Roe deer, wild boar, hinds, etc. It is not unusual to come across them on our roads in the middle of the night! Often in winter, when the days are shorter. And sometimes a collision is inevitable. Am I entitled to compensation? How do I notify my insurance company? What steps should I take?
Few people have never come across a game animal on our roads. Every year, the Grand-Ducal Police count about a thousand road accidents caused by large game. Whether you can be compensated for damage to your vehicle depends on your insurance policy.
At Foyer, cover for collisions with animals is included as standard in the 'Protection' and 'Zen' mobile packages. Under this cover, Foyer covers material damage to the vehicle as well as rescue costs related to an accidental collision with a wild or stray animal. Also, if you have taken out 'protected driver' cover, any bodily injury can be compensated by the insurance.
Discover all our car insurance packages.
Can't remember what cover your car insurance policy provides? You can check your conditions at any time in your Customer Centre, your MyFoyer application or on your paper policy.
Are you covered? Great. All that's left to do is prepare the insurance claim.
Do I need to notify the police?
Since 1 April 2020, insurance companies no longer require a police certificate following an accident with a game animal. Unless another vehicle is involved or you are injured, there is no need to contact the authorities. The Grand Ducal police can also intervene if your vehicle is obstructing traffic or if the animal has not escaped and is obstructing the road. Is your vehicle immobilized? Contact Foyer Assistance 24/7 on +352 437 43 123 or from the MyFoyer app by clicking on the Emergency Assistance button. Our agents will take care of the recovery and towing of your vehicle.
Afterwards, a car expert will be mandated by your insurance company to establish that it is indeed an accident caused by an animal. This is why it is important to collect as much evidence as possible immediately after the accident.
At the scene of the accident: collect the evidence!
Even if your vehicle is not too badly damaged and can still be driven, take the time to analyze the situation!
- Remember to take photos: one of the whole accident scene and at least one close-up of the damage to the vehicle.
- If there are witnesses, don't hesitate to collect testimonies and ask for the contact details of the people present at the time of the accident.
- Note the exact location and time of the accident: record the GPS coordinates or note the kilometer marker, for example, and draw up a description of the location.
- Collect all the elements that could be used as evidence: bloodstains, hairs, etc.
All these details will complete the expertise and facilitate your future compensation.
Tip: avoid touching, loading or transporting the injured or dead animal!
When and how to report the damage?
When to report? As soon as possible! The important thing is not to delay: you have 5 to 8 days to declare the loss to your insurer (depending on the company, 8 days at Foyer). An exception is made in case of force majeure (serious accident, hospitalization...).
How do you report? You can choose between three possibilities:
From your MyFoyer application: simple, fast and efficient! Not yet downloaded the application? You can call your agent, or contact the Foyer car service by telephone on +352 437 43 2140 or by e-mail: sinistres-auto@foyer.lu
Please note: Unlike other insurance companies, Foyer does not apply a malus in the event of a collision with an animal.
What happens next?
After the accident and the claim, you can make an appointment with your garage to plan the repair of your vehicle. Remember to keep your agent (or the Foyer car service) informed of the date of the appointment.
Depending on the duration of the repairs, a replacement vehicle may be made available to you for up to 15 days, or even up to 60 days in the event of a total loss.
If you haven't already done so, consider downloading the MyFoyer application: completely free of charge, it will allow you to manage everything very easily and to monitor the progress of your claim in real time.
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