Road accident statistics europe,Car accident in Europe

When it happens abroad, a car accident is never a scenario that is simple to handle or leave alone. In the event of an accident in a different EU Member State, this guidance will assist you in taking the essential actions.

dial-a-rescue boxes

The rates for breakdown and towing on the highways are set by an order of the French Ministry of Economy and Finance each year. The entry level cost is 138,01€. The all-inclusive pricing includes breakdown and towing for vehicles weighing less than 3,5 tonnes on motorways and expressways.

For further information on this topic, please visit the French Motorways companies’ website. 

Remember to dial an authorized service from one of the orange roadside emergency call boxes if you break down or are in an accident on a highway or French expressway. Along the highway, there is an emergency phone every two kilometers (1.2 miles). Call 112. If you are unable to reach one. The charge is set by a predetermined grid that varies depending on the situation, such as whether the vehicle needs to be towed or repaired on site, in a rest area, at the workshop, or somewhere else the driver specifies.

French auto insurance

You insure the vehicle rather than the driver in France. In theory, anyone you permit to drive your vehicle will be covered, but you should always verify your contract first. You could bring your "no-claims bonus" from your previous country to France, but you'll need to compare the offers and examine the terms with several insurance firms. You will probably require a formal statement from your previous insurance company outlining the duration of your coverage and your accident-free history.

All of your vehicles must therefore be covered by collision liability insurance; you may opt either third party ("assurance au tiers") or completely comprehensive coverage ("assurance tous risques" also including theft, fire etc.).

Take note!

Ukrainian nationals living under temporary protection in France who arrived with a car that was registered in their home country were eligible for free car insurance up until June 30, 2022. To receive this certificate, which is valid for 30 days and may be renewed once, they had to go to any customs office.

For all other foreigners (including Ukrainians after June 30, 2022) entering France with a vehicle that is registered in their own nation:

For vacations or brief stays (up to six months): You should verify the terms of your international auto insurance to see if it covers you in France for the legal requirement of third-party liability. In fact, your contract may state that particular coverage you have purchased will not apply in France or that the insurance would not function there. You must be able to provide proof (a certificate of insurance, sometimes known as a "carte verte") that you are covered outside of France and do not typically dwell there.

You must register your vehicle within one month of installation or moving if you are staying in France for more than six months or wish to settle there. You can accomplish this on the following websites online:

website: Immatriculer pour la première fois un véhicule en France (ants.gouv.fr)

Obtaining auto insurance is required as soon as your vehicle is registered. Lack of insurance is against the law and carries a minimum €500 fine.

With brokers, banks, or insurance firms, you can purchase insurance. You have the freedom to select the insurance and contract that best suits you in France. There are several online resources for comparing auto insurance. Insurance companies may need specific information from you, such as the name of the primary driver(s) of the vehicle, significant accidents in the past, and prior sanctions (suspension or withdrawal of driver licence, etc). You must be accurate when providing your insurance with information.

If the insurance proposal is acceptable to you, you must sign it and give it to the insurer together with the necessary paperwork. Unless a withdrawal time is specified in the contract, the contract is formed once the signed application reaches the insurer.

You must receive an insurance certificate from the insurer (along by the "carte verte") to put on the windscreen of your car.

You must always display a current certificate of insurance on the windscreen of your vehicle. Your insurance documents will include a small tear-off slip called the "certificat d'assurance" when you receive them (often by mail). The other portion should be kept in your glove box with your ownership certificate ("carte grise") in case of police control. However, don't leave all of your insurance documents in the glove box!

The "constat amiable d'accident," which your insurer may also send you, is a form you should maintain in your car in case of an accident. On this form, you can describe and sketch the specifics of the collision and record the insurance information for both parties. Both parties to the accident must sign the carbon-copied document. Make sure you accept the terms before signing! After that, you must send it to your insurance provider. Consult the brochure "Car Accident in Europe: How to React?" for additional details.

When filing a claim, you should ask your insurance which mechanic (or "garage") you can take your automobile to for repairs. In most cases, the insurance has a designated repairer. In most circumstances, this will also make it easier to schedule any required expert visits, which should speed up the repair process.

If you didn't go for a comprehensive coverage without one, you might have to pay an excess (also known as a franchise).

When you have insurance coverage, this works. Even though it is required for drivers of vehicles with French registration to carry liability insurance on their vehicles for damages to third parties' persons or property, this can happen in specific circumstances.

Therefore, you have the option, in certain circumstances, to use an independent administrative organization called the "Bureau central de tarification (BCT)" to compel the insurance provider to supply you with the relevant insurance. This organization is in charge of figuring out how much you must contribute to the insurance company of your choosing. The deciding BCT decision is legally binding on the involved insurance company.

The process is divided into two main parts.

Attention! The process is extremely formal. Therefore, you must strictly adhere to it and preserve a duplicate of any documents you submit as well as any shipping receipts.

1. Make a request to the insurer

You must have asked the French insurance company to complete a contract for civil liability insurance and been denied. At this point, it is advisable to get two copies of the "proposition d'assurance" (application form), which details the insurance provider's reasons for rejecting your application. If you are having trouble receiving them, you can access the form here. You next submit one of the correctly completed copies to the head office of the insurance company whose application was denied (via registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt). What should be in this letter:

identification of the insurance company you have chosen,

a written confirmation from your prior insurer showing the duration of your insurance without any claims,

a duplicate of your driving license, your registration paperwork (officially known as a "carte grise" in France),

a demand for a price quote.

2. Bringing the issue to the Bureau central de tarification's attention

Your request must be responded to by the insurance company's CEO within 15 days. The request is regarded as being rejected when the 15 days have gone. Next the rejection, you have the option to present the case to the BCT within the following 15 days (whether implicit or explicit).

It is advised to send correspondence by registered mail with a receipt acknowledgement that includes:

the second completed copy of the form, the insurance company's acknowledgement of receipt of the correspondence you sent,

The estimate and the insurance company's letter of denial (in case the company has made no response, enclose a letter indicating the lack of response),

a photocopy of your driver's license and registration card (formerly known as a "carte grise"),

The informational statement from your old insurance company

The BCT then establishes the amount of insurance contribution you are required to pay, obliging the insurance provider to offer you coverage. This choice is made within a two-month window and is communicated to both parties (yourself and the insurance company). Then, you must send the BCT your approval (by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt).

It is now sufficient to make the donation to the insurance company you first selected in order to cover your car.