Car insurance: completing the "friendly statement" after an accident

Verified 08 July 2022 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You've had a traffic accident with one or more other vehicles ?

You must complete a amicable declaration of accident. This will allow insurers to determine more easily who is person responsible for the accident and compensate you.

You can use the e-car report when there are no injuries and the accident concerns a maximum of 2 vehicles registered and insured in France.

We present you with the information you need to know.

E-auto report

The auto e-report is a free application that allows you to enter information on the status of the finding via your smartphone.

He has the same legal value traditional paper findings and allows faster processing of the case by the insurer.

The electronic record is used to record information about the circumstances of an accident. It must be completed by all persons involved in the accident.

The electronic statement will allow you to transmit to your insurer the information useful to compensate you. The insurer will use the information entered in the finding to determine the liability of each of the persons involved in the accident.

To complete the electronic report, the application must be settled on your mobile phone or tablet. You can download it at the scene of the accident, even if it is safer to have settled it before.

The app is available for free on the Google Play and Apple store download platforms.

Auto-report via Google play

App Store e-discovery

You can complete the auto e-report on one or two devices.

You have to enter the information on a smartphone or tablet.

Once the entry is complete, you must verify the summary information that will be sent to you before signing.

Then you and the other driver have to sign on the screen of the device.

The auto e-report is then sent electronically to your respective insurers.

At the same time, you will receive an SMS confirmation of your entry of auto e-report and an email with a PDF version of the friendly statement.

If the other conductor refuses to complete the electronic report or if he refuses to sign it, you must record the registration number of his vehicle.

You can call the police or the gendarmerie or try to get the testimony of the people who witnessed the accident.

If you have witnesses, you have to take their contact information so that they can be contacted again later.

You must complete the finding by indicating the refusal of the other driver in the "Observations" section on the front.

If the other driver leaks after the accident, write down his license plate number and notify the police. You can file a hit-and-run complaint. Complete the auto e-report indicating the driver's leakage in the "Observations" section.

If the other conductor is not insured, you can complete the auto e-report with the information available and indicate in the "Comments" section that he has no assurance.

Your insurance company will not be able to compensate you if the other driver is responsible for the accident.

But you can ask for compensation from the Compulsory non-life insurance guarantee fund (FGAO).

Paper friendly statement

You can use the paper friendly statement in case of an accident in France and abroad, in the countries of the European Economic Area and in other countries that have joined the Green Card system.

The European Accident Report is a paper-based document that allows the recording of information on the circumstances of an accident. It must be completed by all persons involved in the accident.

This document allows you to provide your insurer with the information needed to compensate you. The insurer will use the document to determine the liability of each of the persons involved in the accident.

Your insurer must provide you with a copy of a friendly statement when you sign the contract. You can ask him for more copies at any time. It is strongly recommended that you have at least one copy in your vehicle.

There is no formal model for findings. Each insurer has its own model.

FYI  

if you do not have a paper record in your car, you can write down on paper the information requested: identity and driver's license, registration and insurance number of vehicles, circumstances of the accident.

How do I complete the friendly accident report?

You have to fill the front (part noted) at the scene of the accident, with the other driver, all on a single copy of a report.

The finding must be signed by the 2 conductors to be valid.

Once the front has been completed and signed by the 2 parties, you do not have to write anything there.

Each Party shall keep a copy of the statement after completing the common part.

The reverse (declaration part) can be completed later, individually by each driver.

Use to help you with the user manual that is included in the amicable statement.

If the accident involves more than 2 vehicles, you need to fill in a amicable statement with the driver of the vehicle ahead of you and another with the driver following you.

Please note

you can complete part A of the report in advance concerning your details and those of your insurance company, and you can also attach photographs of the accident.

What if one of the drivers refuses to complete or sign the finding?

If the other driver refuses to complete the finding or if he refuses to sign itr, you must record the registration number of his vehicle.

You can call the police or the gendarmerie or try to get the testimony of the people who witnessed the accident.

If you have witnesses, you have to take their contact information so that they can be contacted again later.

You must complete the finding by indicating the refusal of the other driver in the "Observations" section on the front.

If the other driver escapes after the accident, write down his license plate number and notify the police. You can file a hit-and-run complaint.

Complete the observation with the information you have, indicating the driver's leak in the "Observations" section.

How do I report the finding to the insurance company?

Once you have completed the mutual agreement, you must send it to your insurer within the deadline set out in your contract. This period may not be less than 5 working days after the accident.

You must inform your insurer even if your other driver has refused to sign the statement.

You can send the report to your insurer by email, by post or hand it to him.

When should the authorities be notified in the event of a bodily accident?

If a person is injured in the accident, you must notify the police or gendarmerie before completing the report.

Law enforcement will alert the emergency services and secure the accident site.

The police or gendarmes draw up a report on the circumstances of the accident. They record the identity of the drivers involved, passengers, pedestrians and possible witnesses.

Even if the authorities draw up a report, you have to report the accident to your insurer, with the amicable statement in paper version mandatory.

If you are injured, you must have a medical certificate issued by a hospital or doctor. The certificate must specify the nature and extent of your personal injury. You must send the medical certificate to your insurer as soon as possible. You can ask him for an advance on compensation for your personal injuries.

If you did not report an injury at the time of the amicable finding and you feel pain a few hours later, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. They will be able to see your injuries and establish a medical certificate.

You must notify your insurance company as soon as possible so that this information is added to those that were noted on the mutual agreement.

Warning  

be sure to complete the report as it accurately establishes the circumstances of the accident. If he is misinformed, the insurance company may wrongly assign you a share of responsibility in the accident and increase your bonus-malus coefficient.

How do I report an accident with an uninsured driver?

If the other driver is not insured, you can complete the friendly statement with the information available and indicate in the "Comments" section that he does not have insurance.

Your insurance company will not be able to compensate you if the other driver is responsible for the accident.

But you can ask for compensation from the Compulsory non-life insurance guarantee fund (FGAO).

How do I complete the friendly accident report?

In the event of a traffic accident during a trip abroad, you must complete a European Accident Report (or "friendly report").

There is no imposed language; everyone fills out in the language they master. The document is standardized and the headings are the same in all languages.

Warning  

you have to check that your insurance company is operating in the country you want to go to. The list of countries in which your insurance company covers you is on the green card.

You must complete the document as clearly and completely as possible.

You must provide information about other drivers involved in the accident, such as contact details, identity, insurer, policy number and vehicle registration.

Information on how to complete the document can be found in the user manual included in the amicable statement.

All parties involved in the accident must sign the common part (front) of the amicable report on a single copy.

The back (accident report to the insurer) can be completed later, individually by each driver.

If there are witnesses, their identities and contact information must be recorded.

If the accident involves more than 2 cars, you need to fill a amicable statement with the driver of the vehicle ahead of you and another with the driver following you.

Please note

the e-statement, which allows you to fill in an observation in digital form with your smartphone, cannot be used in case of an accident abroad.

The copy you have kept must be sent to your insurance company within the period provided by the contract. This period may not be less than 5 working days.

You must send this statement to your insurer, even if the other party has refused to complete or sign it.

You can send the report to your insurer by email, by post or hand it to him.

What if one of the drivers refuses to complete or sign the finding?

If the other driver refuses to complete if he or she refuses to sign it, you must record the registration number of his or her vehicle.

You can call the police or the gendarmerie or try to get the testimony of the people who witnessed the accident.

If you have witnesses, you have to take their contact information so that they can be contacted again later.

You must complete the finding by indicating the refusal of the other driver in the "Observations" section on the front.

If the other driver leaks after the accident, write down his license plate number and notify the police. You can file a hit-and-run complaint.

Complete the observation as indicated above by indicating the driver's leak in the "Observations" section.

How do I report the finding to the insurance company?

Once you have completed the mutual agreement, you must send it to your insurer within the period provided by the contract. This period may not be less than 5 working days after the accident.

You must inform your insurer even if the other driver has refused to sign the statement.

You can send the report to your insurer by email, by post or hand it to him.

When should the authorities be notified in the event of a bodily accident?

If a person is injured in the accident, you must notify the police or gendarmerie before completing the report.

Law enforcement will alert the emergency services and secure the accident site.

The police or gendarmes draw up a report on the circumstances of the accident. They record the identity of the drivers involved, passengers, pedestrians and possible witnesses.

Even if the authorities draw up a report, you have to report the accident to your insurer, with the amicable statement in paper version mandatory.

If you are injured, you must have a medical certificate issued by a hospital or doctor. The certificate must specify the nature and extent of your personal injury. You must send the medical certificate to your insurer as soon as possible. You can ask him for an advance on compensation for your personal injuries.

If you did not report an injury at the time of the amicable finding and you feel pain a few hours later, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. They will be able to see your injuries and establish a medical certificate.

You must notify your insurance company as soon as possible so that this information is added to those that were noted on the mutual agreement.

Warning  

be sure to complete the report as it accurately establishes the circumstances of the accident. If he is misinformed, the insurance company may wrongly assign you a share of responsibility in the accident and increase your bonus-malus coefficient.

How do I report an accident with an unidentified driver?

If the other driver is not identified, you can complete the friendly statement with the available information and indicate in the "Comments" section that he is not identified.

Your insurance company will not be able to compensate you if the other driver is responsible for the accident.

But you can ask for compensation from the Compulsory non-life insurance guarantee fund (FGAO) in France.

You can apply online on the FGAO website via the following form:

Claim for compensation from the FGAO by a victim of a traffic or hunting accident

FYI  

if the accident occurred in a country that does not adhere to the green card system, the FGAO will not be able to compensate you.

How is compensation paid for damage caused by an accident abroad?

The arrival of a traffic accident abroad generates additional costs compared to the costs of an accident in France.

Compensation for these costs depends on the guarantees you have taken out in your insurance contract.

You must keep all the supporting documents for these costs because the insurer could claim them before compensating you.

These include the following documents:

  • Medical certificate recording injuries to injured persons
  • Proof of repatriation costs
  • Proof of the cost of repairing the vehicle abroad
  • Proof of towing and repair costs
  • Proof of child care expenses
  • Rental of another vehicle invoice
  • Invoice for items carried in the car and damaged in the accident
  • Proof of accommodation costs, if you have to stay in place for the time of repair

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