UK Car on holiday in France/Accident Report?

[Laurier]

I have been following the insurance threads and realise I don't know exactly what I should do in the case of a car accident in France when on holiday.  Can anybody please point me to where I can find this out! I am particularly interested in this 'accident report' which Ernie mentioned. Do I need to travel with one and, if so where can I get one from, bearing in mind that I am UK resident but do drive to France several times a year on holiday?

I seem to remember some long time ago that I did ask my insurance company for some guidance but they were very vague and, sadly, I didn't pursue it, thinking that common sense and normal procedures would reign! Thankfully I have never had an accident but  feel I should read up on exactly what the procedure is (even if a bit late in the day), especially as the other person involved may be a French native and I would be at a serious disadvantage if I seemed unaware of the exact procedure and did not have the same level of fluency.

Would appreciate any help or where I can read up on this.

Thanks, Laurier

 

 

[Clair]

See here:

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1018957/ShowPost.aspx

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/851432/ShowPost.aspx

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/775747/ShowPost.aspx

[Laurier]

Thanks Clair. I'll go into the threads and go through all the stuff.

Lau.

[Boiling a frog]

Easier to read this

http://www.mib.org.uk/GreenCard/en/Abroad/Default.htm

[Laurier]

Thanks - I was wondering if it was necessary to call the police and I see that is answered in the MIB doc. One point which occurs to me - it says it is OK to sign the Constat but to 'keep a copy'. I wonder how you can do this on the side of the road. Thinking about it, I suppose you would each have to complete your own form and get each other to sign - would that be what you would do? How else could you keep a copy? I think there must be some obvious answer to this which is eluding me ...

Laurier

[Boiling a frog]

If memory serves me correctly and without dashing out to the car the form is  original plus 2 copies so other person gives you a copy

[Anton Redman]

Mine is NCR (Paper with built in carbon paper)

[AnOther]

One can appreciate the potential difficulty if involved in an accident with a non French speaking English driver and a non English speaking French one.

The French driver, understandably, will want to fill in the constant in French and equally understandably, you will want to do yours in english.

The only way around this I see is that you both fill in and sign both forms ensuring that they are identical, then each keep a copy of them for your claim. It's said that your UK insurance company should be able to supply you with the European Accident Form as it is known in UK but I have asked on 2 or 3 different occasions and of different insurance companies and have met with various responses but never an actual form. I eventually bough 10 on the Internet and passed the spare ones on to family and friends who might need them.

That was before I discovered I could download it from HERE [:-))]

It's not carbon of course but if nothing else it enables the linguistically challenged to at least understand the questions [:D]

 

[Laurier]

Thanks everyone for all the info. My French is quite good but maybe not good enough when faced with a native who might think I was in the wrong, in which case I would be glad to have an English version to hand. I have now downloaded the copy  but if there are carbonated copies with duplicates somewhere (as mentioned), that might be better.

I'll give the insurance company another go but am happy to have the downloaded copy anyway  and feel more confident about the procedure - tks again.

Lau.