A d v i c e

Legal requirements

In order to drive a car legally in France you need:

• a driving licence - driving licences issued by other EU countries are valid in France
• a valid "contrôle technique" if the car is more than four years old, to be renewed every second year
• insurance covering third party liability

The little green sticker on the windscreen serves as proof of insurance. The sticker is usually valid one year and you will receive a new sticker every year once the insurance premium has been paid. The international insurance certificate is valid for leisure travel up to 90 days in the countries mentioned on the card.

Remember to carry the registration document (“Carte Grise”) with you wherever you go but do not leave it in the car. It is much easier to sell a stolen car if the

There is no road tax in France.

What to do in case of a police control

The police will ask for personal identification (passport or residence permit), driving licence, registration document and the green proof of insurance. If one or more documents are missing, the best case scenario is a trip to the police station next day.

What to do in case of a police control

A special accident report (“constat amiable”) should be filled in and signed together with the driver of the other vehicle (assuming another vehicle is involved). If more than two vehicles are involved, you need to make one accident report per vehicle.

Keep cool and make sure that the report is completed as extensively and precisely as possible. Consider carefully what to respond to every single question on the form. In particular, make sure to mention any physical injury sustained by you or the passengers in your car. Once the document has been signed and mailed to the insurance companies, there is no way back. Nothing can be changed or amended.

Make sure to get names and addresses of possible witnesses. Passengers in the cars involved are not allowed as witnesses.

If you car needs repair, you should inform us of which garage you wish to use and when the car can be inspected. We will then contact a loss adjuster (“expert”). Don’t carry out any repairs before the car has been inspected.

Remember that you have access to roadside assistance by calling 01 55 92 26 92 and quoting your policy no. which you will find on the green sticker on the windscreen.

What to do in case of theft

Report the theft to the local police or “gendarmerie” within 24 hours and send the original report to AXA. If the car has not been found within 30 days, AXA will start handling you claim and eventually reimburse you based on a loss adjuster’s estimate of the market value of the car.