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What should I do after a car accident in Germany?

In short

Hazard lights on, put on the high visibility vest, set up the warning triangle, help anyone injured and call 112 if someone is hurt. Then take photos, note the other driver's details and witnesses, and sign no admission of fault. Report the accident to your insurer quickly; if the other side is at fault and damage exceeds about EUR 750, you may hire your own assessor.

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What it costs

What typically comes up after an accident and who pays.

Example	Typical range
Minor damage threshold for an assessor	about EUR 750 of damage
Assessor when the other side is at fault, above the threshold	EUR 0 for you, the other side pays
Comprehensive cover deductible if you are at fault	usually EUR 150 to 1,000

As of September 2026. The minor damage threshold comes from court rulings, not a fixed figure in law. Deductible as a guide value from our quoting practice.

Worked example

Rear-ended at traffic lights, not your fault

This is how the claim is settled when someone drives into the back of your car.

Damage according to the assessor	EUR 3,200
Assessor's fee	paid by the other side's liability insurer
Loss of use or hire car	paid by the other side's liability insurer
Your no claims class (Schadenfreiheitsklasse)	stays the same

You carry no costs if fault is clear. Worked example, every case is assessed individually.

At the scene

Safety comes first: hazard lights, high visibility vest, warning triangle. In town about 100 metres is enough, on country roads and motorways at least 150 metres. German law requires the vest, triangle and first aid kit in every car, including hire cars.

Anyone involved in an accident must stay until details are exchanged. Driving off without doing so counts as leaving the scene of an accident (Unfallflucht) and is a criminal offence in Germany, even for a scratch on a parked car. If the owner is not there, wait a reasonable time and then call the police.

Secure the evidence

Photograph both cars, their position on the road, skid marks and signs. Note the other driver's number plate, name, address and insurer, plus witnesses.

An accident report signed by both drivers helps as long as you only record facts. The European accident report (Europäischer Unfallbericht) has the same layout in every language, so you can fill in an English copy while the other driver uses a German one. Signing it is not an admission of fault.

What	Why
Photos from several angles	show how it happened and the damage
Number plate and insurer	for the claim against the other side
Witnesses with phone numbers	important if the course of events is disputed
Police reference number	if anyone is injured or there is a dispute

After the accident

Report the accident to your own insurer even if you are not at fault. If the other driver is at fault, also claim against their motor liability insurance (Kfz-Haftpflichtversicherung).

If damage exceeds the minor damage threshold of about EUR 750, you may appoint an independent assessor (Gutachter), paid by the other side's insurer. Below that, a repair estimate from a garage is enough.

What is different if you are new to Germany

In the US you may be used to the police attending every crash. In Germany police often do not come to minor accidents without injuries, and drivers sort things out between themselves. Call them anyway if the other driver refuses to show ID, you suspect alcohol or you cannot agree on what happened.

Letters from insurers and assessors will be in German, and you do not have to agree to anything on the phone. If the other side's insurer offers its own assessor, you are free to decline and choose your own.

Step by step

Hazard lights, high visibility vest, warning triangle.
Give first aid and call 112 if anyone is injured.
Take photos and note details and witnesses.
Do not sign any admission of fault.
Report the accident to your own insurer.
If the other side is at fault and damage is larger, appoint your own assessor.

Checklist

High visibility vest and warning triangle within reach
First aid kit not past its expiry date
European accident report in the glove box, ideally in English and German
Your insurer's claims number saved in your phone
Other driver's number plate and insurer noted

Common mistakes

Leaving the scene without exchanging details
Admitting fault at the scene, for example by apologising in writing
Accepting the other side's assessor without checking
Forgetting to tell your own insurer

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Do I have to call the police after every accident?

No. But it is strongly advised if anyone is injured, the course of events is disputed, alcohol is suspected or the other driver has no ID.

Do I have to report it if I am not at fault?

Yes, your own insurer wants to know anyway. It costs you nothing.

Who pays the assessor?

If the other side is at fault and damage exceeds about EUR 750, their liability insurer.

Can I choose my own garage?

If the other side is at fault, yes. Your own comprehensive cover may tie you to partner garages (Werkstattbindung).

What is different after hitting a deer or boar?

Call the police, who issue a wildlife accident certificate (Wildunfallbescheinigung). Do not take the animal with you.

What if the other driver flees?

Call the police and report it. Without a known driver, only your own comprehensive cover pays.

The other car has foreign plates. What now?

Note the plate, the driver's details and insurer as usual. Claims against foreign drivers in Germany are handled through a German representative, so you can still claim here.

Sources

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