All incidents must be reported to the insurer as soon as possible.
Use the report. Fill your report out even though the police are at the scene. Especially since in some countries, including France, the police only issue a report if there are injuries.
The police may therefore:
- arrive at the scene;
- regulate the traffic;
- without drawing a report up.
If you did not draw a report up, you will be totally powerless before your insurer!
Moreover, the report is a standardised document at European level, so even though you do not speak the same language, you will be able to fill it in. It is because the headings are identical and in the same order.
Do not forget to also inform your insurer for legal protection and your insurance broker, who is also there to advice you.
Information for victims of a traffic accident in a country of the European Economic Area (EU countries + Norway + Liechtenstein + Iceland)
Until recently, it was rather difficult for a victim of a traffic accident abroad to assert his rights against the insurer of the person responsible, who was generally located outside the victim's country of residence. The distance, language, liability law and the compensation procedure were elements that made it difficult to compensate the victim quickly and correctly.
Following the modification of the European legal framework, the civil liability insurer of the vehicle registered in one of the countries of the European Economic Area (EU countries + Norway + Liechtenstein + Iceland) must appoint a representative in Belgium to whom you or your insurer (legal protection) can send a claim in your own language.
For the contact details of this representative in Belgium, you can consult the website of the Belgian Common Guarantee Fund (FCGB).
This representative must send you, within three months of your request for compensation, a reasoned offer of compensation or a reasoned reply, if the liability or the application of Article 29bis LRA (weak user) is contested or the damage is disputed. Failure to reply will incur a financial penalty.
If the foreign insurer did not appoint a representative in Belgium or respond to your request within three months, you can contact the above-mentioned FCGB.