What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

I had an accident in France but am getting nowhere with my claim - what can I do?

I had a car accident in France in August. A lady drove into the back of my car. I was only third party covered on my insurance so am using a no win no fee company to chase my claim in France. The French insurance company have not come back to us yet to confirm liability and my car is sitting in a Ford garage awaiting repairs. Is there anything I can do to try and speed up the process of the French insurance company settling my claim? I have been without a car for two months and the Ford garage are threatening to start charging me £50 a day in storage costs.

Asked on 22 October 2018 by Emma Ball

Answered by Honest John
Have you filled out a European accident statement? Her insurer will have to have an appointed representative in the UK. You can submit your claim in your country of residence, in your own language, to a claims representative of the other party’s motor insurer. Your insurer (motor or legal expenses insurer), may be able to assist you.

To find the representative's contact details, contact the information centre in your country of residence. If you know the name of the insurer, the information centre can provide you with the claims representative’s contact details. If not, they will trace the other party’s insurer and its claims representative from the vehicle registration number, make and model of the vehicle and any other details you provide them with.

If the foreign insurer has not appointed a representative in your country of residence, you can send your claim to the national compensation body. This body also intervenes when the other party’s vehicle is uninsured or the insurer could not be identified, if the accident occurred in an EEA country.
Contact The FCA register.fca.org.uk/ too see in the UK, and contact www.bcf.asso.fr/ FranceAGIRA - Organisme d'information
E-mail: orginfo@agira.asso.fr in France.
They have three months to admit liability and make a "reasoned offer" of settlement. They will be liable for storage.
Similar questions
My car was hit in France whilst parked in October 2016. The owner of the other car admitted full responsibility and signed a statement. The repair to my car has been paid by my insurer, less my excess....
My daughter was an innocent party in an accident in a car park. A car reversed into her new car causing cosmetic damage. The other driver accepted liability at the scene and gave my daughter their details....
Can one report an incident to the insurance company without making a claim? And if so, is there a time limit?
 

Value my car

Save £75 on Warranty using code HJ75

with MotorEasy

Get a warranty quote

Save 12% on GAP Insurance

Use HJ21 to save on an ALA policy

See offer