'What to Do in the Event of a Traffic Accident in Germany: Police,

It’s important to handle a traffic accident in Germany calmly and thoroughly: stop, secure the scene, assist anyone injured, exchange contact information, document the damage, and contact your insurance company promptly. Even a minor scratch in a parking lot can become a problem if you leave without being able to identify the parties involved in the accident.

The First Few Minutes After an Accident

First and foremost, act not as a party to the dispute, but as someone responsible for safety.

Stop and turn on your hazard lights.
Put on a reflective vest, set up the warning triangle, and avoid creating a new hazard for traffic.
Check to see if anyone is injured. If there are injuries, call emergency services at 112.
If there is a dispute over who is at fault, if there are injured parties, significant damage, suspicion of alcohol or drug use, a driver without documents, a company or rental car, or any other complicated situation, call the police at 110.
Do not sign an admission of fault at the scene. You can exchange information and describe the facts, but it’s best to leave legal conclusions to your insurance company, the police, or a lawyer.

According to § 34 of the StVO, those involved in an accident must remain at the scene, cooperate in determining the circumstances, assist the injured, and provide information about themselves, their vehicle, and their insurance.

What information should be exchanged

Write down or take a photo of:

the drivers’ names, addresses, and contact information;
license plate numbers;
insurance company information and the insurance policy number, if available;
the vehicle owner’s information, if different from the driver’s;
the location, date, and time of the accident;
contact information for witnesses;
The police report number, if the police were at the scene.

For accidents in Europe, it’s convenient to use the Europäischer Unfallbericht. Fill it out accurately: include a diagram, details of the damage, the parties involved, and any witnesses. If you disagree with the other party’s account of events, do not sign a document that reflects their version of events.

What to photograph at the scene

Take photos before moving the vehicles, if it is safe to do so and does not obstruct traffic:

general view of the accident scene from different angles;
the position of the vehicles on the road or in the parking lot;
the license plate numbers of all vehicles;
close-up shots of the damage and shots showing the damage in context;
traffic signs, road markings, traffic lights, visibility;
skid marks, debris, weather and road conditions.

Photos are not a substitute for official documents, but they help the insurance company and the claims adjuster understand how the accident occurred.

When You Should Definitely Call the Police

The police are especially important if:

someone was injured;
the other party has left or refuses to provide their information;
there is a dispute about what happened;
the driver appears intoxicated or under the influence of substances;
Someone else’s property has been damaged, and the owner is not present;
the accident involves a foreign vehicle, a rental car, a company vehicle, or a car-sharing vehicle;
The damage appears to be significant.

In the case of a very minor accident with no injuries, the police do not always respond if the parties have calmly exchanged information. But if you have any doubts, it’s best to call and describe the situation.

Parking Accidents: Why a Note Isn’t Enough

If you hit someone else’s car in a parking lot, you cannot simply leave a note and drive away. Under § 142 StGB, leaving the scene of an accident without permission is called “Unerlaubtes Entfernen vom Unfallort” and is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to three years.

Here’s the safe procedure:

Stop and inspect the damage.
Try to find the car’s owner.
Wait a reasonable amount of time. Exactly how long you should wait depends on the circumstances: the location, the time of day, the extent of the damage, and the likelihood that the owner will show up.
If the owner isn’t there, call the police and report the incident.
Leave a note with your name, phone number, license plate number, date, time, and a brief description, but do not consider this a substitute for reporting the incident to the police.

In some cases, voluntarily reporting the incident later may mitigate the consequences, but this does not make leaving the scene of an accident a safe strategy. If the situation has already occurred, it is best to seek legal advice as soon as possible and not distort the facts.

Insurance: Who to Notify and When

If you are at fault or a possible party to a traffic accident, report the incident to your Kfz-Haftpflichtversicherung within the timeframe specified in the contract. Insurance companies usually require prompt notification, even if the damage seems minor.

If you are the injured party, the claim for compensation is submitted to the at-fault driver’s insurance company. In practice, the review process takes more than a day: the insurance company needs to receive the documents, verify liability, assess the damage, and, if necessary, request additional information. There is no exact, universal timeframe for all cases, so it’s best to keep a record of all correspondence, send documents with delivery confirmation, and not agree to any unclear reductions in the payout without verifying them first.

Expert Report: When You Need an Expert

An expert report (Sachverständigen-Gutachten) helps prove the cost of repairs, loss of market value, repair time, and other technical details. If you are not at fault for the accident and the damage is not minor, the costs of an independent expert are usually claimed for reimbursement from the at-fault party’s insurance company.

For minor damage, the insurance company may consider a repair estimate or Kostenvoranschlag sufficient. Therefore, before ordering an expensive expert assessment, it’s helpful to assess the extent of the damage and, in the event of a dispute, consult with a lawyer specializing in traffic law.

Medical Records After a Car Accident

Neck and back pain, dizziness, and other symptoms may not appear immediately. If you feel your condition worsening, see a doctor the same day or as soon as possible, and keep all relevant documents.

The following are important for the insurance company:

date of access;
description of the damage;
the doctor’s diagnosis and recommendations;
receipts, prescriptions, and proof of expenses;
documents confirming your inability to work, if applicable.

Don’t exaggerate your symptoms, and don’t attribute anything to the accident that a doctor doesn’t confirm. But don’t delay seeking medical attention if the injury is real.

What Expenses to Keep Records Of

Keep all receipts for expenses related to the accident:

towing and vehicle storage;
trips to the doctor, the repair shop, or an expert;
medication and medical treatment;
renting a replacement car (Leihwagen), if it’s truly necessary;
repair shop and appraiser invoices;
postage costs and copies of documents.

Without receipts and invoices, the insurance company may deny coverage for a specific item or request additional evidence.

Common Mistakes After a Car Accident

Drive away after a parking accident, leaving only a note;
admit fault in writing without understanding the consequences;
failing to take photos of the accident scene;
failing to get the contact information of witnesses;
It’s too late to report it to your insurance company;
repairing the car before the damage has been documented;
Agreeing to a settlement without verifying that all items of damage are included.

Quick Checklist

Safety and assistance for those injured: immediately.
Call 112 for injuries, and 110 for disputes, complicated situations, or the risk of a hit-and-run.
Photos, witnesses, and details of those involved: at the scene.
Notify your insurance company: as soon as possible, in accordance with the terms of your policy.
Doctor: If you have any symptoms, don’t delay.
Gutachten or Kostenvoranschlag: before repairs.
All receipts and correspondence: keep them until the case is closed.

FAQ

Do you always need to call the police?

Not always. In a minor accident with no injuries, the parties can exchange information on their own. However, the police are needed in cases of injuries, disputes, suspected intoxication, significant damage, a parking accident where the owner is absent, or if the other party refuses to cooperate.

Is it okay to leave a note on the damaged car?

A note is helpful, but it doesn’t solve the problem on its own. If the owner isn’t there, you need to find a way to identify the other party involved in the accident and, usually, contact the police.

Is the insurance company required to pay immediately?

No. They need a reasonable amount of time to review the documents and determine liability. If the review is delayed or the payout is reduced, it makes sense to seek advice on traffic law.