Motor vehicle insurance: injury suffered by the owner

The Consolidated Motor Insurance Directive, European Parliament and Council Directive 2009/103/EC requires a policy to cover injuries or damage inflicted by the driver of a stolen vehicle. It also requires insurance for any passenger, including the owner of the vehicle, when it is being driven by a third party.

The question in Mendes v Crédito Agrícola Seguros – Companhia de Seguros de Ramos Reais SA Case C-503/16 was whether the owner of the vehicle could recover if run down by a thief. As will be seen from the summary in the final paragraph, the case leaves many issues unresolved.