Driving in France - Have A Smashing Time

If you drive in France and the words ‘constat amiable d’accident automobile’ mean nothing to you, then chances are you have never had a motor accident. This little phrase can not only make the moments following an accident more straightforward, they can save hours of troublesome to-ing and fro-ing with your insurer in the weeks that follow.

From the moment you get behind the wheel in Europe, whether you have made the move permanently or are visiting for the day, carrying a European accident report (the constat amiable) is an insurance in itself – against legal wrangling, disputed payments and accidentally taking the blame for an accident which wasn’t your fault.

Statement of facts
Most European insurers, including French and British, have signed an agreement to make internal and cross-border claim resolution simpler. If you are insured in the UK and visiting France, your UK insurer should provide an ‘agreed statement of facts on motor vehicle accident’ when you tell them you are going abroad. If you live in France, this will be provided by your French insurer. English-speaking specialist insurers may also provide a legally acceptable translation.

If you or the driver behind you loses concentration at the traffic lights, you should reach into the glove compartment for both copies of your constat amiable and fill it in on the spot.

If the other driver admits responsibility, make sure they say so on the form and keep a copy. If time elapses between an accident and filling in the paper, those who feel at fault may change their mind or fail to correctly remember what happened and come up with another story. Things can then become difficult and stressful.

And a caveat: once the accident form is filled in and sent off to both parties’ insurers, it is final – so be wary. If you are not responsible, but place a tick the wrong box accepting liability, there is no going back. If both parties cannot agree on the facts or one does not want to sign, the case will have to be argued and agreed between the insurers, with each party likely to be found 50% liable.

The finger of blame
So, remember to ask the other driver to put a cross in the ‘who’s to blame’ column and avoid doing so yourself, if at all possible, at the time of the accident. People sometimes realise, on reflection, that things may have been different than they at first appear.

If it is at all possible, ask a witness who was at the roadside, driving behind you or coming towards you if they will be a witness. Witnesses must be acceptable to both parties. The name of the witness must be entered in section five of the constat amiable or they will not be recognised later by the insurers. If you have a camera with you, photos are also useful for explaining exactly what happened.

If nobody is injured in the accident, the police do not become involved. If someone is injured, the police will need to be called to make a report.You should still fill in the accident form if possible, as it can make things much easier, even if there is a separate police report.

Once you have filled in the form, if your car is still roadworthy you can carry on your way. If the car is no longer drivable, you should call your garage – or if you are too far from home, a local garage – to tow the car away. This is easier to arrange if your policy includes roadside assistance – just one number to call (international and Englishspeaking in the case of Schreinemachers Sarl’s policies) and the breakdown company will collect the car and take you home or to your destination.

Using this system, payment settlements are faster and easier, avoiding endless paperwork – so have an accident form in the glove compartment and use it in the event of an accident. If you have any problems many insurers can be contacted from the scene for on-the-spot advice.

• Philippe Schreinemachers SARL, Generali Assurances Tel: 0033 (0)5 62 09 79 22 www.insurance.fr. For a PDF version of our translated accident form with notes, email contact@insurance.fr

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