If you have had a traffic accident, and are unsure how to fill out the Accident Statement form , read on. It is a simple process, but you should take care to complete the form correctly, including all available information to avoid creating confusion for your insurance company.
The Accident Statement form is necessary to explain how an incident occurred and to clarify the party at fault. It briefly indicates the facts and details of any personal injury or material damages of the parties and vehicles involved. The form must be completed and signed by all drivers involved in an accident.
Steps to fill out an Accident Statement form
First of all, remain calm. We recommend that you do not rush to complete the form, as it cannot be amended after submission. Bear in mind that the form must be submitted to your insurance company within 7 days of the accident, so you can complete the form after the accident when you are calmer.
The form must be completed in capital letters and as clearly as possible.
1. Basic accident details
In the basic accident details section, the following should always be stated as accurately as possible:
- Date
- Time
- Place
- Material damage
- Personal injury
- Damage to third parties
- How many vehicles were involved
- Witnesses present
2. Details of Driver A and Driver B
The form has a blue column, for driver A, and a red column, for driver B. If more than 2 vehicles were involved in the accident, this should be indicated in the observations section on the next page. It is very important that you do not confuse the details in the two columns.
In this section, you must also indicate the damage that each vehicle has sustained. In each column, the vehicle of drivers A and B (motorcycle, car or HGV) will be indicated in the drawing. A blank box is provided in the middle of the form for this drawing.
When completing the details section, you must select one or more of the 17 scenarios. If the accident does not correspond to any listed scenario, you can explain this in the comments section.
- Drawing: Mark the initial position of the vehicles and indicate their progress with arrows. Indicate all relevant details at the time of the accident.
- Comments: Mention any damage to third parties and anything that has not been clarified in the previous sections.
- Signature of both drivers: If you do not agree with what the other driver has written, do not sign. If you do not sign, however, the other driver can call the Police. Remember that legally you have 7 days from the date of the accident to sign the form.
Remember, if you complete the form and the other party refuses to sign, you have the right to call the Police.
It is advisable to attach photos, as these are also evidence of the accident.
What to do after completing and signing the form?
- Timescale to submit the form to the insurance company:
One of the drivers must keep the copy of the form and the other must keep the original. Once this is done, neither driver can amend the form. The form must be submitted to the insurance company within 7 days.
- If there are 3 drivers involved:
If more than two parties are involved, it is very important that you submit a form to each insurance company. If there are 3 drivers involved, each needing a form for their insurance company, you will have to fill out another form, as photocopies may not be submitted.
- If you do not have the form:
If the two drivers are in agreement about the facts of the incident, it will be sufficient to exchange personal details, insurance details, and the details of the two vehicles. If the two drivers do not agree, you must call the Police who will assess which party is at fault in the accident.
Correct completion of the Accident Declaration form is of great value to the insurance company so that they can act as soon as possible. Remember to complete the form calmly, providing all basic accident details and details of the drivers involved and submit it to your insurance company within 7 days of the date of the accident.
Photo: Emilio J. Rodríguez Posada, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
