number

3. Company address

4. Email address

5. Telephone number

In addition, documentation confirming the claims representation from a claims representative from every country must be delivered (acceptance letter). Example of wording:

"We would like to inform you that we accept the nomination from [xx] for [yy]. We confirm that the effective date for claims being handled by us is [date]."

DFIM keeps a register of its members’ claims representatives within the EU/EEA. The register is available at DFIM's website and with the COB (Council of Bureaux).

Upon receipt of the above information and documents, DFIM will send a standard membership agreement with appendices to the insurance company. The signed agreement must be returned to DFIM.

By signing the membership agreement and appendices, the insurance company simultaneously accedes:

1. DFIM's articles of association

2. Agreement on the use of Faellesregisteret

3. Data Processing Agreement

The insurance company must also provide information about relevant contact persons.

When the Danish FSA has registered the insurance company's presence in Denmark and its class 10 approval, DFIM will sign the agreement and confirm the membership.

For foreign insurance companies, DFIM shall receive a copy of the national class 10 approval from the home country's financial supervisory authority.

The insurance company shall inform its national supervisory authority that the insurance company wishes to take out motor liability insurance in Denmark based on its national class 10 approval. The national supervisory authority shall then inform the Danish supervisory authority and submit the required documentation. Reference is also made to chapter 6 of the Danish Insurance Business Act.

To promote communication between the two supervisory authorities, it is recommended simultaneously to invite the Danish FSA to a joint coordinated process. The insurance company is more than welcome to share the draft membership agreement with the FSA in this regard. DFIM is also happy to contribute to the process with the Danish FSA.

Once the Danish FSA has received the required information and documentation from the national supervisory authority, the insurance company's presence in Denmark and its class 10 approval is registered in the Danish FSA's business register.

Depending on the agreed process with the FSA, DFIM may receive documentation for the registration of the insurer's class 10 license from the insurer or directly from the FSA.

Please note that the draft membership agreement is annulled if the insurer's presence in Denmark and its class 10 license is not registered with the Danish FSA within 6 months from the insurer's signature of the draft.

The insurance company shall gain access to Faellesregister in order to ensure compliance with the prohibition against taking out motor liability insurance for a person who owes daily fees to DFIM.

The agreement on the use of Faellesregister is an appendix to the membership agreement, cf. point 3 above, but access to Faellesregister requires a DMR code from the Danish Motor Agency. A DMR code is a unique code by which all vehicles registered with the insurance company are registered in the Danish Motor Register.

The DMR code is assigned on top of the insurance company’s application for a connection agreement with the Danish Motor Register. Application can made on the website of DMR.

Based on the assigned DMR code, DFIM can create access for the insurance company to Faellesregister. However, it should be noted that said access is not gained before final admittance as a member of DFIM.

The insurance company shall inform DFIM of the names of the employees who have a work-related need for making entries in Faellesregister. Names and email addresses must be provided for this purpose. Please note that entries in Faellesregister are strictly prohibited unless for the purpose of securing the basis for taking out a motor liability insurance.

When the requirements listed above are met, DFIM will have received:

1. Company registration number in the Danish Companies Register

2. Lists of representatives and appropriate letters of acceptance

3. The signed membership agreement with appendices, including Agreement on the use of Faellesregister

4. Copy of the national class 10 approval

5. Documentation of registration of the insurance company’s presence in Denmark and its class 10 approval with the Danish FSA

6. The DMR code