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The Driver Accident Paperwork
Insurance
| You must have insurance that covers your liability to other vehicles and people. Of course, it is a very good idea to have more insurance than that, given the financial downside of being in an accident. Other types of insurance available include: collision, theft/fire, glass breakage, lawyer costs (I guess it covers your lawyer costs if you have to go to court). |
Joint Statement -- "Constat Amiable"
| If you're in an accident, follow the instructions in the Accidents page and make sure all injuries are treated. Then, move your vehicle off the roadway so as not to block traffic, stay calm and courteous, and whip out your Constat Amiable, which you have should always have in your car. The Constat Amiable is basically an on-the-spot testimonial filled out by all involved in the accident. It is RECOMMENDED but not required. |
| Identify any witnesses and record their names & addresses in secion 5. Show your papers (registration, proof of insurance, driver's license) to the other driver and ask to see theirs. See the Official Papers section for info on these papers. |
| The official Constat form is a carbonless copy, so don't write on the other side. Just fill in what's in the form -- it helps to determine responsibility for the accident. Write down the facts as you saw them. You and the other driver both sign the form. Be sure that you read carefully everything on the form before signing it. Your signature means you agree that all the facts are correct and afterward you can no longer contest them. Do not sign anything you do not understand. If the other driver refuses to sign it, record his/her license number and contact your insurance company. By the way, if neither driver has an official form with them, any piece of paper will do. Better to write something than nothing. |
| Afterward, you give a copy of the form (remember it's a duplicate form) to the other driver. Each of you has 5 business days to turn the form into your insurance companies (48 hours in the case of theft). |
RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Tell the truth on the form
- Do not write about what the accident is going to cost you
- Do not list what you were doing when the accident occurred
- Do not let the other driver fill in the form by themselves
- Do not hand a blank form to the other driver
- Do not refuse to fill in the form but write down your reservations if necessary
(This is what the official book says, but it doesn't seem to apply very well to non-francophones)
- Fill in the form conscientiously to avoid be blamed for everything later
- Use a ballpoint pen so the duplicate copy is clear.
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