Wild animal and car accident: how to compensate?
Collisions with wild animals on the roads increase in autumn and winter. Indeed, the days are getting shorter and motorists need to be more alert behind the wheel. But then, what to do when you hit an animal on the road and damage your car? How to get reimbursement from your insurance? We answer you.
According to RTL, there are at least 40,000 collisions with wild animals every year in France, or about 110 a day. Moreover, a quarter of these accidents involve wild boars; is a significant number, which prompts drivers to be more careful on the roads. Still, according to the media, financial damages would be very important in this type of situation. Indeed, more than 45% of cars will be beyond repair after colliding with a wild animal. It is important to choose the right car insurance to cover and compensate for bodily injury and property damage.
What are the first reflexes to adopt in this situation?
After hitting a wild boar or any other wild animal like a deer or a deer with your car, you are surely stunned, shocked and even disoriented. So the first reflex in these cases is of course to check that all the occupants of the vehicle are safe and sound. If one of the passengers is injured, call an ambulance immediately (Samu, 15 years old). Then contact your insurer for a financial report and consider immediate repair and towing depending on the extent of the damage. It is important to do everything you can and collect all the evidence of this accident in order to be compensated by your insurance. If the animal has escaped and you only have hair on your body, take a picture of it. This will allow the insurance to have this collision proof. But that’s not all, because in order for your compensation claim to be accepted, you will have to notify the national police, the gendarmerie, in addition to your declaration to the insurer. Note that you have only five days to do this according to Article L113-2 of the Insurance Code. An important, if not essential, deadline for respect.
Good to know : if you shoot a wild boar (or any other wild animal), you will not be charged with hit-and-run unless you report it to the police. If necessary, they will take care of removing the remains of the wild animal themselves. However, by alerting the police, you will allow other drivers using the same road to avoid the next accident!
How to choose the best insurance?
If you’ve hit a wild animal with your car, it’s a good idea to contact your insurance directly if you have any questions about your car insurance coverage. You should know that every material and physical damage is compensated if you have insured all the risks of the car. On the other hand, if you have third-party insurance, the damage to your car will not be covered. Only bodily injury will be covered.
If you hit a pet, the same policy will not apply because the owner of the animal will compensate you. Dogs, cats, horses or pigs are part of this category, but not only. More surprisingly, dromedaries, local camel breeds, European deer, yak, zebu or even buffalo are also of concern.
In summary, try to be as alert as possible, mostly on forest edge roads or in the mountains. It is important to remember a few basic rules that can help you avoid a collision with a boar. These include obeying the speed limit, keeping your windscreen and headlights clear, slowing down in high-risk areas and using high beams when driving at night when you are not passing other vehicles.
This content is produced in collaboration with lecompareteurassurance.com. No member of the editorial staff of BFMTV participated in the preparation of this content.
