Driving on after animal collision: what about insurance?

Damage by wild animal

Animals living in the wild have no owner. Therefore, no one can be held liable for any damage incurred after a collision. If you have third-party limited liability insurance or third-party limited liability insurance, the damage to your car will be reimbursed. It is important to immediately take pictures of the damage and of the animal, so you can prove that there has been a collision with an animal. With only a third-party insurance you are not insured for this.

Some people reflexively swerve from a crossing animal. The animal may be spared, but this can cause dangerous situations. If you swerve to avoid an animal and sustain damage, you are not insured with third-party liability insurance. You cannot prove that you actually swerved to avoid an animal. This is how insurance companies try to combat fraud. You will only be insured if you have All Risk car insurance, but you will then drop down the bonus/malus ladder.

Collision avoidance

You can take the following measures to minimize the chance of a collision with an animal:

• Pay attention to the warning signs
• Adjust your speed in wooded areas, especially at dusk and in the dark
• Look far ahead and keep an eye on the roadsides
• Don't try to swerve; the injuries you can suffer if you hit an oncoming car or a tree are often greater than if you hit the animal