How to properly file an accident so as not to receive a CASCO refusal?

Single vehicle accident

There is no point in listing the reasons for such cases, since there are an infinite number of them. It is necessary to pay attention only to the mechanism of execution. It is documented that a car and any other immovable object are present in this accident. It can be a tree, a wall, a pillar, a fence or any other obstacle. An immovable vehicle is not considered in this situation and such an accident will in any case be classified as an accident with two participants.

Thus, we are considering a situation in which there is only one car and only one driver. Let us additionally clarify that a collision with a pedestrian cannot be included in this situation; the driver and the car are, of course, alone here, but the context of the accident does not fit our situation.

How can an accident happen without a second party?

A single-vehicle accident is one in which only one vehicle is damaged and there is no damage to property belonging to other people. In such an accident, an object without an owner may be destroyed. For example, the following fall under the category of incidents without a second participant:

• hitting a tree in a forest;
• the car falls into a deep hole, as a result of which it is damaged;

• causing damage to the bottom of the vehicle due to a stone on the road or an object resulting from human activity;
• collision of a vehicle with a fence, garage wall and other property belonging to the same owner.

Two points are important here: the event occurred while the vehicle was moving, and the property of other persons was not involved or damaged during the incident. If a car crashed into someone else's fence or was damaged by an ice block from the roof while in the parking lot, this is not an accident.

We recommend reading about non-contact road accidents. You will learn about what a non-contact accident means, who is at fault in such accidents, the rules for registering an accident, and how to receive compensation. And here is more information about the registration of an accident by an accident commissioner.

Is a registration procedure necessary?

Do I need to call the traffic police? It depends on situation. So, this is influenced by the following factors: whether the car is insured by comprehensive insurance (the policy must be valid), the type of obstacle, as well as the degree of destruction of the object and the car.

It’s not without reason that we pointed to comprehensive insurance, because with this policy you can get compensation for car repairs. According to OSAGO, nothing can be done in this situation, because it plays a different role. If the driver does not have a comprehensive insurance policy, then you should forget about compensation for damage.

Registration of an accident without a second party is necessary, because without him it is impossible to receive a comprehensive insurance payment. However, to do this, you need to carefully study your contract with the insurance company to make sure that the insurance company will help you. This is due to the fact that companies working with comprehensive insurance have complete freedom of action. This way, your policy may cover you in the event of a collision with a fence, or it may leave you alone if the collision occurs with a tree.

We gave this example so that you understand that the company has the right to stipulate any conditions in the contract.

A complete list of situations when an accident needs to be reported:

• CASCO insurance has been issued.
• Someone else's property was damaged, for example, if the object was the wall of a store.
• The consequences of an accident impede the movement of traffic - a fallen tree blocks the road, a road sign is knocked down, or the traffic light is disrupted.
• The car suffered significant damage - parts were seriously broken.

Let's assume that the driver drove into a tree. Provided that the car has not received significant damage, there is no need to register such an accident, and the concept of “hiding from the scene of an accident” is not applicable. If the car received several scratches on the hood, then the traffic police should not be called.

Is it worth taking a franchise?

In order to reduce the cost of a CASCO policy, you may be offered a deductible. It, of course, significantly reduces the cost of insurance, but sometimes drivers regret agreeing to this offer.

Example 1

Ford Focus car, cost 820 thousand rubles. The full price of the policy for a year (new car, driver experience - 6 months) is 87 thousand rubles. With a franchise of 30 thousand – 51,660 rubles.

An insured event occurred: a crack appeared in the windshield after it was hit by a stone from under the wheel of a car in front.

Installing the original glass at the dealership cost 45 thousand rubles, 30 of which were paid by the car owner. It was not possible to save much.

Example 2

The initial data of the machine is the same. At a traffic light, a Gazelle drove into her from behind. Damage: left fender scratched, headlight cracked, disc dented, bumper broken. According to calculations, the insurance damage amounted to 93,500 rubles. The owner pays 30 thousand, the rest is paid by the Rosgosstrakh company, in which the driver of the Gazelle had a compulsory motor liability insurance policy.

After the car was repaired, the deductible amount paid by the owner was collected from the Gazelle driver’s compulsory motor liability insurance. Thus, the damage was fully compensated.

When drawing up an agreement, keep in mind that there are two types of franchise: conditional and unconditional (this must be indicated in the agreement, because the difference is significant).

Conditional: for example, the franchise is 15 thousand rubles. If the damage in an accident is 10 thousand, the repairs are entirely at your expense. If the damage exceeds the deductible amount, for example, 20 thousand, the insurance company pays everything.

Unconditional: franchise – the same 15 thousand rubles. The damage is 10 thousand - you pay for it yourself. And if the damage is 20 thousand, then you pay 15 of them, and the remaining 5 thousand rubles are paid by the insurance company.

If you are a very careful and experienced driver and are ready to pay for minor repairs yourself, a deductible is a good way for you to reduce the cost of your CASCO policy.

What happens if you leave the scene of an accident?

If only one car is involved in an accident, then the owner of the car is not always free. As we have already noted, in the absence of damage to other people’s property or health and minor damage to the vehicle, nothing prevents you from leaving the scene of the accident. For example, in a situation where a car crashed into a fence and its bumper fell off, there is no point in carrying out registration, because the car owner will have to repair the damage at his own expense, but no one will have to compensate for the damage.

Let us consider separately the situation in which a pedestrian is involved. Let's assume that a person was injured during an accident, and the driver fled the scene. In fact, there is only one car involved in an accident, but many laws will be violated. Let's list them:

• Failure to fulfill duties.
• Leaving in danger. Let us note that a violation of the article occurs only in the case when the driver did not violate traffic rules.
• Traffic violation.

If the driver fled the scene of an accident in which someone else’s property was damaged, then this situation will be considered in accordance with the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, namely Chapter 59. It is important to note that it is necessary to consult with your insurance agent if you have a comprehensive insurance policy, so that he explains , is it possible to leave the scene of an accident without registration? We have already said that each insurance company has its own rules, but almost always such an accident entails a certain procedure if we are talking about damage compensation under comprehensive insurance.

CASCO programs in Rosgosstrakh

The insurance company Rosgosstrakh offers its clients very interesting and profitable insurance programs.

RGS-auto Protection

This is a complete package, which even includes the possibility of choosing a service station for repairs and a franchise*.

*Excess is part of the amount of damage that is not reimbursed by the insurance company. The franchise amount is negotiated with the client at the time of concluding the contract and can significantly reduce the cost of the CASCO policy.

Programs that involve partial payment of the policy

50 to 50

The client pays half the cost of the insurance policy, but receives full protection (theft, damage, total).

Features of the program: if you are not involved in an accident during the insurance period (1 year), you do not pay anything. If you get caught, you will have to pay the other half.

CASCO-ECONOMY

The same conditions as in the previous program, but only drivers with at least 3 years of experience can use it.

MINI – CASCO

Another type of 50/50 program, but it has a limited insurance limit - up to 120 thousand.

ANTI-CRISIS CASCO

Theft and destruction of a car are insured as usual, and damages, if you are found to be at fault for an accident, are paid only once a year. If you are an experienced driver, this is for you. And the discount on this insurance program is up to 70%

Partially Restricted Programs

Reasonable CASCO

For cars purchased on credit. They are insured against theft, total loss of the car and damage (for this type there are payment limits - up to 45 thousand rubles).

Program NOTHING EXTRA

Insurance of three main risks, the ability to pay for the policy in installments. Non-serious damage can be registered without certificates from the traffic police (according to the European protocol).

Accident protection

This is a very cheap program (from 5 to 12 thousand rubles). But: your car must be no older than 7 years, and it is insured only against damage received in an accident that was not your fault.

What to do in an accident with one participant, if you have comprehensive insurance

Every driver needs to know the order of basic actions so as not to get confused and panic in the event of a collision with an immovable object. The most important point is don’t panic, focus on solving this problem as quickly as possible. It is necessary to indicate when the insurer recognizes an accident with one participant:

• Hitting a curb. It doesn’t matter whether he was in the visibility zone (for example, he was hidden by snow).
• Collision with a tree, stop, traffic light, etc.
• Hitting a sewer hatch, hole, etc.
• Driving into a concrete fence or store (causing damage).
• Causing damage to any roadside object.
• Hitting something sharp, for example, ice, nails, etc.
• An accident while entering a garage box, when the sides, mirror or something else is damaged.
• It was thrown into a ditch, causing damage to the car.
• And other options for receiving or causing damage.

If you plan to file a case yourself, without involving traffic police officers, then you need to draw a clear and simple diagram of the accident. It should reflect how it happened that you moved into the real estate. This diagram will help IC specialists understand how the accident occurred. Important details that need to be reflected in this document:

• The position of the car relative to real estate that is adjacent to the road and the scene of the accident.
• What was the braking distance and its length?
• The layout of travel routes, namely, the width of the road, its markings, traffic lights, etc.
• Time and date of the incident.
• Two witnesses to the event, namely their contact information and signatures.
• Personal data of the car owner.
• Information about the car.
• The direction in which the car was moving before the collision.

But not in every situation you can file an accident yourself. If the car is seriously damaged, then the driver who has insured property falls into a different category of clients. Insurance companies serve such clients only if they have certificates from the traffic police.

As soon as an accident occurs, immediately stop the car, turn off its engine, turn on the hazard lights and display the appropriate signs. If the inspector sees that the alarm system is not working or the stop sign is not posted, then you will face a fine of 1 thousand rubles. Let's consider a situation where your car was seriously damaged during an accident. Your algorithm of actions should be as follows:

• Call a traffic police officer.
• Calling the emergency commissioner. This is especially true when the company offers you VIP services. To do this, call your insurer, explain the situation, and the company will send an expert to the accident site to calculate the amount of damage.
• If necessary, call an expert to conduct an independent examination.
• If there are victims present, call emergency medical assistance.
• Do not leave the scene of the accident or touch the car until specialists arrive. While you are waiting for them, you can take pictures of all the damage yourself.

Before going to the Investigative Committee office, make sure that the traffic police officer has completed the documents properly, and also collect all the necessary certificates from him. You will need a report from an expert appraiser indicating the amount of damage. And the emergency commissioner will take a photo or video of the consequences of the accident, and will also help draw up a diagram of the incident and the necessary papers.

Signing the contract

Signing an agreement is a very important moment. If this is your first time insuring your car, invite a driver you know who already has experience dealing with insurance companies. And most importantly, read the contract carefully.

Remember: an insurance company, no matter how reputable it may be, is, first of all, a commercial organization. Its goal is to make a profit.

The first thing you should do before going to an insurance company is to go to the Rosgosstrakh website and carefully study the “Rules of CASCO insurance in Rosgosstrakh” - these rules take up 57 pages, and all of them are very important.

Example 3

The client contacted the RGS with a claim for damages. His car was stolen, he contacted the insurance company and the police. Two days later the car was found, but the windows were broken, the DVR and a new (in package) radio, which was in the back seat, were stolen.

Rosgosstrakh compensated for all losses, except for the cost of the radio, citing the “Rules...” (Appendix 1, clause 2.4): additional equipment is insured along with the vehicle, if installed. The radio was not installed.

Example 4

The wheels were removed from the car at night. The client applied for compensation for losses from Rosgosstrakh, attaching to the application all the documents necessary in this case, including a check that indicated the cost of the new wheels he installed a month ago.

Rosgosstrakh paid an amount less than the client expected. (Appendix 1, clause 2.5): for each vehicle, only one set of tires and wheels is insured, the one that was on the car at the time the contract was concluded. The cost of this kit, taking into account wear and tear, was received by the client.

There are no small details when insuring a car. When signing the contract, pay attention to the following details:

• whether the list of insured events includes an accident that occurred through your fault (this should be included as a separate item);
• is there any wording in the contract that can be interpreted in different ways (with double meaning);
• Are there any points on which you may be denied compensation for losses (ask for each of them to be explained, written down in a wording that suits you, or excluded).

For example, one of the clients insisted that insurance coverage include a clause covering damage resulting from exposure to animals. He explained that the road along which he travels to his summer cottage passes by a forest area, from where moose often come onto the road. The client presented the manager with documents for the right to own the dacha plot, a map confirming that this road actually runs near a forest area and is the only one along which one can drive from the city to the dacha village, a photograph of the road sign “Beware of moose” installed on this road, materials from local media, which reported on several similar accidents.

How do payments for comprehensive insurance and compulsory motor liability insurance work?

If the driver only has MTPL insurance, then you can count on insurance payments in the only case where a pedestrian was injured. Of course, the payment will not affect the driver or his car, the victim will receive compensation, depending on the harm received - this is regulated by Article 7 of the Federal Law on Compulsory Motor Liability Insurance.

The maximum payment in this context is 500 thousand rubles. Payment does not necessarily occur in case of personal injury, but also in case of death of the pedestrian. In any other situation, OSAGO will not make any payments. This type of insurance will not pay for damage even if one car crashes into another that is not moving.

If we talk about comprehensive insurance, the forecast for receiving payment is in the vast majority of cases favorable. As a rule, most of these situations are included in the insurance list, regardless of the fault of the car owner. But the insurance company will only pay for the damage that was caused to the car. Other compensation, for example, in cases where damage is caused to someone else’s property, the driver will have to compensate himself.

The condition of the driver at the time of the accident plays a big role. Thus, if he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, then most insurance companies will refuse to pay, and traffic violations will not be the determining factor in this situation.

How to write a statement about an incident

First of all, each victim who is at fault for an accident should decide whether he wants to repair the car with the help of the services of an insurance company, or simply receive compensation for damages in monetary terms from it.

The content of the statement will also depend on what he chooses. When paying compensation in money, the insured person writes an application to receive money within the period established by the Insurance Rules.

During repairs, an application is drawn up with a request to receive a referral to restore the car at a service station. But from the very beginning, an insured who is involved in a single accident must submit an application to his insurance company not for payment, but as a notification that an insured event has occurred.

A statement about the event that occurred is filled out on a specially designed form approved by general legislative acts regarding the insurance business in Russia.

In addition, you definitely need to know how to correctly report an event that happened. Thanks to this, the insurer will determine whether your case is insurable, whether it complies with the insurance contract or not.

Key wording that you should pay attention to when filling out the application form may include the following options:

• “the car was damaged as a result of a single accident”;
• “collision with an immovable obstacle”;
• “the car hit the open hatch with its wheel”;
• “due to ice, I lost control and the car flew into a ditch”;
• “ran over blocks, pieces of ice scattered along the road”;
• “I didn’t calculate the trajectory of entering the garage,” etc.

The form should be filled out in blue ink by hand and without corrections or errors. First, the form indicates the details of the policyholder and the number of his policy, which he has in his hands.

Then, in the place where subrogation is discussed, the insurer, upon acceptance of the completed application, will mark whether subrogation applies to the client or not.

The following is all according to the form:

• information about the car;
• about the place and time of the incident;
• description of the causes and circumstances that provoked the accident;
• description of the damage, its nature and extent;
• a note on the participation of competent authorities in the investigation of the circumstances and consequences of the event;
• A diagram of a collision or collision is drawn in a large rectangle.

In the place in the document where it says “Accepted by an employee of the Insurer,” the insured person does not write anything - this is a place in the document for the company’s specialists.

Usually at the bottom of the form there is already a counterfoil of the second application for payment or for receiving a referral for car repair. But if there is no such stub, which is unlikely, then a separate application form must be filled out to receive payment in the form of cash insurance.

Usually this form is submitted by a specialist when you apply and, by and large, it will contain columns about your details, where exactly the money should be transferred, to which account, in which bank.

Features of contacting the insurance company

In case of an accident involving one driver, you must submit a corresponding application within 5 days. This rule applies not only to comprehensive insurance, but also to compulsory motor liability insurance. If the application submission period exceeds 30 days, the insurer recognizes the situation as overdue.

At the same time, it is important to understand that you need to contact the insurance company as early as possible, preferably on the same day when the accident occurred. Thus, if the accident did not cause harm to your health, in connection with which it is impossible to contact the insurance company, call your agent immediately.

You may fail to deliver some document, the main thing in this situation is the submitted application for the occurrence of an insured event. You will provide the missing certificates later; most importantly, do not miss the application deadline. If errors, inaccuracies, etc. are found in your package of documents, it will be returned for editing.

You have 30 days to correct the documents, and the countdown will begin from the moment you receive the documents.

How to get compensation for damages

As has already been said, compulsory motor liability insurance cannot help in any way if there is no second party to the accident.

Therefore, you may have only two options to solve the problem:

• you must have a CASCO insurance policy for risk of damage;
• if you have regular MTPL insurance, you will have to pay for car repairs yourself, and then sue the culprit (utility service, highway and other organizations). And then, if the outcome of the case is positive, you will receive the money.

Registration of road accidents for timely compensation

To receive payment from the insurance company, it is important to correctly register the accident:

• Calling the body competent to register road accidents to draw up documents.
• Maximum protection of the vehicle from external influences (movement, touch, etc.).
• We recommend that you do not conduct preliminary negotiations with the party that caused damage to the car without the presence of a lawyer.
• Viewing and studying the incident report in order to clarify the correctness of its completion, since in case of an accident, documents play the role of evidence of the incident.

In case of an accident on the roads, traffic police officers are called, who inspect the vehicles and take photographs. After that, a protocol is drawn up. The legislation of the Russian Federation provides for fines and other administrative measures for the culprit.