How are insurance details provided following road accidents in France?
Green insurance stickers were rarely used following accidents
Drivers should have a constat amiable in their vehicles in case of an accident
Panumas Yanuthai/Shutterstock
Reader Question: Now that the green insurance vignettes have disappeared off of vehicles, how do I find out insurance information of a driver following any potential incident?
Green insurance stickers for the front of vehicles have not been mandatory in France since April 2024.
They were replaced by an online database, Fichier des Véhicules Assurés (FVA).
You can read more about the database – and how to check if your vehicle is correctly included – in our article below.
Read more: How to check that your car is listed in France’s new digital insurance database
Insurance vignettes were mainly in place for police officers and other officials to check a vehicle was insured (as is required by the law) during spot checks, which is much the same case for the new online database.
It never had the main intention of being used for providing insurance details following an accident.
Accident form is most common method
Instead, drivers are highly recommended (although not legally required) to have a copy of the European accident statement (constat amiable) in their vehicle.
This is a standardised form that comes in several European languages, allowing drivers and insurers across the continent to use the system even if it involves drivers from a different country.
An English version can be found and printed here.
It does not have to be filled out to make a claim following an incident, but makes the process significantly easier.
It can be filled out bilaterally alongside the other driver involved, with the document allowing them space to provide details about their vehicle including insurance information.
It should be signed by both parties, however this is not a legal requirement.
You can disagree with the other driver’s comments and both complete your own version of the document if you wish, or write out the form once, and using a carbon copy, both send off the identical documents to your respective insurers.
Read more: What to do in case of a road accident in France
Illegal to withhold insurance information
However, in such cases where the other people involved do not hand over this information (such as a hit and run), you can still unilaterally complete the document and send it to your insurance provider. Note down the other car’s numberplate, if possible.
It is illegal for a driver to not provide insurance details following an incident - it is considered un délit de fuite (hit and run) offence to leave without providing them, and in such a case the FVA may help the police track down the person concerned.
Read more: Car damaged in France: Can I claim without having the driver’s details?
