All insurers are used to dealing with accidents and will deal with your claim as quickly as possible but you can do your bit to help by submitting as much information as possible when submitting your claim, and keeping calm when speaking to the insurers will help your cause.
In the event of an accident, try to stay calm. If possible the first thing that you should do is take photographs of the incident then look for any witnesses before any vehicle is moved. If there are witnesses, take their name, address and contact details and if the GNR are to be called, ask them to remain until the GNR arrive. Next, you should complete a European Accident Statement and then submit this and any photographs to your insurer. We would recommend keeping two copies of this document in your car - a Portuguese copy and a version in your own language. The details to complete are internationally identical so if you do have an accident and the other party insists on completing a Portuguese version, you can refer to the “own language” version to translate.
You can also download the new APP called e-Segurnet that the Associação Portuguesa de Seguradores has recently launched.
Even if the GNR are called and they are to prepare a Police Report, you still need to complete a European Accident Statement for your insurers as this is the basis upon which a claim will be submitted and handled. The GNR report will not apportion blame but simply quote what each driver has said and provide a sketch of the road and the incident, and the insurers and their claims handlers will assess the situation from the Police Report and the Accident Statement.
The claims department will liaise with you and if you have a broker may also liaise with them but brokers cannot influence any decision made by the insurers.
Finally, don’t forget that as long as there is no injury, whatever is damaged can be repaired or replaced.

For more information, Tel: 800860708 / 289399774, or email: algarve@ibexinsure.com