Car insurance: is the accident with a wild animal compensated?

Verified 13 January 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

In the event of a traffic accident with a wild animal, you can be compensated by your car insurance, by your individual accident insurance or by the Guarantee Fund for Compulsory Damage Insurance (FGAO). We present you the applicable rules.

An accident with a wild animal is a collision between your vehicle and an animal living in the free state, without an identified owner or whose owner is not insured.

They may include wild boar, roe deer, deer and, more generally, any animal moving freely in its natural environment, including when it comes from a hunting zone.

If you have a collision with a wild animal, you need to make the accident known and try to collect the evidence.

You must go to the police or gendarmerie as soon as possible to report the accident.

Next, you must file a claim with your insurer within the time limit stipulated in the contract. It is generally 5 working days.

You must transmit to the insurer the evidence you have collected (testimonies of your passengers or third parties, photos, videos, police or gendarmerie minutes,...).

It is recommended to complete an amicable report (even alone) to accurately describe the circumstances of the accident and to facilitate the handling of the file by the insurer.

The material damage suffered by your vehicle during an accident with a wild animal can be compensated by your car insurance, if you have taken out the warranty material damage or the all accidents warranty.

You can only be compensated for damage to your vehicle if you have taken out one of these optional warranties.

If you are insured only to the third party (civil liability), the material damage suffered by your vehicle is not compensated.

Please note

The insurer must not apply any malus following the accident with a wild animal if you demonstrate that it is an event that falls under the force majeure.

Bodily injury includes injury, consequences of injury (temporary or permanent incapacity for work) and death.

As a driver, you can be compensated for these damages, depending on whether or not you have taken out insurance covering your personal injury (guarantee driver damage or individual accident insurance).

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You have taken out personal injury insurance

You must apply for compensation from the insurance company that covers your personal injury.

You must make a claim with your insurer.

If your personal injury is not fully compensated by the insurance that covers it, you can make a claim for additional compensation at Mandatory Non-life Insurance Guarantee Fund (FGAO).

Your insurer can help you build your file as part of your defense-recourse guarantee.

You can also send your request directly to the FGAO. The file must be filed in the 3 years who follow the accident by filling out a form:

Claim for compensation from the FGAO by a victim of a traffic or hunting accident

You must send the completed form with supporting documents to the FGAO.

Who shall I contact

  • Compensation for victims of traffic accidents whose perpetrators were not insured or were not identified.

    By mail

    Access to the contact form

Even if you go through your insurer or directly through the FGAO, it is strongly advised to keep all medical evidence and documents relating to the accident and the injuries, as they will be necessary for the examination of the file.

You have not taken out personal injury insurance

You can make a request directly to the Mandatory Non-life Insurance Guarantee Fund (FGAO) so that he compensates you in full for your bodily harm.

The file at the FGAO must be filed in the 3 years following the accident, using the following form:

Claim for compensation from the FGAO by a victim of a traffic or hunting accident

You must send the completed form with supporting documents to the FGAO.

Who shall I contact

  • Compensation for victims of traffic accidents whose perpetrators were not insured or were not identified.

    By mail

    Access to the contact form

Please note

The FGAO does not support property damage in this type of accident, only personal injury.

Personal injury to your passengers is covered by your compulsory car insurance civil liability, because the warranty civil liability covers that risk.

You must file a claim with the insurance company within the time limit stipulated in the contract and send the insurer all the information necessary to process the claim.

Passengers shall be compensated even if the driver has not committed any fault, provided that land motor vehicle is involved in the accident.

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • Mandatory Non-life Insurance Guarantee Fund (FGAO)

    Compensation for victims of traffic accidents whose perpetrators were not insured or were not identified.

    By mail

    Access to the contact form

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