After a Car Accident Abroad: How to Make an Insurance Claim in Europe
Published on: March 26, 2026 Updated on: March 27, 2026
You have had a car accident abroad. The other driver speaks a different language, and you are not sure how insurance works in this country. The good news: EU law guarantees you the right to handle the entire claim from home, in your own language - no foreign lawyers, no letters in a foreign language. This guide explains the four rights Directive 2009/103/EC gives you, the international Green Card system that underpins cross-border coverage, and walks you through the claims process step by step. Fill out the European Accident Statement online now - easf.eu
Your 4 rights under EU law - plus the Green Card system
EU Directive 2009/103/EC - the Motor Insurance Directive, codifying five earlier motor insurance directives (72/166/EEC, 84/5/EEC, 90/232/EEC, 2000/26/EC, and 2005/14/EC) - gives every driver involved in a cross-border accident four specific protections. These rights apply whenever you have an accident in an EU/EEA country other than your own. In addition, the international Green Card system - administered independently by the Council of Bureaux - provides the insurance framework that makes cross-border driving possible across 47 countries.
Right 1: Claim from home, in your own language
Every motor insurer operating in the EU must appoint a claims representative in each other EU/EEA member state. This means you do not need to deal with a foreign insurer in a foreign language. You contact the representative in your home country, who handles the claim in your language.
This is the single most important right for cross-border claims. You do not need to travel back to the country of the accident. The claims representative handles all communication with the foreign insurer on your behalf.
How it works in practice: a Polish driver has an accident in Spain. The Spanish driver’s insurer is required to have a claims representative in Poland. The Polish driver contacts this representative in Poland, communicates in Polish, and the representative handles everything with the Spanish insurer.
Right 2: 3-month insurer response deadline
Once you submit your claim, the at-fault driver’s insurer (or their claims representative) has 3 months to either:
- Make a reasoned offer of compensation (where liability is not contested and damages are quantified), or
- Provide a reasoned reply to the points raised in your claim (where liability is contested or damages are not yet fully quantified)
This is a hard deadline set by EU law (Article 22 of Directive 2009/103/EC) - not a suggestion. If the insurer fails to respond within this period, you have the right to escalate to your national compensation body (see Step 5 below).
Right 3: Claim directly from the at-fault driver’s insurer
Article 18 of the Directive gives you the right to submit your claim directly to the insurer of the person who caused the accident. You are not required to go through your own insurer first. In practice, most drivers contact both their own insurer and the at-fault driver’s insurer - but the law guarantees your right to go directly to the source.
Right 4: Protection if the driver is uninsured or flees the scene
If the at-fault driver is uninsured, unidentified (hit-and-run), or their insurer cannot be determined, you can claim through the compensation body in your home country, which then coordinates with the guarantee fund in the relevant country. Directive 2009/103/EC obliges every EU member state to maintain such a fund. You are not left without recourse - see the full details below.
The Green Card system: cross-border coverage across 48 countries
Beyond the four rights above, the Green Card system - an international framework administered by the Council of Bureaux in Brussels, independent of the EU Directive - has 48 member countries and territories (of which 44 are currently active, following the withdrawal of Israel in 2022, and the suspension of Russia and Belarus in 2023 and Iran in 2024). Your Green Card (or the digital version accepted since 1 January 2025) proves you have minimum third-party liability coverage across all member countries.
Within the EU/EEA, your motor insurance automatically provides minimum third-party coverage - the numberplate serves as proof of insurance, replacing Green Card border checks between EU member states under the numberplate agreement (Kennzeichenabkommen) in force since 1974. However, a Green Card is required when driving to countries outside the EU that are part of the Green Card system (e.g., Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Albania, Moldova, Ukraine). Even within the EU, carrying your Green Card is strongly recommended by clubs including ADAC, ÖAMTC, and ANWB, as it contains the insurer details needed for Section 7 of the European Accident Statement form.
The Green Card system also defines how cross-border claims are routed between countries. For example, when a Ukrainian-registered vehicle is involved in an accident in Poland, the chain runs: the other driver contacts PBUK (Poland’s bureau), PBUK contacts MTSBU (Ukraine’s bureau), and MTSBU contacts the Ukrainian insurer.
Drivers from the United Kingdom: The UK left the EU on 31 January 2020, with the transition period ending on 31 December 2020. UK drivers involved in accidents in EU countries are not automatically covered by all rights described above. Check the terms of your policy and contact the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) in the UK for guidance on cross-border claims.
Step by step: how to submit your cross-border claim
Before you begin the claims process, you need one critical document: the European Accident Statement (EAS). This is the standardised form - harmonised at European level - that records the facts of the accident, signed by both drivers at the scene. Every insurer in Europe recognises its layout and numbering. Without a completed EAS, your insurer has to reconstruct the accident from scratch, which delays your claim and weakens your position - especially if the other driver later disputes the facts. If you have not yet completed the form, see our complete guide to the European Accident Statement.
Step 1: Report to your own insurer promptly
Contact your own insurer as soon as possible after the accident - even if you are not making a claim through your own policy. Deadlines vary by country and policy, but the universal advice from insurers and consumer authorities across Europe is the same: report immediately. Late reporting can reduce or void your claim.
Send your insurer the completed European Accident Statement (PDF from easf.eu or a photo of the paper form), along with any photos, police reports, and medical documentation. If you used easf.eu, the signed PDF is emailed to you instantly - forward it to your insurer on the same day. If you completed a paper form, photograph it and send the photos immediately; post the original when you return home.
Step 2: Find the claims representative in your country
The at-fault driver’s insurer is required to have a claims representative in your home country. This is the person you will deal with - in your language, in your country.
To find them, contact your national information centre (see the section below). Give them the at-fault driver’s registration plate number and the country where the accident occurred. They will identify the insurer and provide the contact details for the claims representative in your country.
Step 3: Submit your claim
Send your claim to the claims representative you identified in Step 2. Include:
- The completed European Accident Statement - the signed form from the scene, or your one-sided version with supporting evidence if the other driver refused to sign
- Photos of all vehicle damage, vehicle positions, registration plates, road layout, and any relevant road signs or markings
- Police report, if one was filed
- Medical documentation, if there were injuries
- Witness details - names and contact information of anyone who saw the accident
- Repair estimate or invoices for vehicle damage
- Your own insurance policy details and contact information
Keep copies of everything you send. Note the exact date you submitted the claim and the name of the person or department you sent it to - this starts the 3-month clock under EU law.
Step 4: Track the 3-month deadline
From the date you submit your claim, the insurer has 3 months to respond with a reasoned offer or a reasoned refusal. Mark this date in your calendar. If you submitted by email, keep the sent confirmation as proof of the submission date. If by post, use registered mail so you have a delivery receipt. The 3-month deadline is set by EU Directive 2009/103/EC and applies regardless of which country the accident occurred in.
Step 5: If no response - escalate to the compensation body
If the insurer (or their claims representative) fails to respond within 3 months, you have the right to escalate to the national compensation body in your home country. This body is required by EU law to step in when an insurer fails to meet its obligations.
National compensation bodies include:
- Germany: Verkehrsopferhilfe e.V.
- Austria: VVO - Versicherungsverband Österreich (Entschädigungsstelle)
- Switzerland: Nationaler Garantiefonds (note: Switzerland is not an EU/EEA member - the NGF operates under Swiss law and the Green Card system, not under Directive 2009/103/EC)
- France: FGAO (Fonds de Garantie des Assurances Obligatoires de dommages, now part of Fonds de Garantie des Victimes)
- Spain: OFESAUTO (Oficina Española de Aseguradores de Automóviles)
- Italy: Consap (organismo di indennizzo italiano)
- Netherlands: Waarborgfonds Motorverkeer (vereende.nl/waarborgfonds-motorverkeer)
- Belgium: FCGB-BGWF (Fonds Commun de Garantie Belge / Belgisch Gemeenschappelijk Waarborgfonds)
How to find your claims representative
The key to making a cross-border claim work smoothly is finding the right claims representative - the person appointed by the at-fault driver’s insurer to handle claims in your country.
Contact your national information centre
Every EU/EEA member state maintains an information centre - typically hosted by the national motor insurers’ bureau. Contact them with the at-fault driver’s registration plate number and the country of the accident. They will identify the insurer and give you the claims representative’s contact details.
Key national bureaux and information centres
In some countries the bureau and the information centre are the same organisation; in others they are separate bodies. The table below lists both where they differ. Either can direct you to the claims representative you need.
| Country | Bureau | Information centre | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | PBUK (Polskie Biuro Ubezpieczycieli Komunikacyjnych) | same | pbuk.pl |
| France | BCF (Bureau Central Français) | AGIRA | Bureau: bcf.asso.fr - Information centre: agira.asso.fr |
| Germany | Deutsches Büro Grüne Karte e.V. (DBGK) | GDV (Zentralruf der Autoversicherer) | Bureau: gruene-karte.de - Information centre: zentralruf.de |
| Spain | OFESAUTO (Oficina Española de Aseguradores de Automóviles) | Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros | Bureau: ofesauto.es - Information centre: consorseguros.es |
| Italy | UCI (Ufficio Centrale Italiano) | Consap | Bureau: ucimi.it - Information centre: consap.it |
| Austria | VVO (Verband der Versicherungsunternehmen Österreichs) | same | vvo.at |
| Netherlands | Nederlands Bureau Motorrijtuigverzekeraars | same | vereende.nl/nlbureau |
| Belgium | BBAA-BBAV (Bureau Belge des Assureurs Automobiles / Belgisch Bureau van de Autoverzekeraars) | same | bbaa-bbav.be |
| Switzerland | NVB (Nationales Versicherungsbüro) | same | nbi-ngf.ch |
| Ukraine | MTSBU (Motor Transport Insurance Bureau of Ukraine) | same | mtsbu.ua |
For a complete list of information centres in all EU/EEA countries, visit the Your Europe portal.
What to do if the other driver was uninsured or fled the scene
If the at-fault driver is uninsured, unidentified (hit-and-run), or their insurer is insolvent, you are still protected. Every EU member state is required by Directive 2009/103/EC to maintain a guarantee fund (compensation body) that covers victims in these situations.
How to claim
Contact the compensation body in your home country (your country of residence). Under EU law (Directive 2009/103/EC), this body is required to step in and handle your claim, then coordinate reimbursement with the guarantee fund in the relevant country - the country where the at-fault vehicle is normally based (for uninsured drivers) or the country where the accident occurred (for unidentified hit-and-run vehicles). Key guarantee funds across Europe include:
- France: FGAO (Fonds de Garantie des Assurances Obligatoires de dommages, now part of Fonds de Garantie des Victimes)
- Spain: Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros
- Italy: FGVS managed by Consap
- Germany: Verkehrsopferhilfe e.V.
- Netherlands: Waarborgfonds Motorverkeer
- Belgium: FCGB-BGWF (Fonds Commun de Garantie Belge)
What to document
In uninsured or hit-and-run situations, documentation is critical. Record as much as possible:
- Registration plate of the other vehicle (even a partial plate helps)
- Make, model, and colour of the vehicle
- Direction of travel after the incident
- Witness names and contact details - anyone who saw what happened
- Photos of the scene, your vehicle damage, and any debris or marks on the road
- Police report - call the police immediately. In most EU countries, leaving the scene of an accident without exchanging details is an offence that can carry fines or criminal penalties. A police report is essential for guarantee fund claims.
The more evidence you provide, the stronger your claim. Even if you could not identify the other driver, the guarantee fund can still process your claim based on the available evidence.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to submit my claim?
Deadlines vary by country and policy - report as soon as possible. Some countries require notification within a few working days of the accident. Late reporting can reduce or void your claim. The universal advice from insurers and consumer authorities across Europe: contact your insurer on the day of the accident if at all possible.
What documents do I need?
At minimum: the completed European Accident Statement (or your one-sided version if the other driver refused to sign), photos of all vehicle damage and the accident scene, the other driver’s insurance details and registration plate, and any police report. If you have medical documentation, repair invoices, or witness statements, include those as well.
What if the other driver disputes the facts?
This is exactly why the European Accident Statement matters. The form records the facts both drivers agreed to at the scene - confirmed by both signatures. If the other driver later changes their story, the signed EAS is the primary evidence. If they refused to sign, your photos, witness details, and any police report support your version. Note any disagreements in the Remarks section of the form before signing.
Can I repair my car before the claim is settled?
Contact your insurer before starting any repairs. Photograph all damage thoroughly and get a written repair estimate first. Keep all invoices for repairs, tow trucks, and any related expenses - you will need these to support your claim.
What if the insurer misses the 3-month deadline?
If the at-fault driver’s insurer (or their claims representative) fails to respond with a reasoned offer or a reasoned reply within 3 months, you can escalate to the national compensation body in your home country. This body is required by EU law to step in and handle your claim. Contact your national motor insurers’ bureau for the compensation body’s details.
Legal disclaimer
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws, deadlines, and procedures vary by country and may change. For advice specific to your situation, consult a qualified legal professional or contact your insurer. The information here is based on EU Directive 2009/103/EC and publicly available guidance from the sources listed below.
Fill out the European Accident Statement now
Do not wait until you are standing on the side of a foreign road to figure this out. The single best thing you can do before any trip abroad is to bookmark easf.eu on your phone. If an accident happens, you can complete the European Accident Statement digitally - on any smartphone, in 22 languages, with no app download and no registration. Both drivers fill in their side simultaneously on separate devices, sign on screen, and receive a signed PDF by email instantly. That PDF contains everything your insurer needs to start processing your claim the same day.
Start a session on easf.eu now
Sources
- European Commission - Annual Statistical Report on Road Safety, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, March 2025.
- Your Europe - Car insurance cover abroad, official EU portal.
- Insurance Europe - Accidents: information for consumers.
- GOV.UK - Driving in the EU, updated April 2024.
- European Consumer Centre - Car accident in Europe.
- EUR-Lex - Directive 2009/103/EC (Motor Insurance Directive), European Parliament and Council.
- EUR-Lex - Directive 2000/26/EC (Fourth Motor Insurance Directive).
- EUR-Lex - Directive 72/166/EEC (First Motor Insurance Directive).
- Bureau Central Français (BCF) - bcf.asso.fr.
- FGAO (France) - Fonds de Garantie des Assurances Obligatoires de dommages.
- AGIRA (France) - Association pour la Gestion des Informations sur le Risque en Assurance.
- DGT (Spain) - Información en caso de accidente.
- OFESAUTO (Spain) - Oficina Española de Aseguradores de Automóviles.
- Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros (Spain) - consorseguros.es.
- RACE (Spain) - Real Automóvil Club de España.
- ADAC (Germany) - Unfall im Ausland: Was tun?.
- Zentralruf der Autoversicherer (Germany) - zentralruf.de.
- Europäisches Verbraucherzentrum Deutschland - Autounfall im EU-Ausland.
- ÖAMTC (Austria) - Verkehrsunfall im Ausland.
- TCS (Touring Club Schweiz) - Unfallprotokoll Europa.
- IVASS (Italy) - Cosa fare in caso di sinistro.
- Consap (Italy) - Fondo di Garanzia per le Vittime della Strada.
- Verbond van Verzekeraars (Netherlands) - Bedrijfsregeling Directe Schadeafhandeling.
- ANWB (Netherlands) - Alles over de groene kaart.
- Assuralia (Belgium) - Checklist: Aanrijding.
- PBUK (Poland) - pbuk.pl.
- Mtsbu.ua (Ukraine) - Моторне (транспортне) страхове бюро України.
- Council of Bureaux - Green Card system statistics (FIAR 2022 presentation).
- Baloise Luxembourg - Car accident abroad: what should you do?.
- EASF - European Accident Statement Form.