Germany has 2.6 million road accidents recorded by the police every year. Accidents can also result not only in damage to the car itself, but also to personal items such as glasses or smartphones. But who covers the costs of the damage? We will clarify this for you.
Does the insurance company reimburse broken items after a road accident?
In the event of a road traffic accident that was not caused by the occupant, all items that the occupant is wearing or carrying are part of the compensation. This includes items such as glasses, wallet, clothing, smartphone, tablet and laptop.
But beware, practical tip:
The prerequisite for a claim for compensation is that the items in the car were well secured. So make sure that you stow loose items safely in the car. At the latest when registering claims for compensation with the party responsible for the accident or their insurance company, questions will be asked such as:
- Was the expensive bottle of wine simply lying in the footwell or was it reasonably secured in a standard shopping crate?
- Was the laptop safely stored in an appropriate bag or was it lying open on the back seat, ready to be smashed against the passenger seat?
- Was the mobile phone fixed in a suitable hands-free kit or was it lying loose in the centre console as a potential projectile towards the dashboard?
The correct answers will decide whether you get a refund or "bad luck".
Important information about the Compensation for child seats we have compiled for you here.
In order to enforce a claim for compensation, you are obliged to provide evidence. To do this, it is important to document the damage to your personal belongings after an accident. It is best to take photos of the damage at the scene of the accident.
You must also provide proof of the value of the items. Proof of purchase still works best here. If you don't have any invoices, the insurance company will round up the value of your items - unfortunately usually to your disadvantage. Market price research from the major online platforms can also be used as a workaround.
Not sure whether you are entitled to compensation for damaged personal property?
Who pays for the damage to my personal belongings after a road accident?
In order to determine who pays for the damage, it is important to clarify who is at fault for the road accident.
If you use the fairforce.one portal, you will receive a qualified initial assessment of the apportionment of blame within 24 hours of providing all the necessary data. A lawyer from our network of experts will assess the question of fault.
If you are not at fault for the accident, the other party's liability insurance will pay for the damage. The party responsible for the accident is obliged to restore your vehicle to the condition it was in before the accident occurred. This means that you are not only entitled to compensation for the repair of your vehicle, but also for your personal belongings such as glasses and smartphone and for any injury suffered.
Accident victims in your situation simply get the best support from fairforce.one.
Depending on the cause of the accident, customers receive an average of €4802 Additional payment
Callback within 5 minutes.
If the accident was your own fault, your comprehensive insurance will apply. Be sure to read the general motoring conditions of your insurance contract. If certain items are excluded here, you will unfortunately be stuck with the costs of the damaged items.
You will find the General Motor Insurance Conditions (AKB) in your insurance contract. These typically list all items carried that are subject to insurance cover in the event of self-inflicted damage.
What is the quickest way for you?
An accident happens in just a few seconds. It can often take several weeks to settle a claim after a road traffic accident. By law, the insurance company has 6 weeks to confirm its obligation to pay. Our fairforce.one network consists of claims settlement experts and supports you in all aspects of claims settlement. We follow up with the insurance company at short intervals and usually speed up the process considerably for you.
Your benefit: We take care of everything and minimise your expenses. This gives you more time for the finer things in life. You can easily track the current status of your case via our proprietary customer information system (KIS). You can also view all important documents such as expert reports directly here. For you, this means "no more thick files, no more searching". All important documents are at your fingertips in seconds.
What do I have to do now?
You can report your accident to us directly in just 2 minutes online or by telephone on the free service number 0800 - 30 111 60. We will contact you by telephone as soon as possible. We will then discuss the next steps with you.
FAQ on broken items after an accident
What items can I claim compensation for after a car accident?
In the event of a road accident that you did not cause yourself, all items that you are wearing or carrying are part of the compensation. This includes, for example, items such as glasses, wallet, clothing, smartphone, tablet and laptop.
When does the insurance company pay for broken personal items after a road accident?
The insurance will only pay out if the items were properly stowed or secured. If, for example, the expensive laptop was lying loose on the back seat, the insurance company will probably refuse to pay for the damage.
Who pays for my broken glasses after a road accident?
If you have been involved in an accident through no fault of your own and your glasses have been damaged, for example, the motor vehicle liability insurance of the person responsible for the accident will pay for the damage. If you yourself are at fault for the accident, your comprehensive insurance may apply. Read the "General motoring conditions" of your policy to find out which items are insured.
My smartphone is defective after a car accident, who pays?
If your smartphone is broken in an accident through no fault of your own, the motor vehicle liability insurance of the person responsible for the accident usually covers the costs of a repair or a replacement mobile phone. If you are at fault, your comprehensive insurance may apply.
