Insurance fixation cameras in Europe: results and when they will be in Bulgaria

Leading European countries such as Spain, France and Belgium are increasingly introducing modern ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) systems for controlling "Civil Liability" insurance on the roads. The cameras detect the lack of a valid digital policy almost in real time through access to national and pan-European databases.

The first results are impressive: in France, the number of uninsured vehicles has decreased by 64% in a year, and fines are processed digitally through automatic notifications. Belgium reports a drop in fake insurance policies of over 50% after connecting over 5,000 ANPR cameras to a single national register. In Spain, according to official analyzes, the pilot mode of digital control reduces violations by 75% in the pilot zones and saves significant funds for insurers and the state.

The technology reads the registration numbers and within seconds checks the validity of the policy, capturing up to 98% of all uninsured cars and sending automatic electronic tickets to the owners. The information also has a preventive role: if the driver does not update the insurance in time, the first message is a warning, and only after a repeated refusal does a fine follow.

In Bulgaria, the first pilot tests of ANPR systems for checking insurance policies are part of the digitalization of the Ministry of Interior and are included in the "paperless registrations" program in 2026. The expectations are that in the big cities the new cameras will start automatic data exchange with the national insurance register as early as next year, and the full introduction may be completed by the end of 2026.

Experts emphasize that automation reduces the administrative burden, increases the collection of fines and protects conscientious drivers. The main task is integration with European standards and secure data exchange with other EU countries.