The European Accident Statement is a standard insurance form that allows a minor road traffic collision to be documented without calling the police. It is widely used in Poland and across all European Union member states. It is worth knowing how to complete it correctly and when it is genuinely appropriate to use it.
What the European Accident Statement Is
This is not a legal provision or a contract – it is a standardised insurance form that simplifies the process of reporting a claim to an insurer. The form is identical across Europe and accepted by all insurers. Completing and signing it does not determine fault – it means only that both parties confirm the factual circumstances described in it.
When to Use the Form
The European Accident Statement should be used only where: no one has sustained personal injury, both parties agree on the circumstances and course of the incident, and both parties are prepared to sign the form without reservation.
If any of these conditions is not met – call the police.
When Not to Use the Form
Call the police without exception where: anyone has sustained personal injury – even apparently minor, there is any dispute about the course of the incident or fault, one party refuses to sign the form or wants to complete it incompletely, there is any suspicion that the other driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the other vehicle has no valid third-party liability insurance, or the other driver attempts to leave the scene.
How to Complete the Form – Step by Step
The form consists of two identical copies (an original and a carbon copy) completed simultaneously – one goes to each party.
Section 1 – Date, time and place of the incident. Enter the exact date, time and location (street, town). The more precise, the better.
Sections 2 and 3 – Details of the parties. Enter the full name, address and telephone number of the vehicle owner and the driver (where these are different people).
Section 4 – Vehicle details. Make, model, registration number, VIN.
Section 5 – Insurer details. The name of the insurance company, the third-party liability policy number and its period of validity. These details can be found on the policy or in the insurer’s app.
Section 6 – Personal injury. Indicate whether anyone sustained injury. If so – do not use the form; call the police.
Section 7 – Damage to other vehicles or property. Indicate whether any other vehicles or property were damaged.
Section 8 – Witnesses. Enter the names and addresses of any witnesses.
Section 9 – Police attendance. Indicate whether the police were called and, if so, enter the unit’s details.
Section 10 – Diagram of the incident. This is the most important and most frequently inaccurately completed section. Draw: the road layout (number of lanes, junction, road signs), the position of both vehicles before the incident, the position of both vehicles after the incident, the direction of travel of both vehicles, and use arrows to indicate each vehicle’s movement.
The diagram does not need to be artistic – it needs to be legible and accurately represent the actual layout of the incident.
Section 11 – Circumstances of the incident. This is a list of seventeen ready-made options (for example “I was stationary in a parking area”, “I was changing lanes”, “I went through a red light”). Each party ticks the options that apply to their own conduct. You may tick more than one option. Count the options ticked and enter the number in the relevant box.
Sections 12 and 13 – Description of the incident and vehicle damage. Give a brief description of how the incident occurred and mark on the vehicle diagram which components were damaged.
Section 14 – Signatures. Both parties sign the form. Before signing, check that all details are correct and complete.
Important Points When Completing the Form
Photograph the form before parting ways. Even if you have the original – a photograph is an additional safeguard.
Never sign a blank or incomplete form. This is one of the most common traps – the other party may add information unfavourable to you after you have left.
Signing does not mean admitting fault. The form documents the factual circumstances – it does not determine the question of fault. That assessment is made by the insurer on the basis of the information gathered.
Complete the form in a language understood by both parties or use the translation on the reverse.
Keep your copy. The form produces two copies – each party retains one.
What to Do After Completing the Form
Report the claim to your insurer or directly to the at-fault driver’s insurer without delay – usually within seven days. Attach the completed form, photographs from the scene, documentation of the vehicle damage and witness details.
Do not have the vehicle repaired before the insurer’s expert has carried out an inspection – doing so may complicate or prevent payment of the compensation.
The Form in Accidents Abroad
The European Accident Statement is accepted in all EU member states and many other European countries. Where an accident occurs abroad, you can use the same form – it is identical in every country. Report the claim to your own insurer or to the foreign correspondent of the Polish Motor Insurers’ Bureau.
Contact Us
If after a collision you have doubts about whether the form was completed correctly, or the insurer is challenging your account of the incident, it is worth discussing the matter with a lawyer.
It pays to be properly prepared: both in knowing what you can claim and in having a clear strategy.
We handle cases for drivers in Poznań and across the Wielkopolska region, with in-person and online consultations available for clients elsewhere in Poland.
Adwokat Marta Krzyżanowicz and Adwokat Michalina Koligot Law Firm “Adwokat dla Kierowców w Poznaniu”
ul. Adama Mickiewicza 18/3, 60-834 Poznań
tel. +48 795 001 536 · +48 531 335 713
kontakt@adwokatdlakierowcy.pl · www.adwokatdlakierowcy.pl
This text is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case requires individual analysis.
