Minor road accident outside Poland

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Minor accident (fender bender) outside Poland. What to do in order to receive compensation?

In this case the course of action depends on the country of registration of the perpetrator’s vehicle and on the country in which the incident happened. Note that the course of action is always alike, the data of the perpetrator and his insurer must be ascertained but ways of submitting claims concerning damage compensation may vary slightly.

1. The incident takes place abroad and the perpetrator’s car is registered in Poland.

Step 1

Ascertain and write down the following data:

• license number of the perpetrator's vehicle,
• make and model of the perpetrator's vehicle,
• insurance policy number and its validity period and the name of the Polish insurer the perpetrator is insured by,
• name, surname and address of the perpetrator.

Step 2

Together with the perpetrator agree upon a common statement regarding the circumstances of the damage. If possible, take a few photographs of the place of the collision and of the damaged vehicles, e.g. using your mobile phone.

Step 3

Submit your claim to the Polish insurer the perpetrator has bought third party insurance for motorists from.

2. The incident takes place abroad and the perpetrator's car is registered in a country belonging to EEA or in Switzerland.

The following countries belong to the European Economic Area:  Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Spain, Holland, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxemburg, Malta, Germany, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Great Britain, Italy.

Step 1

Ascertain and write down the following data:

• license number of the perpetrator's vehicle,
• the country of registration of the perpetrator's vehicle,
• make and model of the perpetrator's vehicle,
• full number of the third party insurance Policy, its validity period and the name of the perpetrator's insurer,
• name, surname and address of the perpetrator.

Step 2

Together with the perpetrator agree upon a common statement regarding the circumstances of the damage. If possible, take a few photographs of the place of the collision and of the damaged vehicles, e.g. using your mobile phone.

Step 3

Submit the claim as you see it fit:

• directly to the insurer the perpetrator has bought third party insurance for motorists from ; if for some reason you do not know the name of the insurer who has issued the perpetrator's third party insurance, you can find it using the website of the Polish Motor Insurers' Bureau,
• Or to a claims representative of the foreign insurance establishment in Poland; you can find his data using the website of the Polish Motor Insurers' Bureau.

3. The incident takes place abroad and the perpetrator’s vehicle is registered in a country not belonging to EEA (the perpetrator has a Green Card).

The following countries belong to the European Economic Area:  Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Spain, Holland, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxemburg, Malta, Germany, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Great Britain, Italy.

Step 1

Ascertain and write down the following data:

• license number of the perpetrator's vehicle,
• the country of registration of the perpetrator's vehicle,
• make and model of the perpetrator's vehicle,
• full Green Card number and its validity period and the name of the insurer who has issued the Green Card,
• name, surname and address of the perpetrator.

Step 2

Together with the perpetrator agree upon a common statement regarding the circumstances of the damage. If possible, take a few photographs of the place of the collision and of the damaged vehicles, e.g. using your mobile phone.

Step 3

Submit your claim to the National Bureau of the country in which the incident has happened (the address can be found on the back side of the Green Card), which shall instruct you as for further steps. The addresses of National Bureaus are also to be fund on the website of the Polish Motor Insurers' Bureau.

4. The incident takes place in a country not belonging to EEA and the perpetrator’s vehicle is registered in this country (the perpetrator has third party insurance of this country).

The following countries belong to the European Economic Area:  Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Spain, Holland, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxemburg, Malta, Germany, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Great Britain, Italy.

Step 1

Ascertain and write down the following data:

• license number of the perpetrator's vehicle,
• the country of registration of the perpetrator's vehicle,
• make and model of the perpetrator's vehicle,
• full number of the third party insurance Policy, its validity period and the name of the perpetrator's insurer,
• name, surname and address of the perpetrator.

Step 2

Together with the perpetrator agree upon a common statement regarding the circumstances of the damage. If possible, take a few photographs of the place of the collision and of the damaged vehicles, e.g. using your mobile phone.

Step 3

Submit your claim directly to the insurer the perpetrator has third party insurance for motorists from .