What should I do after a road collision in the EU?
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Contact the local emergency services when anyone is in danger or injured, then contact your insurance provider as the first insurance step. Follow the reporting and evidence process of the country where the collision happened rather than assuming the UK procedure applies unchanged.
Make the scene safe
Use the local emergency number and follow instructions from police, road operators or emergency services. Do not take risks to photograph damage or retrieve belongings. The safety equipment and actions required at a stopped vehicle vary by country, which is why route-country guidance belongs in the pre-trip checklist.
Record what the insurer needs
When it is safe and lawful, note the location, time, vehicles, drivers, insurers, witnesses and attending authority. Photograph the positions, road conditions and damage without putting anyone at risk. Do not sign a statement you do not understand; ask for language help if needed.
Contact the insurer using the number and process in the policy documents. If the car cannot be driven, use the breakdown or recovery arrangement you confirmed before travel.
The claim may stay in the country of the collision
GOV.UK says legal proceedings against the responsible driver or insurer may need to be brought in the EU or EEA country where the incident happened, and the claim may have to be made in the local language. It also warns that compensation may not be available in some countries when an uninsured driver caused the collision or cannot be traced.
That makes a clear record and early insurer contact particularly important. Get legal advice for a serious incident or disputed liability.
Before travel, keep the policy number, claims line and recovery contact available offline. The road-trip disruption plan helps put those details into one usable pack.
Sources
- road collisions in the EU (checked )