Accident in France

[Minstrel]

Last year on Friday 13th March we were innocently turning into a layby for lunch when an aged Frenchman went into the back of our motorhome.

This year when we passed the spot where it happened we wondered when the claim would be dealt with by the French insurance company. We arrived home from this years skiing trip on 29th March and within two days had a call to say all settled, they (the French) agreed liability. Yippee!

Our company had told us that in France the limit for settling claims is 6 years. No rules like in England where a letter received by an insurance company must be replied to within 30 days.

 

Perhaps our 'esteemed' MEP's could do something useful and make Europe come into line with sensible UK

[tonyg3nwl]

Hi. Sorry to hear about the accident, but glad it is now settled.

 

Many years ago, we had a similar happening, when a Frenchman rammed us in the rear. Our transport at the time was VW caravannette with rear engine.

Fortunately , the engine still functioned, but chassis was twisted slightly so there was a lot of noise but still driveable enough to get home.

 

As an amateur radio enthusiast, I contacted a French amateur friend who was in the legal profession. He requested details and offerred to take up the case as a friend. He advised that under french law, he who rams rear end is fully liable including compensation, no arguments.

 

Within 4 weeks we received a settlement.

 

It transpired that Gerard (the friend) was the chief Barrister in the Versailles circuit, and I wonder if the letter from him had anything to do with the speedy settlement???. I guess the French driver must have wondered who we were, being able to "employ" such a powerful weapon for a measly road accident.

 

Sadly Gerard has moved on to the great motorways in the sky long since.

 

tonyg3nwl

[Brian Kirby]

Minstrel - 2010-04-07 10:37 PM ............... Our company had told us that in France the limit for settling claims is 6 years. No rules like in England where a letter received by an insurance company must be replied to within 30 days. Perhaps our 'esteemed' MEP's could do something useful and make Europe come into line with sensible UK

Three things occur to me. 

First, there is a wealth of difference between replying to a letter and settling a claim.  I am not aware that UK insurers invariably settle claims within 30 days.

Second, whatever may be the rule governing the time within which the insurer must respond, there can be no such rule applicable to the insured.  Elderly French (or other nationality) gentlemen who poop other people's cars do not necessarily deal speedily with correspondence, and do not always file claims either!  Especially if they are, for example, suffering Alzheimer's, with which many drive until proved incapable.

Third, given the claim was in English, and the respondent French, there will be inevitable time, and possibly substance, lost in translation, and your own insurer may just have shoved the whole issue onto the "back burner" rather than spend time chasing.  After all, from what you have said, it took you nearly a year to begin wondering what was happening, so if you weren't chasing, why should they?

As to this being, by inference, an EC problem, my question would simply be, where is your evidence?  It sounds to me more like cross frontier insurance being left to follow its natural inclination to blame the foreigner, while doing the least possible to progress matters.

[ian81]

quote "Perhaps our 'esteemed' MEP's could do something useful and make Europe come into line with sensible UK"

 

Au contraire -we are based in France and feel it is the other way round.

 

In Europe in the event of an accident an agreed statement of facts is completed detailing the facts of the accident. This should be sent off within 2 days. Indeed it would be useful if the UK could follow Europe.

 

Also in France you have to display you insurance certificate and MOT on the vehicule so making it obvious if it is legal.

 

Also our annual premium includes a green card covering Europe as well as Turkey and Morocco.

 

 

Finally I recently have had reason to deal with our insurance company and for ease / laziness wrote to them in English. I swiftly received a reply in French resolving the matter satisfactorily.

 

 

 

 

[terry1956]

second that, france insurance is far better then any you can buy in the UK.

and cheaper to by a long way. mind you it takes around 16 years to get full noclaims.

terry

[Minstrel]

Two things, I didn't say a claim must be settled in 30 days, just replying.

 

One of the problems was that 'our' frenchman didn't have a little form to fill in as if that was somehow our fault. I wrote out in French a report of the accident which teh Frenchman agreed. I think we went the extra mile on that.

 

Thirdly (yes I know I said a couple of things) we fortunately had a tow bar across the whole width of the m'home, installed by a previous owner and this saved us from a summer without being able to use the m'home.

 

I can't comment about whether french insurance is superior.

 

I'm sorry, this post sounds very grumpy but I'm not honestly. Very happy with good weather and family staying . :-D