News
How to properly fill out a report
July 5 2024
Preamble - Drawing up a joint accident report after a car accident
In the event of an accident, drawing up a joint accident report is a crucial step that is often overlooked. To be prepared in all circumstances, always carry a pre-filled accident report in your car. Indeed, with the stress and agitation that follow an accident, filling in all the fields of the accident report without error can become complicated. Preparing certain information in advance, such as your contact details and those of your vehicle, can make this task much easier.
It's not enough to simply fill in the accident report: it's essential to fill it in properly. Remember that many people, including your insurer, will be reading this document. So it's essential to write clearly and legibly to avoid any confusion or misunderstanding. Careful handwriting and precise information can speed up the processing of your claim, and ensure that your insurance company takes better care of you. To help you in this process, take the time to familiarize yourself with the joint accident report form before an accident occurs.
The amicable report procedure: What information must be included?
Driver information and information about the vehicles involved
- First and last name: Clearly indicate the first and last name of each driver.
- Address: Write down the full address (street, zip code, town) of each driver.
- Telephone number: Provide a telephone number where each driver can be reached.
- Email Address: If possible, add an email address to facilitate communication.
- License Number: Provide the driver's license number for each driver.
- Date of Issue: Note the date on which the driver's license was issued.
- License Category: Indicate the license category (e.g. B for light vehicles).
- Make and Model: Indicate the make and model of each vehicle involved.
- Registration Number: Indicate the registration number of each vehicle.
- Country of Registration: Indicate the country in which the vehicle is registered.
- Insurance Company Name: Indicate the name of each driver's insurance company.
- Insurance Policy Number: Enter the number of each driver's insurance policy.
- Agency: Indicate the name of the agency or broker, if applicable.
- Validity Date: Indicate the start and end dates of the insurance policy.
- Habitual Driver: If the driver at the time of the accident is not the owner of the vehicle, please specify.
Accident circumstances
Date: Indicate the precise date of the accident.
Time: Note the time at which the accident occurred.
Accident location
- Precise address: Provide the exact address or GPS coordinates of the accident site.
- City/Commune: Mention the city or commune where the accident took place.
- Landmark: If the accident occurred near a known landmark (e.g. intersection, building, traffic sign), mention it for greater clarity.
Traffic conditions
- Traffic: Describe traffic conditions at the time of the accident (e.g. flowing, congested, etc.).
- Weather: Indicate weather conditions (e.g. sunny, rainy, foggy, snowy, etc.).
- Visibility: Indicate whether visibility was good, average or poor.
Description of vehicles and maneuvers
- Vehicle positions: Use sketches to show the position of the vehicles at the moment of impact. Each vehicle should be identified by a letter (e.g. A for your vehicle, B for the other vehicle).
- Maneuvers: Check the boxes corresponding to the maneuvers performed by each vehicle (e.g. parking, leaving parking, turning right, turning left, etc.).
- Direction: Indicate the direction of each vehicle prior to the accident (e.g. north, south, east, west).
Impact points
- Impact points: Draw and number the impact points on the vehicle sketches.
- Damage Description: Describe the damage visible on each vehicle.
Witnesses
- Names and contact details: If there were any witnesses to the accident, please give their names and contact details.
- Statements: Briefly note what the witnesses saw or heard.
Additional comments
Comments: Use this space for any additional information that may be relevant (e.g. driver behavior, obstacles on the road, etc.).
My observations: Note any remarks on the particular conditions of the accident that have not been covered in the previous sections.
At this stage, the front of your paper report is complete. All you need to do is do the same on the reverse, and add a few details (usual place of garage, injured party, handrail, material damage other than to vehicles A and B...).
Never let the driver in front of you fill in the form alone. Why not? Because this could lead to disagreements about the circumstances of the accident, and in the worst case, disputes with insurance companies. What's more, working together to draw up the accident report ensures that all personal details, vehicle descriptions and accident sketches are accurate. This avoids complications later on when making a claim with your insurer. If you have rented your vehicle from us, we strongly recommend that you take photos of the accident scene, the damage to the vehicles and the accident report documents to provide additional evidence if necessary. Ideally, try to find a witness to support your version of events. An eyewitness can provide a neutral, objective perspective on the circumstances of the accident, which can greatly facilitate the determination of liability by insurance companies.
Check the completeness of the information
In the event of disagreement, do not tick any boxes. This is essential to avoid misrepresentations that could hinder the insurance company's resolution of your case. Not checking any boxes clearly indicates that there is a difference of opinion between the parties involved. In this way, insurers can take both versions of the facts into account and carry out a more thorough investigation if necessary.
Dealing with insurers
Send the accident report: Send the completed and signed accident report to your insurance company within the time limit stipulated in your policy (generally five working days after the accident).
Contact: Contact your insurer as soon as possible to inform them of the accident and start the claims process. Use the emergency contact details provided by your insurer if necessary.
Damage assessment: If necessary, your insurer can appoint an expert to assess the damage to your vehicle. Make yourself available to facilitate this assessment.
Regular follow-up: Keep track of communications with your insurer and monitor the progress of your claim on a regular basis.
Pay close attention to the time limit for sending the report to your insurance company, as compliance with this time limit is vital if your claim is to be settled. In general, you have five working days from the date of the accident to send the accident report to your insurance company. This period may vary depending on your policy and the insurer, so it's important to check the specific conditions of your policy.
Many insurance companies now offer a mobile application to simplify these procedures. Thanks to these applications, you can declare a claim, send an accident report and upload photos directly online, without having to send them by post. This considerably speeds up the processing of your claim, and ensures that your claim is handled more quickly.
CarGo offers two types of insurance. The Basic package with a deductible ranging from €920 for a car to €1,530 for a van in the event of theft or fire and an accident at fault or without an identified third party. Or the CarGo Protect pack at €19/day, which covers damage to the vehicle (€150 deductible), theft or fire (€300 deductible) and claims handling costs (€50 deductible).
If you still have questions, you can find the general rental conditions and an information document on the insurance product on the cargo.fr website.
Do you need short, medium or long term rental? Contact our team on 09 70 81 36 73