A crash in a hire car, in a country where you don't speak the language and don't know the rules, is one of the most stressful things that can happen on a trip. The steps are largely the same everywhere: make sure everyone is safe, document everything, involve the police when required, and tell your hire company and insurer as soon as you can.
The first few minutes
Stop the vehicle if it's safe to move it, switch on hazard lights, and get everyone out and away from moving traffic — onto a verge or behind a barrier, not standing in the road. Most European countries legally require you to carry a hi-vis vest and a warning triangle in the car; put the vest on before you get out, and place the triangle far enough back to give approaching traffic real warning (typically 50–100 metres on a motorway).
Check for injuries before you check for damage. If anyone is hurt, call the local emergency number immediately — 112 works across the EU and much of Europe, and connects to police, ambulance or fire as needed. Outside Europe, the emergency number varies by country and is usually printed in your hire agreement or posted at the rental desk.
Never admit fault at the scene, even informally, even if you think it was your mistake. Liability is often decided later by insurers or police based on the evidence, and an offhand "sorry, my fault" in the heat of the moment can complicate a claim that would otherwise have gone in your favour.
When to call the police
Rules on when police attendance is mandatory vary by country, and this is one area where guessing wrong is costly. As a rule of thumb, always call the police if:
- Anyone is injured, however minor it seems at the time.
- The other driver is unwilling to share details, seems uninsured, or the situation feels unsafe.
- There's a dispute about what happened.
- A hire car is involved — most rental agreements require a police report for any claim, regardless of how minor the damage looks.
If police do attend, ask for a copy of their report or at minimum the report or reference number — you will likely need it for your hire company and travel insurer. Some countries issue this on the spot; others require you to collect it from a station later, which is worth doing before you leave the area if the crash was serious.
The European accident statement
In much of Europe, the standard way to record a minor collision without police involvement is the European Accident Statement (known as a constat amiable in France, or similar names elsewhere) — a standardised bilingual form that both drivers fill in and sign together at the scene. It covers the date, location, vehicles, a simple diagram of how the collision happened, and a tick-box list of circumstances (which car was moving, which was indicating, and so on).
Hire cars in Europe often carry a blank copy in the glovebox or documents wallet; if not, ask your hire company whether they can supply one digitally. Filling it in together, on the spot, while both parties agree on the facts, is far more useful later than a written account produced from memory days afterwards. Keep your own signed copy — don't rely on the other driver to send you theirs.
Documenting the scene
Whether or not police attend, thorough documentation protects you. Before anything is moved (unless it must be, for safety):
- Photograph all vehicles from several angles, including number plates, the position on the road, and any relevant signs, signals or road markings.
- Photograph the damage close up, and any visible injuries.
- Note the exact time, location (a pin from your phone's map app is useful if you don't recognise street names) and weather or road conditions.
- Exchange names, contact details, driving licence numbers, and insurance or rental agreement details with the other driver.
- Get contact details from any independent witnesses — they may be needed if the other driver's account later conflicts with yours.
If it's a hire car
Nearly every rental agreement obliges you to report an accident to the hire company immediately, or within a short fixed window — check your contract, but treat it as urgent rather than something to deal with once you're home. Most hire companies have a 24-hour accident or emergency line; the number is usually printed on the rental agreement or a sticker inside the car.
What happens next depends on your cover. If you took the company's collision damage waiver or a comparable third-party excess policy, follow their instructions exactly — they will usually want the police report number (if one exists), photos, and the completed accident statement. Report the accident even if the damage looks trivial: undisclosed damage found at drop-off, with no accident report on file, is one of the most common reasons hire companies charge the full excess rather than the reduced one.
If the car is undriveable, do not attempt to arrange your own recovery or repair. Call the hire company's emergency line first — using an unauthorised garage or tow service can void your cover entirely.
Insurance and getting home
Separately from the hire company's own cover, check your travel insurance policy — many include cover for medical costs, alternative transport, or accommodation if a crash disrupts your trip. If you or a passenger needs medical treatment, EU/EEA nationals travelling in Europe should also have their EHIC or GHIC to hand, though this covers state healthcare costs, not the wider disruption a travel insurance policy would.
Keep every document generated by the process — police report, accident statement, hire company correspondence, photos, receipts for any alternative transport or accommodation — in one place. Claims involving a foreign jurisdiction routinely take longer to resolve than a domestic one, and a complete paper trail from day one saves weeks of chasing later.
After you get home
Follow up in writing with your hire company and your travel or car insurer within the timeframe your policy specifies — many have strict reporting deadlines, sometimes as short as a few days from the incident. If a police report was filed, ask whether an official translation is needed for your insurer; some will accept the original language, others won't. Keep a note of every reference number you're given, and chase for a written resolution rather than assuming silence means the matter is closed.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to call the police for every accident abroad?
Not always, but it's required for injuries, disputes, an uncooperative other driver, or almost any hire car incident under the rental agreement. When in doubt, call — a police report is hard to obtain retroactively and easy to have and not need.
What is the European accident statement?
A standardised bilingual form used across much of Europe to record a minor collision jointly with the other driver at the scene, without needing police attendance. It's often kept in the glovebox of hire cars.
Will my hire excess insurance cover the accident?
It depends what you bought — the hire company's own collision damage waiver, a third-party excess policy, or nothing at all. Check your documents before you travel, and always report any accident to the hire company promptly regardless of who was at fault.
What if the other driver has no insurance?
Report this to the police at the scene if at all possible, and note it clearly on any accident statement. Your own comprehensive travel or hire insurance, rather than the other driver's non-existent cover, will usually be what pays out.
Sources and further reading:
- Emergency numbers and driving safety across the EU: European Commission.
- Related: renting a car abroad, car hire insurance explained, documents to carry when driving abroad.
- Always check your own hire agreement and travel insurance policy for the specific reporting deadlines that apply to you.