Motor insurance & vehicle-collision reports when driving abroad

[NASkeet]

Those of you who have driven outside your home country (i.e. usually the country where your vehicle is registered), will probably be aware that additional motor-insurance documents such as a "green card" or "green carnet" are commonly required, as evidence that your vehicle has the minimum legally-required motor-insurance cover, when travelling outside your home country.

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-insurance/driving-abroad

In Europe, one is either required or recommended to carry with one's insurance documents, a European Accident Statement form, an up-to-date copy of which, is often provided by one's motor-insurance company along with a "green carnet".

My father and I were provided with these by the Guardian Royal Exchange motor-insurance company, when we took our 1973 VW 1600 Type 2 Westfalia Continental motor-caravan on touring holidays in Europe, during the summers of 1974 & 1978.

1974 European Accident Statement

There are two identical copies (carbonless copy-paper) of the 1974 issue of the double-sided “agreed statement of facts on motor vehicle accident” and “motor accident report”, but I have only scanned one copy.

Contrary to what is printed at the bottom right-hand side of both identical copies of the 1974 issue of the “agreed statement of facts on motor vehicle accident” there is NO pro forma printed “MOTOR ACCIDENT REPORT” on the back pages for the insured’s accident report.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=2390678

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=2390679

1978 European Accident Statement

There are two identical copies (carbonless copy-paper) of the 1978 issue of the double-sided “agreed statement of facts on motor vehicle accident” and “motor accident report”, but I have only scanned one copy.

Consistent with what is printed at the bottom right-hand side of both identical copies of the 1978 issue of the “agreed statement of facts on motor vehicle accident” there is a pro forma printed “MOTOR ACCIDENT REPORT” on the back pages for the insured’s accident report.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=2390675

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=2390677

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=2390676

I suspect that many drivers who have been involved in a collision, either at home or abroad, have been at a loss to know what information to collect & record, and how to present it to their motor-insurance company and any local police forces or other legal services that might have an interest.

Given that many drivers & passengers would be traumatised or panicked after a collision, it would be extremely useful to have clear, written guidelines in one’s glove box.

In some countries, it is a legal requirement to notify police of a collision (including a single-vehicle collision), even if there are no injuries involved; particularly as one or more drivers might be liable to prosecution and punishment for careless / dangerous driving or other offences.

Even in the USA, American-English is not a universal language, noting that many citizens or immigrants with resident-status, only communicate in other languages, of which Spanish is rumoured to be gaining ground to the point where it might already be the dominant language, so it might be advisable for the American motor-insurers to adopt a similar approach and offer multi-lingual guidelines & forms.

Within North, Central & South America, plus the West Indies, one can probably get by with using one or more of English, French, Spanish, Portuguese & Dutch; recalling that these were the main colonial powers in these regions.

European Accident Statement forms of identical format, are available in several European languages, including ENGLISH (as distinct from American-English), French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Czech, Polish & Russian, plus possibly other lesser-spoken European languages; recalling that the European Union alone, has twenty four recognised official languages (i.e. widely-spoken languages).

As found in the above forms, PC is a recognised abbreviation in ENGLISH for police constable, which is probably not used in American-English. In addition to quoting the name & rank of any police officers involved, it is usual to quote their "collar-number" as well, and I would suggest obtaining details of their assigned police station or unit and other contact details.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/insuran...nt-abroad/

https://www.justlearn.com/blog/how-many-languages-are-spoken-in-europe

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Europe

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_the_European_Union

https://cartraveldocs.com

English – European Accident Statement
Dutch – Europees Schadeformulier
Spanish – Declaración Amistosa De Accidente
French – Constat Amiable D’Accident Automobile
German – Europäischer Unfallbericht
Italian – Constatazione Amichevole di Incidente
Czech – Evropský záznam nehody
Portuguese – Declaração Europeia de Acidente
Polish – Wspólne Os’wiadczenie O Zdarzeniu Drogowym
Russian – Извещение о дорожно-транспортном происшествии
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Regards.

Nigel A. Skeet

Independent tutor (semi-retired) of mathematics, physics, technology & engineering for secondary, tertiary, further & higher education.

Much modified, RHD 1973 VW "1600" Type 2 Westfalia Continental campervan, with the World's only decent, cross-over-arm, SWF pantograph rear-window wiper

Onetime member, plus former Technical Editor & Editor of Transporter Talk magazine
Volkswagen Type 2 Owners' Club (Great Britain)

http://www.vwt2oc.net